Visualize the large tool, the cabinet of Figure 1, being on your company’s or agency’s premises. What is it? What can you use it for? It’s mainly intended for stressing, for finding weaknesses in, your electronic and other assemblies.
The air volume above the “specimen” plate is sometimes electrically heated by flowing through current-carrying electrical resistors in the topmost compartment. At other times the air volume above the “specimen” plate is cooled by liquid nitrogen or by refrigeration. Air, alternately hot then cold, is directed at or through your electronic and other assemblies. Why? To thermally stress them, to alternately expand and contract their materials at various rates.