Reliability enhancement methodology and modelling for electronic equipment-the REMM project

For greater use to be made of electric actuation in future aircraft the associated electronics must not impact the overall life or reliability. Traditional methods for predicting reliability have been largely discredited but there remains the need to estimate reliability so that system safety can be assessed. A project entitled REMM sponsored by the DTI and involving four industrial companies and two Universities has been established to research new methods and tools for enhancing the reliability of electronics equipment. The main objectives include the development of an expert system which provides: (1) a methodology to support the reliability enhancement of electronic systems; and (2) a model which facilitates the assessment of reliability throughout the product life cycle. This paper describes the background to the project and the holistic approach being undertaken. The project is broken down into a number of work packages associated with the activities essential to the achievement of reliable electronics. Each of these is outlined and their integration is described.