Design for Reliability (DfR)
System Reliability Validation is a proactive design process. Any design deficiencies or failure modes uncovered here should be logged in a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) worksheet.
Component Derating
Derating is the practice of operating a component at significantly less than its rated maximum limit (e.g., using a 50V capacitor in a 12V circuit).
Per the Arrhenius Equation, reducing thermal and electrical stress exponentially increases the life expectancy of electronic components.
Single Point of Failure (SPOF)
A Single Point of Failure (SPOF) is a node in a system architecture that, if it fails, will halt the entire system from working.
A robust reliability design explicitly identifies and eliminates SPOFs through redundant pathways, fail-safe mechanisms, or structural reinforcement.