ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how Design of Experiments (DoE) can be used to integrate reliability into the organization. This is done in three parts: managing the culture, managing the technology, and managing the data. Microcircuit technology has advanced to the point where it is not practical to test individual product samples to determine either their quality or reliability. Accelerated reliability tests are conducted on samples of each structure, using only the operating and environmental conditions that activate its unique failure mechanism, and a reliability database is developed for each mechanism. A defense contractor used DoE to develop a reliability database for the design and production of pyrotechnic tracer ammunition. The development and use of DoE to integrate reliability into the organization is more a management discipline than a technical one. It is the responsibility of management to provide education in these disciplines, and to ensure their systematic application to comprehensive and proactive design, production, and support activities.
