Creating a New Data Set
In this section, you create a random data set and then specify a stress model and stresses. The stress levels that you use for testing should accelerate the failure modes under consideration, but they should do not introduce failure modes that would never occur under normal use conditions. Generally, stress levels fall outside the product specification limits but inside the design limits. If you do not know what stresses or limits to use, you can perform multiple tests with small sample sizes to ascertain those that are appropriate. In this case, you specify only one stress, which is operating temperature.
To create a new data set:
1. In the LDA Navigator, under Analysis type, click Accelerated Life Testing to ensure you are viewing data sets for this type of analysis.
2. Under Data sets, select the Life Data folder.
3. Select > . A new data set named ALT Data Set is inserted in the folder. It is already selected.
4. Enter My ALT Data Set as the name of this data set.
5. Select the Parameters pane in the lower left window.
6. Leave the default values.
7. Click Stress Model. The Stress Model window opens.
8. In the first row of the table, select the Stress 1 value for Name and enter Temperature.
9. For Usage Stress, enter 310.
10. For Default Value, enter 350.
11. Click OK to close the Stress Model window.