ABSTRACT
The purpose of design assurance is to improve the chances of success and reduce the risk of failure when introducing new designs. This effort will apply equally well in years to come as it does now. Many factors will be present which will make it important for the new designs to be right the first time. These include: the rapid advances in technology, the high cost of a lengthy product development effort, the time crunch of converting a new idea into a marketable product, the desire to make new products which have greater capabilities but are simpler to use, the spread of competition in the world, and the hazards and consequences of product defects.
