Storage life prediction of electromagnetic relay based on PoF analysis

Abstract

This paper proposed a storage life prediction method for air sealed electromagnetic relay based on Physics of Failure (PoF) analysis by an Accelerated Storage Degradation Test (ASDT) of the electromagnetic relay to forecast the component failure. Firstly, an Accelerated Storage Degradation Test (ASDT) of air sealed electromagnetic relay is designed and implemented based on the storage failure mechanism. Secondly, the PoF analysis such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) energy spectrum analysis is designed for the contact of relay after ASDT. The organic compound content on contact is analyzed at each temperature testing samples. Then the time series method is applied to model the degradation path and the storage life is predicted according to the characteristic of ASDT data. Finally, based on the relationship between prediction of the storage life and organic contamination degree of the contact, the PoF model of contact contamination of electromagnetic relay is proposed, which presents the relationship between the storage residual life and the carbon content of the organic compound on the contact. It is meaningful to avoiding the redundant preventive maintenance and saving the maintenance costs.