High performance electronics in long lifetime, continuous operation, industrial products: The art of balancing conflicting interests

As more and more electronics is being integrated in industrial systems that used to be purely electro-technical (breakers, industrial relays, etc.), the physical lifetime limitation of today's high performance electronic components becomes more and more of an issue for designers. Addressing this issue requires balancing conflicting interests between the customers' expectations and the component manufacturers' qualification targets. We illustrate the risks and possible unexpected consequences through real case experiences, and give recommendations.