ME 571 Reliability in Engineering Design

Module 1.1: Introduction

Ganesh Subbarayan
Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering
Purdue University
 What is Reliability?
• Failures often do not occur precisely at predicted/expected time
(i.e., deterministically)

• Uncertainty inherent in most engineering designs due to

geometrical variations, material behavior, and loading history

• “Reliability is the probability that an item will perform a required

function without failure under stated conditions for a stated period
of time”

G. Subbarayan, Purdue Univ. ME 571 Reliability in Engineering Design 2

 Why Study Reliability?
• Reduce or prevent likelihood (or frequency) of failures
• Identify and correct causes of failures
• Determine ways of coping with failures
• Analyze reliability data and estimate reliability of new designs

• Design to ensure reliability!

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 Example: Weibull Probability Plots
Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu and Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu for 10, 30, 60 min Hot Dwell Times
10 Minute Hot Dwell 30 Minute Hot Dwell 60 Minute Hot Dwell

Simulated Power
Cycling Tester
Chan, D., Bhate, D., Subbarayan, G., Love, D., Sullivan, R., "Effects of Dwell Time on the Fatigue
Life of Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu and Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu Solder Joints during Simulated Power Cycling," in the
proceedings of the Electronics Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), Reno, NV, May
30- June 01, 2007.

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 Post Failure Analysis
Dye and Pry
Cross Section

Fracture
Morphology

P. Towashiraporn, G. Subbarayan, C.S. Desai, “A Hybrid

Model for Computationally Efficient Fatigue Fracture
Simulations at Microelectronic Assembly Interfaces.”
International Journal of Solids and Structures, v 42, p
4468-4483, 2005.

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 Failure Causes
1. Poor design (inherently incapable)

2. Overstress (unanticipated loading)

§ Example: 240 V power to 110 V appliance

3. Uncertainty in load or strength

4. Degradation with time

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 Uncertainty in Load and Strength
• Deterministic Design (traditional point of view)

Safety
Margin

Load Strength Stress

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• Uncertain Load

Safety
Margin

Load Strength Stress

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• Uncertain Strength

Safety
Margin

Load Strength Stress

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• Uncertain Load and Strength

Safety
Margin?

Load Strength Stress

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 Degradation with Time

Time

Examples: Creep, fatigue, oxidation, corrosion, threshold voltage

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