Designing to last

Over the last few years, we have been noticing in our society that devices last shorter. In fact, there are cases that go further, where durability is controlled so as not to exceed a certain lifetime, designing against what should be ethical. 

There are clear, proven and even reported cases, such as printer models that reach their end of life too soon because of a design that limits the number of prints. 

A matter of responsibility, ethics and sustainability. What is clear is that any product should be designed with the aim of lasting as long as possible, based on the opportunities offered by its market price. And of course, this is feasible. Cases like the famous light bulb of Livermore, which has been switched on since 1901 without going out, is the clear example of good long-lasting design. 

On the other hand, it is also typical to find designs that are increasingly difficult to maintain and repair, which entails high maintenance and repair costs that are close to the price of the new product. 

Changing mindset for sustainability 

It is obvious that a change in the way of thinking and acting is needed. Most of the business and design models have led us to a manufacturing and consumption of products that is very difficult to sustain, in a world with increasingly limited resources and with a huge generation of waste. To get used to the idea, currently approximately 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated per year in the world. A very worrying figure that is constantly growing and of which only 20% is recycled properly. 

Therefore, there must be an engineering that promotes a new view, where designs prioritize sustainable aspects as important as durability. 

Good practices for a long-lasting design

A long-lasting design is only possible through the application of good engineering practices. 

The use of non-limited components is essential to avoid allocations and product continuity. Components in allocation are due to the overexploitation of natural resources, which are increasingly limited and in demand. It is a growing phenomenon that causes delivery times much longer than years ago. 

A study of components, compatibility, availability and monitoring of obsolescence is vital to ensure that a product is active as long as possible. Solutions such as IHS Markit, Silicon Expert or Converge help to manage obsolescence actively. 

Carrying out a good RAMS analysis improves the reliability of the products in order to achieve an optimal MTBF. Testing with HALT tests, ensuring the proper operation in all cases, foreseeing redundancies, designing with high immunity to external agents, developing thermal analysis accompanied by heat evacuation studies, and using industrial-grade components whenever possible. 

Many other techniques are recommended, such as implementing a modular design, with easy access to elements susceptible to change or repair (LRUs), using robust wiring and connectors, watchdogs that allow unattended restarts, active sensorization or generation of advanced logs to optimize the maintenance. 

After the design it is important to carry out an intensive validation and verification of operation, with environmental tests, vibrations / impacts, EMC, safety, etc. that guarantee and confirm the good design of the product. 

Continuing with the validation and verification in the production process is just as important, and highly recommended to be implemented in 100% of the units of the serial production. Adding HASS stress tests is also an advisable technique to reduce infant mortality, typical of electronic components in their “bathtub curve”, increasing their reliability and therefore the durability of the product.