In operation, mechatronics embedded systems are stressed by loads of different causes: climate (temperature, humidity), vibration, electrical and electromagnetic. These stresses in components which induce failure mechanisms should be identified and modeled for better control. AUDACE is a collaborative project of the cluster Mov'eo that address issues specific to mechatronic reliability embedded systems. AUDACE means analyzing the causes of failure of components of mechatronic systems onboard. The goal of the project is to optimize the design of mechatronic devices by reliability.

The project brings together public sector laboratories that have expertise in analysis and modeling of failure, major groups of mechatronics (Valeo and Thales) in the automotive and aerospace and small and medium enterprises that have skills in characterization and validation tests

This book helps you to:

• Find and develop ways to characterize and validate the design robustness and reliability of complex mechatronic devices
• Develop ways to characterize physical and chemical phenomena
• Identify mechanisms of failure of components of these devices
• Analyze the physical and chemical mechanisms of failure, in order of importance
• Model failure mechanisms and design optimization

Electronics are increasingly used in controlled and embedded mechanical systems. This leads to new mechatronics devices that are lighter, smaller and use less energy. However, this mechatronics approach, which enables technological breakthroughs, must take into account sometimes contradictory constraints such as lead-time to market and cost savings. Consequently, implementing a mechatronic device and mastering its reliability are not always entirely synchronized processes. For instance, this is the case for systems that function in harsh environments or in operating conditions which cause failures. Indeed, when the root causes of such defects are not understood, they can be more difficult to control. This book attempts to respond to these problems. It is intended for stakeholders in the field of embedded mechatronics so that they can reduce the industrial and financial risks linked to operational defects. This book presents a method to develop mechatronics products where reliability is an ongoing process starting in the initial product design stages. It is based on understanding the failure mechanisms in mechatronic systems. These failure mechanisms are modeled to simulate the consequences and experiments are carried out to optimize the numerical approach. The simulation helps to reduce the time required to anticipate the causes of these failures. The experiments help to refine the models which represent the systems studied.

This book is the result of collaborative research activities between private (big, intermediate and small businesses) and public sector agents (universities and engineering schools). The orientations of this research were initiated by the Mechatronics Strategic Branch of the Mov'eo competitive cluster (Domaine d'Action Strategique) to meet the need to have reliable mechatronic systems.

This book is aimed at engineers and researchers working in the mechatronics industry and Master's or PhD students looking to specialize in experimental investigations, experimental characterization of physical or chemical stresses, failure analysis and failure mechanism modeling to simulate the consequences of causes of failure and wanting to use statistics to assess reliability. These subjects match the needs of the mechatronics industry.

This book is divided into two volumes. This volume presents the statistical approach for optimizing designs for reliability and the experimental approach for characterizing the evolution of mechatronic systems in operation. Volume 2 [EL 15] looks at trials and multi-physical modeling of defects which show weaknesses in design and the creation of meta-models for optimizing designs.

Chapter 1 discusses a methodology for carrying out highly accelerated life tests (HALT) in a humid environment. The principle is to subject the device under test (DUT) to humid air. The ability of the HALT chamber to vary the temperature while applying vibrations enhances the penetration of humidity into the DUT, especially in the case of a failure of water-tightness. Depending on the temperature, this humidity may be in the form of steam or frost on electronic circuit boards and highlights the weaknesses in the assembly or interconnections and failure of water-tightness. Electromagnetic disturbances are also sources of failures. Weaknesses in the design of circuits and components are checked by ensuring the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) through a characterization of the disturbances produced and the emissions before and after the highly accelerated tests. Chapter 2 describes how to conduct life tests on high-frequency power transistors under operational conditions. The originality of this test has to follow the performance of the component in an automated way over thousands of hours while applying electric and thermalconstraints. The test examines high-power components in pulsing mode and tracks deviations by

1. Predictive Reliability of Embedded Electronic Systems
2. Measuring Method of the Internal Temperature of Electronic Components
3. Dynamic Analysis of Mechatronic Components by Laser Vibrometry
4. Measurement of Static and Vibratory Deformations and Displacements by Full Field Methods
5. Characterization of the Electromagnetic Environment of Microwave Frequency Circuits
6. Characterization of the Behavior of Radiofrequency Power Transistors under Thermal and Electromagnetic Stresses
7. Characterization of the Ability of Switching Transistors to Resist to Electrical Overstress
8. Spectroscopy of Non-destructive Characterizations of the Interface Physics of Mechatronics Devices
9. Study of the Dynamic Contact between Deformable Solids