FMEA of Electronic circuit

INTRODUCTION TO FMEA ON STRESS DERATING

This article recommends the criteria of FMEA in the area of stress derating of electrical and electronics parts or components and indicate the maximum application stress values to consider during design of electronic circuits. Derating is increasing the ratio of the margin of safety between part design limits and the allowable applied stresses. Derating provides extra protection for part tolerances and decreases the part degradation rate and by this it increases the life expectancy of a part.

The margin of safety of a part to both the threshold and time dependent stresses are generally unknown. As such, parts should be derated to the maximum extent possible depending on the maximum environment of which the parts are subjected to. During derating, one must consider the manufacturer's parts environmental specifications and the operating conditions of the application and then apply the derating factors so as not to exceed the maximum allowable application stresses set forth in this document. Take note that this is a typical design recommendation and designer should use their own discretion when applying using this FMEA document for their references.

EXAMPLE OF FMEA DERATING CALCULATION

A carbon film resistor which is rated at 2 Watts at 20 °C, linearly derating to zero at 85 °C being used in a machine rated at 60 °C. Find whether the rating of this device is suitable to be used or otherwise.

P(60 °C) = P(25 °C) X [(Tmax - Toperating)/(Tmax - Trating)]

= 2 X [(85-60)/(85-25)]

= 0.83 W

Step 2: Find out the recommended maximum allowable stress from the table below - limit the power to 0.50

Maximum P allowed at 60 °C = 0.50 X 0.83 W = 0.415 W

Step 3: From the schematic design, find out the maximum power applied to the resistor. For example if the value of the resistor is 100 ohm and the maximum current applied is 0.05 Ampere, the power consumed is (0.05X0.05) X 1,000 W = 0.25W.

Step 4: The maximum power consumed(0.25W) is less than the maximum allowable derated power(0.415 W) and therefore it is safe to use the rated resistor in this application.

The table below shows the common components that are used and the recommended allowable FMEA derating factor.

Type of components	Critical Stress	Maximum allowable Stress factor
a) Fixed resistors
i) Carbon	Power	0.50
ii) Film insulated	Power	0.50
iii) Wirewound power	Power	0.50
b) Variable resistors
i) Wirewound	Rated current	0.70
ii) Non wirewound	Rated current	0.70
iii) All types	Voltage	0.80
c) Thermistor	Power	0.50
d) Capacitors
i) Ceramic	Voltage	0.50
	Current AC/Ripple	0.70
	Surge	0.70
ii) Paper	Voltage	0.50
	Current AC/Ripple	0.70
	Surge	0.70
iii) Plastic	Voltage	0.50
	Current AC/Ripple	0.70
	Surge	0.70
iv) Tantalum, foil or film	Voltage	0.50
	Current AC/Ripple	0.70
	Surge	0.70
v) Air	Voltage	0.30
e) RFI Filters	Current(steady state)	0.75
	Voltage(steady state)	0.75
f) Transformer/chokes	Insulation Breakdown voltage	0.50
	Current	0.70
g) Diodes
i) Recifier circuit	Power	0.30
	Surge current	0.50
	Forward current	0.50
	Peak Inverse voltage	0.50
ii) Switching	Power	0.30
	Surge current	0.50
	Forward current	0.50
	Peak Inverse voltage	0.50
iii) SCR	Power	0.30
	Surge current	0.50
	Forward current	0.50
	Peak Inverse voltage	0.50
iv) General Purpose	Power	0.50
	Surge current	0.50
	Forward current	0.50
	Peak Inverse voltage	0.50
v) Zener	Power	0.50
	Forward current	0.50
vi) ALL types	Junction temperature	110 °C
h) Transistors
i) Power	Power	0.30
	Current	0.70
	Voltage	0.70
ii) Switching	Power	0.50
	Current	0.70
	Voltage	0.70
iii) General Purpose	Power	0.50
	Current	0.70
	Voltage	0.70
i) Voltage Regulators	Max. rated Input voltage	0.80
	Max. rated Output current	0.75
	Max. rated Power dissipation	0.60
j) Digital Integrated circuit	Output current	0.80
	Operating freq	0.75
k) Connectors	Contact current	0.60
	Working voltage	0.25

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