Interpreting Standard Testing Results

podcast episode

When you pass' a standard-based test, what does that mean? How can you use test results meaningfully besides just noting the product passed'? Understanding the failure mechanisms at play, along with the statistics, is key.

Military standards, GEIA, IEEE, ANSI, etc, provide detailed test procedures for a wide variety of situations. I have yet to find a standard test procedure detailing the specific materials and failure mechanisms the test applies to. One might exist. I've just missed it.

Just because seven prototypes survived 168 hours of 85%RH at 85°C and thus passed' the test, does that mean anything useful as we attempt to determine if our product is reliable or not? Of course, if one or more prototype fails and we don't pass' the test, what does that mean? What have we learned from such testing?

Let's explore the use of testing based on a standard. Sure, it is often required by customers and commonplace in our industries, so let's understand what passing/failing suggests about our reliability. Also, when purchasing a piece of equipment and it lists 15 standards that it meets, here are a few questions to ask about that testing.

All standards are flawed, but some are useful (to restate a famous phrase about modeling). Let's sort out how to glean the useful elements and avoid the pitfalls. The use of standards facilitates communication between organizations. It is only useful if all concerned fully understand the meaning of the results.

This Accendo Reliability webinar originally broadcast on 12 November 2019.