Reliability tests to control design quality: a case study

Because of the importance of the product design process, a good control of it is of vital importance. It is shown how design tests can be defined and executed that are able to identify quality problem. Emphasis will be on the early detection of reliability problems. The quality control method itself and the results reached at Philips Electronics Industries‐Consumer Electronics Division (PEI‐CED) in Taiwan will be discussed. First, the organisation of a design process and design reliability evaluation program in general will be considered. Next, it will be explained what opportunities for improvement of reliability control in the design process at PEI‐CED were detected. A risk analysis, aimed at identifying reliability risks and analysing them, will be the basis for the reliability tests that will be elaborated next.