Electro-Mechanical

Failure modes in electro-mechanical products are typically due to corrosion, fatigue failures, stresses induced by differential expansion, loosening of fastenings, and wear caused by rubbing. These may be detected by using a variety of techniques such as temperature/humidity testing, thermal cycling and vibration.

Destructive tests such as humidity and extended vibration can be used during product development. Production tests, however, need to be carefully selected to ensure that weak products fail but good products are not damaged. Temperature tests, thermal cycling, and reduced vibration levels or duration are generally used but need to be evaluated for effectiveness on each type of product.