Micro-discontinuity Measurement Device for Circuit Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measurement and simulation devices fail to detect and measure micro-discontinuities in electrical circuits, leading to latent failures and unreliability due to environmental stresses like vibrations and temperature changes, which are not noticed during the design phase.
Innovation Solution
A portable, robust Micro-discontinuity Measurement and Simulation (MDMS) device with customizable detection patterns that detects and simulates micro-discontinuities, using a physical discontinuity detector, voltage measurement probes, an electrical discontinuity generator, and user-friendly interface to identify and measure micro-discontinuities in various types of electrical transmission lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional measurement devices are used, then basic circuit continuity can be checked, but micro-discontinuities under environmental stress cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement device applies environmental stresses (vibration, temperature changes, humidity) during the design and manufacturing phase to induce micro-discontinuities before the product is deployed. This preliminary stress testing reveals latent failures that would otherwise remain undetected until field operation, enabling early identification and correction of reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses mechanical vibration as an environmental stressor to induce micro-discontinuities in connector contacts and interconnects. By applying controlled vibrations during measurement, the system reveals contact instability and oxidation issues that occur under real-world conditions but are invisible during static testing.
2Reliability
If environmental stress testing is applied during design phase, then latent failures can be detected, but the complexity of measurement equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement device integrates multiple stress application capabilities (vibration, temperature, humidity) and measurement functions into a single unified system. This multi-functional approach allows comprehensive reliability testing without requiring separate specialized equipment for each type of environmental stress, thereby managing complexity while maintaining thorough testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary measurement probe that interfaces between the complex environmental stress generation system and the simple continuity measurement function. This intermediary component translates complex multi-parameter environmental stresses into measurable electrical signals indicating the presence or absence of micro-discontinuities, simplifying the overall measurement process.
3Reliability
If micro-discontinuities are detected early in design cycle, then product reliability improves, but measurement time and resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system continuously applies environmental stresses and monitors for micro-discontinuities throughout the design validation process rather than using discrete step-by-step testing. This continuous measurement approach efficiently captures transient failures that occur intermittently under stress, reducing total measurement time while improving detection reliability compared to traditional periodic testing.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical measurement apparatus may include a bias voltage generator configured to generate and output a bias voltage, a bias probe coupled to the output of bias voltage generator configured to apply voltage bias to a first portion of an external circuit which may be subjected to environmental stresses such as vibration, temperature, humidity etc., a measurement probe configured to receive a second electrical signal from a second portion of the external circuit, and a control unit configured to control the bias voltage generator to generate different bias voltages, patterns, AC/DC etc., receive the second electrical signal from the measurement probe and cause the device to output a response in the second electrical signal to the time-domain discontinuity in the first electrical signal.