HALT - Highly Accelerated Life Testing

HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing)
HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) is used in the design stage to uncover design flaws and weakness by applying tri-axial (omni-axial) vibration and rapid temperature cycling. It differs from a traditional test and should be considered a process in which to improve new product design and accelerate time to market. Testing is accomplished in days instead of months. HALT stimulates the products to find defects not simulate the product. The products are stimulated to find operational limits. The goal is to create reliable products prior to releasing to production.

A leading power supply manufacturer found by correctly implement HALT they were able to reduce early failures and cost by 50 - 100% in the first 6-8 months

Equipment Required:

Vibration

Quasi-Random, Omni-Axial Vibration Table
6 degrees of freedom (three transitional, three rotational)
Frequency Range: 5- 5000Hz up to 90 gRMS
(2K - 10K Hz only for specialty items: for most items testing in this frequency range would be useless and/or counterproductive)

Thermal

Liquid Nitrogen Cooled Thermal Chamber
30 to 200deg C per minute
Range: -100 to +200 deg C

Other Requirements

Test Plan
Fixturing
Monitoring
Where: Testing in-house or outsource

Summary of a simple HALT Testing Plan

Perform HALT Testing per the Test Plan
Failure Analysis
Corrective Action
Repeat HALT Test (if necessary)