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Reliability Engineering for Medical Devices. Richard C. Fries Manager, Reliability Engineering Datex-Ohmeda Madison, Wisconsin. Definition of Reliability. The probability, at a desired confidence level, that a device will perform a specified function, without failure,
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Reliability Engineering for Medical Devices Richard C. Fries Manager, Reliability Engineering Datex-Ohmeda Madison, Wisconsin
Definition of Reliability The probability, at a desired confidence level, that a device will perform a specified function, without failure, under stated conditions, for a specified period of time
More General Definition of Reliability A reliable product: one that does what the customer wants, when the customer wants to do it
Reliability Basics Reliability cannot be tested into a product It must be designed and manufactured into it Testing only indicates how much reliability is in the product
Purpose of the Reliability Group Determine the weaknesses in a design and correct them before the device goes to the field
Areas Covered by Reliability • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • System
Set the Reliability Goal • Based on similar equipment • Used as the basis for a reliability budget
Parts Count Prediction • Uses MIL-HDBK-217 • Indicates whether the design approximates the reliability goal • Indicates those areas of the design with high failure rates
Chemical Compatibility • Test plastics with typically used chemical agents (alcohol, anesthetic agents, cleaning agents) • Cleaning agents are the worst
Component Testing • Cycle/life testing of individual components • Comparison of multiple vendors of components • Determine applicability for the intended use
HALT • Acronym for Highly Accelerated Life Teing • Used to find the weak links in the design and fabrication process • Usually performed during the design phase
HASS • Acronym for Highly Accelerated Stress Screen • Uses the highest possible stresses as determined by HALT testing • Performed on 100% of the units being manufactured
HALT Testing • Possible stresses that can be applied: • random vibration • rapid temperature transitions • voltage margining • frequency margining • The product is stressed far beyond its specifications • The test can be set up to find the destruct limits
Goal of HALT Testing • Overstress the product • Quickly induce failures • By applying the stresses in a controlled, stepped fashion, while continuing monitoring for failures, the testing results in the exposure of the weakest points in the design • This test does not demonstrate that a product will function in its intended environment • This test, if successful, will expose weak points in the design
Goals of HALT Testing • The goal is more effectively met by testing at the lowest possible subassembly, typically individual PC boards • Card cages are not usually used due to the dampening effect of the cage on vibration • Cages also can block air flow, thus reducing stresses
Environmental Testing • Operating temperature/humidity • Storage temperature/humidity • EMC • Surges/transients • Brown-outs • Cell phones • ESD • Altitude
Environmental Testing • Autoclave • Shock • Vibration • Shipping • Tip testing • Threshold testing
Customer Misuse • Excess weight on tabletop • Fluid spillage • Cross connection of wires • Pulling unit by non-pulling parts • Wrong order of pressing keys • “Knowing” how to operate the unit without reading the manual
Making a Design Foolproof The biggest mistake engineers make when trying to make a design completely foolproof is underestimating the ingenuity of complete fools
Life Testing • Operate the device in its typical environment and application • Use appropriate on/off cycles • Can be used to verify the reliability goal or a specific period of time, such as the warranty period
Tracking Reliability Growth in the Field • Collect manufacturing data on how many units were manufactured by month • Collect field failure data, by month • Develop a reliability growth chart
Failure Analysis • Failure: device does not operate according to its specification • Determine root cause of the failure • Suggest methods to address the failure
The Reliability Group You make it, We’ll break it