RM 145: Designing Electronics to be Reliable in Harsh Environments

The challenging world of electronics becomes even more challenging when the end product is destined for harsh environments. For high-reliability products operating in a harsh environment, the quest for reliability is not just a goal—it's an imperative. These are not your everyday gadgets; often they're critical components of systems designed to operate under extreme conditions, where failure is not an option. From the scorching heat of desert landscapes to the unyielding cold of arctic tundra, from the high-pressure depths of our oceans to the radiation-filled expanse of space, the demands on these electronic products are as varied as the environments themselves.

While ocean depths, outer space, and frozen tundra are arguably harsh environments, we don’t have to look too far for examples of product failures in less harsh environments. One example that comes to mind is the state of public EV charging stations. Government reports have concluded that up to 25% of public EV chargers are at any given time. While there are many reasons for this, one may conclude they are not designed and manufactured for the intended in climactic operating environment.

On this episode, we'll uncover the numerous challenges that designers and engineers face in their quest for reliability, durability, and functionality of the final product. As we navigate through this complex landscape, we'll highlight the strategies that enable these products to not just survive but excel in unforgiving conditions.

Our navigator for this episode is, Dr. Andre Kleyner. Dr. Kleyner has 30 years of engineering, research, consulting, and managerial experience specializing in reliability of electronic and mechanical systems designed to operate in severe environments. He received a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, and a master's of business administration from Ball State University. Dr. Kleyner is a Global Reliability Engineering Leader with Delphi Electronics & Safety and an adjunct professor at Purdue University. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), a Certified Reliability Engineer, Certified Quality Engineer, and a Six Sigma Black Belt. He also holds several US and foreign patents and authored multiple professional publications including two books on the topics of reliability, statistics, warranty management, and lifecycle cost analysis.