on IBEE TRANSACTIONS ON RELIABILITY, VOL. 40, NO. 5, 1991 DECEMBER Optimum Simple Step-Stress Accelerated Life-Tests with Competing Causes of Failure D. S. Bai, Senior Member ASQC ‘Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul Y.R. Chun Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul ‘Key Words — Accelerated life test, Step stres tet, Exponen til fe distribution, Fisher information, Maximum likelihood, Asymptotic variance, Competing causes of fallure Reader Als — Purpose: Widen state ofthe art ‘Special math needed for explanations: Statistics, Method of ‘marimum tkelihood ‘Speclal math needed to use results: None ‘Results useful to: Analysts and accelerated lifetest planners ‘Summary & Conclusion — This paper presents optimum ssw ple step stress accelerated life tests (ALT) for products with com- eting causes of allure. The life dstribution of each fallue case, ‘which i independent ofthe others, i assumed tobe exponential with a mean that isa loglinear function of the stress, and a ‘cumulative exposure models assumed. Optimum plans for time- ‘ep and falurestep ALT are obtained which minimize the sun ‘overall failure causes of asymptotic variances of the maximum {Ukelthod estimators ofthe log mean lives at design stress. The competing caures of failure affect the optimam test plan only through the product of two ratios — the rato ofthe sums of the ‘mean lives and the ratio ofthe sums of the fallure rates over all failure causes a low and high sires levels. The effet ofthis pro- dct (of two ratios) is stuled. 1, INTRODUCTION ‘Accelerated life tests (ALTS) of a product under severer than design conditions involving high temperature, voltage, pressure, vibration, cycle rate, load, etc are commonly used to reduce test time and cost. Data collected at such accelerated ‘conditions are extrapolated by means of a model to estimate the life distribution under the design condition ‘One way of aplying stress tothe test units is step-stress Scheme which allows the sres setting ofa unit to be changed at prespecified times or upon the occurrences of fixed number of failures. The former i called time-step stress ALT and the later failure-step stress ALT. The step stress ALTs are widely used; for example, life testing of diodes [2], cable insulation [9], an insulating uid (7). They have the advantage of yielding more failure data ina limited time without necessarily using ‘abigh stesso all ex units andthe asymptotic theory isa bet- {er approximation when there are many failures (10, chapter 10) Several authors have considered the problem of optimally 0 and a8 +=0(7), f(7) 062). Thus the ha of 6) is nresing fom 0 to infty as increases from 0 QED. REFERENCES 10) B.S. Ba, M.S, Kim and SH Lee, “Optima snl steps cele ie eis with esa”, EEE Dan Rely, 138, 1989 Dec, pp 28-32, (2) 1.8 Bom, "Spates acer eng of tides, Micro ‘omic and Reey, vel 19,199, pp 29-280 (8) MOH. Debra, PK: Goel, “Hays esiton and pial design parily sclera ie eng, Nal Research Logics Quare e125, 197, pp 223-235. [4] J.P. Klein, A. Bs, "Webl assent fees whe there ae ‘meting neo fare", Cimon States Theory and Matas 10, 198, pp 2973-2100,[BAUCHUN: OPTIMUM SIMPLE STEP.STRESS ACCELERATED LIFEITESTS WITH COMPETING CAUSES OF FAILURE Us] J.P Klein, AP. Bans, “Accel if tests under compting Weil ‘cat ofl’, Conmancaton in Staiter ~ Tryon Maths, {ol AIL, 1982, pp 2271-2286, (6) JF Lawes, Se! Modal and Methods for Lftine Dat, 192; Jon Wiley & Sone (7) R. Mile, W. B. Nelson, “Optimum single sep ses ans fr a ‘elrede eting" EEE Trams. Rb, nok R32, 1983 Aig, poss (8) 9. Neon, “Gapia analy of ctr fe tt data with + mit lie mod EE Trans Realy, al 24,175 Ox pp 20-257 [9] W. B Nelo, “Accelerated fe eng: Sep see modal and ts asus, (EEE Tran. Rly, vol R29, 1980 on, pp 103-108. (10) W. BL Nokon, AceenedTening ~ Sata model Tet Pl, and Data Anaae, 1990; Joba Wiley & Soe (ut) M, Shed, NP Singpurwalla, Inference for Hep ses acsetod Accelerated Testing (Statistical Models, Test Plans, Data Analyses) Wayne Nelion 1990, John Wiley & Sons, approx $70 ‘Table of Contents 1. Introduetion & Background, 50 pp. 2. Models for Life Tests with Constant Stress... 62 pp 3. Graphical Data Analysis. 54 pp ‘4. Complete Data and Lease Squares Analysis... 66 pp 5. Censored Data and Maximum Likelihood Methods 8 pp. 6, Test Plans. 60 pp. 7. Competing Failure Modes and Size Effect... 48 pp. 8. Least Squares Comparison for Complete Data 26 pp 9. ML Comparisons for Censored & Other Data $2 pp 10, Models and Data Analysis for Step & Varying Stress. 28 pp 11, Accelerated Degradation 28 pp AUTHORS Dr. D5. Ba Deparment of Indi Engineering: Korea Adancd sito Scone and Techclogy (KAIST); POD 10 Chong: Sol, Repuic of KOREA, 8, Ba Fr biography see IEEE Trans, Relabiliy vol 39, 1950 san, p 10, YR. Cha; Depren of Indus Enpaeiag: KAIST; 371 Kusng song, Yering; Tago, Republic of KOREA. YR. Chan was toon in Kyunguan, Kore, 1962 Novner 17. He fea ge stern KAIST a inetd ine eng ey ery snd sta uy ono Manuicrip TROOAT recived 1980 Ape 27; revised 1991 Febnary 19. IEEE Log Namber 44574 =e BOOK REVIEW BOOK REVIEW OOK REVIEW Statistical Tables 12 pp References 18 pp Index 23 pp ‘This is a good book. Dr. Nelson is noted for being able ‘to explain statistical techniques so that engineers can under stand them; this book carries on his tradition, He is generally {quite careful to emphasize to engineers thatthe analysis of ‘ satntical model, and fitting data to models, requires more than making numbers jump through hoops; chat is, it requires much engineering judgment “The book explains stateical jargon and how the words can be quite diferent from ordinary usage. The examples are all from real, not simulated, data (warts and al). Many of the datasets are examined from several points of view with weveral models ‘Any engineers, aswell as many statisticians, who are going. to perform accelerated tets, should read this book FIRST (before performing the tests). The book will be a valuable Addition to an engineering libary as well as a good reference book to have on a statisticians desk—as well as for anyone in between those categories = Ralph A. Evans Product Assurance Consultant