Traps
(Life)

1. General MIL-SPEC test environments are specified for life testing.
   
   Alarms: Test engineers have not compared MIL-SPEC environments to mission profile environments.
   
   Escapes: Base life test environments on mission environmental profiles.
   
   Benefits: Maintenance and support planning will be more accurate.
   
   
2. Life test is performed in production phase.
   
   Alarms: Life test resources are limited due to production commitments; design is frozen for production before life test results are available.
   
   Escapes: Schedule adequate life test no later than EMD, to establish life characteristics prior to final design release.
   
   Benefits: Design will be optimum for mission needs.
   
   
3. Analyses of life characteristics planned using available data.
   
   Alarms: Only in-house data is used; all potential failure mechanisms are not considered..
   
   Escapes: Analyze aging characteristics data from all potential sources to identify risk areas and develop a comprehensive life test program.
   
   Benefits: Cost-effective approach to estimating life by analyses and testing will be developed.
   
   
4. Accelerated life testing is used to the maximum extent possible.
   
   Alarms: Unverified acceleration factors are used to shorten the life test program.
   
   Escapes: Use only proven, well-understood accelerated testing techniques.
   
   Benefits: Weapon system aging characteristics will be realistically simulated.
   

"Manufacturing Plan"Best Practices: How to Avoid Surprises in the World's Most Complicated Technical Process. Department of the Navy; Reliability, Maintainability, and Quality Assurance Directorate (NAVSO P-6071), March 1986,pp. 5-31 to 5-35.