Abstract:

A new reliability standard IEEE 1413, Standard Methodology for Reliability Prediction and Assessment for Electronic Systems and Equipment, is now available from IEEE. The standard, a copy of which is available from the IEEE at http://www.ieee.org, 1-800-678-IEEE in the U.S. and Canada, or 73-981-0060 outside the U.S. and Canada, identifies required elements for an understandable, credible reliability prediction, which will provide the users of the prediction sufficient information to evaluate the effective use of the prediction results.

This Open Forum article presents the background of the IEEE 1413 standard development and highlights its content. A guidebook development effort is also presented, where industry experts from around the world are now lending expertise to help move beyond the outdated Mil-Hdbk-217 approach, towards performance based reliability prediction methodologies. The guide book will define processes and identify methodologies for conducting reliability prediction, to assist customers and users in making informed decisions, regarding the selection and use of reliability prediction methodologies and to assist the building of IEEE 1413 compliant prediction.