Book Reviews

10 chapters, 220 pages illustrated with diagrams and pictures. The book also features a glossary of terms which can be useful if this is a new subject to the reader. After all the use of these test methods can be used in a wide range of industries.

The book is an ideal introduction to the concepts and benefits of environmental testing. It provides an overview of the problems and limitations and provides solutions. It highlights many of the tests that are conducted in the industry and where they can be ineffective and suggested alternatives. The author is certainly passionate about the subject.

The first chapter is very informative taking the reader through those basic concepts of failure, overview of HALT & HASS, history of screening and the equipment requirements. This sets the scene for the following chapters which detail Highly Accelerated Lift Test HALT & Highly Accelerated Stress Screens strategy. Certainly this reviewer's experience in environmental testing has lead to views that passive testing is very ineffective. Using temperature in combination with mechanical testing is far more beneficial in showing design and assembly faults.

Finally a criticism often levelled at books I review is there are too few examples. Illustrating the types and the way failure occurs can be very beneficial to bring home the point on why we do accelerated testing or in process product stressing. However, the text is very easy to read and easy to follow and it does make the reader want to find out more and how the methodology can be quickly introduced.

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