HALT/HASS Life Cycle Testing

The objective of HALT testing is to verify and qualify electronic designs, manufacturing processes and specific components. The tests utilize rapid temperature changes and random vibration stress modes, in a controlled environment while monitoring the process. The technique is different from conventional qualification plans in that the product’s weakest link components are identified by accelerating their fatigue. Most verification test programs only confirm the specification of the system, not taking into account the robustness of the product beyond the upper or lower limits. HALT identifies all possible failure modes and does it in much less time than Stress Screening. The Qualmark Typhoon4 Inferno HALT Chamber is a robust testing apparatus used for: Engineering qualification of electronic designs Verifying designs for robustness and reliability Screening products for production runs Diagnosing assemblies with intermittent failures Subjecting products to rapid thermal stresses while under vibration 1. HALT: Classic HALT: Cold Step Stress Hot Step Stress Rapid Thermal Cycling Vibration Step Stress Combined Environment (Thermal And Vibration) Rapid HALT: Retests a previously tested unit that has completed a classic HALT Used as a screen for previously tested products to verify performance 2. HASS: The Highly Accelerated Stress Screen applies a short period of combined thermal and vibration to production ready products to sift out abnormalities inherent in the manufacturing process. The goal is to not screen out more than 5% of the product life. 3. ESS: Environmental Stress Screen uses the standard environmental conditions that the unit is expected to see during operation and discover how the unit will perform under those conditions for a short amount of time. ESS is a good gauge of product viability during normal field conditions. Utilizing combined temperature and vibration cycling to identify any weaknesses, this process tests the specification of the system and pushes the unit beyond the upper and lower operating limits.