Prediction of Device Reliability by Mechanisms-of-Failure Principles

CONSTRUCTION of novel devices for space-age missions requires a new approach to the assessment of reliability of such devices and their components. The method suggested in this paper describes performance characteristics and failure mechanisms of a device in probabilistic terms. Environmental and stress conditions applicable to the device, and its performance and strength characteristics, are expressed in the form of multidimensional probability distributions. By joint evaluation of these probability distributions, a quantitative estimate of the reliability of the device can be obtained.