Webinar Test vs.
Analysis - What's the Right Ratio? - This Thursday
PSMA (Power Sources
Manufacturers Association) invites you and your
colleagues to the February 18 PSMA Power Technology Roadmap Webinar
"Test vs. Analysis - What is the Right Ratio for Achieving High
Reliability?" Presenter: Charles Hymowitz, AEi Systems Inc. Register at https://lnkd.in/g-UtJMt. #psma #ptr #aei #reliability

Reliability is often a function of the
amount of test and analysis applied. But programs are often budget and
time constrained. So, what is the right ratio to achieve optimum
reliability? Many industries lean on test, eschewing analysis as too
expensive. For many programs, reference designs are employed without
pessimism and no analysis is performed at all. This presentation
discusses where can we focus our efforts to improve the reliability of
high-reliability applications. How analysis compliments test and has
changed over time, existing and emerging standards, BOL vs EOL tolerance
impacts, methods for performing WCCA efficiently on new technologies, how
to properly perform and interpret Monte Carlo analysis, and what circuit
characteristics often fail stress and WCCA are discussed.
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4367447515271812363?source=linkedin

WCCA RULES TO LIVE
BY
- We
know very little about the parts we use - Parts are often like a box
of Crackerjacks,
there's a surprise lurking in each one and you don't know what it is
until you open the box and find it.
- Most
SPICE models provided by vendors are undocumented, uncorrelated to
test data, inaccurate over much of the part's potential operating
region, and/or have poor fidelity where you need it
- Programs
and designers greatly overestimate the confidence gained from
nominal performance and limited statistical data
- Programs
completely underestimate the man-hours, schedule, and resources
required to perform a WCCA
More to Come…

Worst (Best) Case Happens Every Day
Many don't
believe that the tolerance stackup is reasonable. That parts or circuits
can be as bad as the stackup says they are. The total tolerance stackup
includes Initial, temperature, aging, manufacturing and in Space,
radiation tolerances. In some cases, these are largely beginning of life
and in some cases, more end-of-life. But the bottom line is worst case
happens every day!
Small
Satellite Trending & Reliability 2009-2018
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4787&context=smallsat
This paper quantifies trends in small satellite utilization, reliability,
and capability using a database of all small satellites. “Mission-ending
failures are most likely to be attributed to the communication subsystem
(26%) or power system (18%). Unattributed failures account for another
23%, with the other subsystems accounting for the remainder.”
Here's this month's light-hearted
look at how out of tolerance conditions can cascade and why you need to
perform WCCA.
Shocking moment two
Carnival cruise ships crash into each other
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7814605/Shocking-moment-two-cruise-ships-crash-Mexico.html#v-9136300757792374151
Texas Man Killed by Exploding Vape Pen
https://nypost.com/2019/02/05/texas-man-killed-by-exploding-vape-pen/
Jeffrey Toobin Zooms
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54611557
New Yorker writer and CNN analyst
Jeffrey Toobin didn't just expose himself during a Zoom work meeting, “I
believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call
could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.''

PAST ARTICLES
Why Perform a WCCA
Power Integrity Video Series: How to Design for Power Integrity
What Is PDN and Why It's Important
SPICE
Models Need Correlation to Measurements
How To Design Power
Supplies For Sensitive Circuits
Automotive
WCCA Example Report - Simulating Stability and EMC/ESD Transients for
Automotive Power Supplies
BOOKS: Switch-Mode
Power Supply Simulation w/ PSpice and SPICE 3
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NEW WCCA Blog Article:
WCCA Escapes
“Escapes” is a euphemism
for all the excuses programs, program managers, engineers, and reviewers
use to curtail or eliminate WCCA associated activities. It is essential
that all the elements noted in the (first) Going It Alone blog section,
necessary to perform the WCCA, be brought together along with the right
software, people, test data, and experience. With each hurdle, the
analysis will stall, impacting the level of rigorousness, and the
veracity of the conclusions.
Click to Read - “Too Many Escapes
and Biases” Blog…

WCCA Blog Article - Resistor Aging
Coming Next!
Stay tuned for the Next blog in
the March newsletter on Resistor Aging Tolerances where we discuss
what's a reasonable aging/combined environments tolerance for resistors.

WCCA Engineers Needed
Why you save money outsourcing.
Engineers that can perform worst
case circuit analysis (WCCA) are in short supply. And AEi Systems has them.
If you need WCCA, Stress, power
integrity analysis, radiation analysis, or testing support for any
program, please let us know.
Its understandable that customers
generally want to perform WCCA in-house. Our experience is that that is
not a good idea for two reasons. First,
independence is lost. Second, we
have several advantages that allow us to perform analysis more quickly
and more inexpensively.
You may be right about being able
to do your own analysis
in a reasonable manner, however, you would
be the exception. In the majority of cases, WCCA
reviews have revealed that it doesn't go
well for those
who do
analysis of their own designs. I would be happy to review one or more of
your worst-case analyses, at no charge, and let you know how it compares
to what we would perform/the Aerospace
TOR standard.
But
here is something to think about. We are not trying to displace in-house
efforts. Just to be an add-on. We
are happy to work in conjunction with in-house resources, as a parallel
asset.
We are the leaders in the world at worst case analysis
and the variety of skills necessary to perform such analyses. We have
decades of experience is dealing with NASA and government organizations
such as Aerospace Corporation when it comes to what they expect from an
analysis. I am one of the authors of the Aerospace TOR-2012(8960)-4 on
WCCA, as well as an SME on the subject.
All of the major IC companies use our models. We
perform WCCA for all of the major primes. We are in your backyard.
Our experience, expertise, skills, IP and resources
are already here and available.
Here
are a few other reasons why we believe we can improve you team's total
throughput and likely be a better and more cost effective solution.
What makes AEi Systems WCCA Unique and
Special
We are Faster
We are More Accurate and
Rigorous
We are Independent
Together
these give AEi Systems a tremendous time and cost advantage
compared with other resources.
They
give you a better product and an analysis done more quickly and at a
lower overall cost.
Finally,
AEi Systems is the standard in the industry for this type of work. Our analysis carries weight.
It is viewed with tremendous respect and that can be a distinct advantage
for you as your customers evaluate your reliability.
We are
happy to work in conjunction with in-house resources, as a parallel
asset, but if you think we can benefit your company or program please do
give us a call.

Notable Event: NASA's
Perseverance Rover Landing on Mars - Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021,
starting at 3:00pm EST
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