Kirk Gray — Active Contributor

Author of Accelerated Reliability articles and Next Generation HALT and HASS, plus, co-host on Speaking of Reliability.

This author's archive lists contributions of articles and episodes.

About Kirk Gray

My Passion for developing reliable products

Why did it fail?

This is the fundamental question that drove my career from first repairing electronics in the 1970’s to today. It was from this perspective that my passion for reliability engineering grew from investigating, discovering and understanding of why products fail. By starting with how electronics systems actually fail (empirical not theoretical) gave me a frame of reference to understand ways to rapidly discover failure mechanisms.

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Thermal HALT

A Tool for the Discovery of Signal Integrity and Software Reliability Issues

Abstract—Failures in the execution of software can have many different causes. Errors in coding, incorrect sequence of software execution, and other factors result in software “bugs” that, when discovered, must be corrected for reliable system operation. However, this paper focuses on another cause of software failures: those that come from variations in the many tiers of component manufacturing and system assembly. This paper shows how applying thermal HALT on electronic circuits, and systems helps skew parametric performance at the circuit board and system levels and increase the probability of discovering marginal signal quality and integrity, which can lead to software operational failures.

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SOR 1016 Do it Right the First Time

Do it Right the First Time

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the risks to reliability of having to rework or human handling of circuit boards and rework in general.
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SOR 1015 Moisture Failure Mechanisms

Moisture Failure Mechanisms

Abstract

Join Kirk and Fred discuss failure mechanisms caused by or accelerated by moisture.

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SOR 1005 Tech Obsolescence

Tech Obsolescence

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss long-term reliability and the speed of technological obsolescence.
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SOR 1004 Confirmation Bias with HALT

Confirmation Bias with HALT

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the problem or benefits of having confirmation bias, where we accept or reject test results based on expectations.
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SOR 1000 The 1,000th Episode

The 1,000th Episode

Abstract

Kirk and Fred and a long-time listener, Nik Sharpe, discuss the long history of doing this podcast from the first Speaking of Reliability podcast SOR #1, “Can you pass HALT?” recorded June 20th, 2015, to this 1000th episode.
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SOR 990 Impact of IoT on Maintenance

Impact of IoT on Maintenance

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) on maintenance and the data feedback to the manufacturer on usage and failure data.
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SOR 989 No Trouble Found Issue

No Trouble Found Issue

Abstract

Kirk and Fred delve into the crucial topic of managing returned parts and products, even those that are functioning perfectly.
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SOR 974 New Position Advice

New Position Advice

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the advice we would give a engineer just starting a career in Reliability Engineering
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SOR 973 Reliability Allocation Methods

Reliability Allocation Methods

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss reliability allocations for individual components and subsystems.
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SOR 964 Finding Failures and Firefighting

Finding Failures and Firefighting

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss new product market release schedule pressures, and then after customers start finding reliability issues, the actual firefighting begins. Many times, those who quickly can fix the causes of failures, the firefighters, get many more accolades than those who find and mitigate product weaknesses that become failures during the design and development phase.

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SOR 963 Proving HALT Works

Proving HALT Works

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the challenge of showing those new to limit discovery using HALT and proving does find relevant future field issues that either already have occurred in a new released product, or in a product under development.
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No Evidence of Correlation: Field failures and Traditional Reliability Engineering

Historically, Reliability Engineering of Electronics has been dominated by the belief that 1) The life or percentage of complex hardware failures that occur over time can be estimated, predicted, or modeled, and 2) the Reliability of electronic systems can be calculated or estimated through statistical and probabilistic methods to improve hardware reliability. The amazing thing about this is that during the many decades that reliability

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SOR 957 Learning From Those Closest

Learning From Those Closest

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the fact that many times those on the assembly and production lines are the ones that have the most information for assembly issues and causes of failures, yet the information they have is not heard by the engineers and management that could improve it.
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SOR 956 Getting Failure Feedback

Getting Failure Feedback

Abstract

Kirk and Fred discuss the many required tests before market release and post market ongoing reliability testing and why testing is so necessary.
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