Optimal allocation of change points in simple step-stress experiments under Type-II censoring

In simple step-stress experiments under Type-II censoring with the cumulative exposure model and exponentially distributed lifetimes, maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) of the expected lifetimes may not exist due to the absence of failure times either before or after the stress change point. For this reason, when planning a step-stress experiment, the change point could be chosen so as to minimize the probability of non-existence of the MLE. …