Reliability test induced failures vs field performance: Contact fretting perspective

Connectors, based on the applications, can be exposed to a wide variety of reliability risks. To ensure products meet reliability requirements, qualifications tests are performed in laboratory settings. These tests are accelerated to meet the time-to-market requirements. Incorrect accelerated reliability models can lead to inaccurate field reliability risk assessment. Additionally, a chosen test can generate different failure modes, which are unlikely to be accelerated the same amount in the laboratory settings. In this paper, the authors evaluate some of the existing test methods and requirements vs. actual field vibration data for vibration induced contact fretting. The reliability model for contact fretting is based on a multiscale finite element approach. This model is used to evaluate contact micromotion from the standards based test methods that cover operational vibration in automotive electronics and non- operational packaged shipping vibration. The same model is then used to study contact micromotion in actual use condition. Intent of this exercise is to validate the appropriateness of standards based test in reflecting field reliability risks from a contact fretting perspective.