PCB Failure Analysis: Identification and Testing of Defects

CAF Testing (Conductive Anodic Filament Testing)

Conductive Anodic Filament (CAF) testing helps to determine the reliability of a printed circuit board (PCB) laminate material or a finished product. With conductor spacing and overall part sizes getting smaller and smaller, the necessity for this test is increasing.

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Component & PCB Assembly Testing

National Technical Systems

The ever advancing electronics industry requires an increasing need for electronic component testing (IC testing) and component verification. The component test capabilities and component verification lab at NTS performs test and inspection to determine proper component functionality, verification or failure analysis (F/A).

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Conformal Coating Qualification and Conformance Testing

National Technical Systems

Conformal coating is applied to electronic circuits to provide a protective barrier to moisture and contamination and to provide electrical insulation. The most common specifications used for conformal coating testing are IPC-CC-830B, Amendment 1: Qualification and Performance of Electrical Insulating Compound for Printed Wiring Assemblies and MIL-I-46058.

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Counterfeit Component Testing, Inspection & Certification Programs

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Counterfeiting becomes profitable when scrapped components, components from recycled products, or inexpensive components can be “remarked” and sold as a new, more expensive, higher reliability version. Reasons for the proliferation of counterfeiting include profitability, the low probability of being caught, and the exporting of US electronic waste for disposal in poorer countries.Much of the effort today has not been placed on preventing counterfeiting but rather screening components to identify and remove counterfeits before they are used in a finished product.

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Destructive Physical Analysis (DPA), Failure Analysis (FA), and Counterfeit Analysis of Electronic Components

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Destructive Physical Analysis (DPA) is the process of disassembling, testing, and inspecting electronic components to verify the internal design, materials, construction, and workmanship. This process of sample inspection is used to help ensure that electronic components are fabricated to the required standards. Destructive Physical Analysis is also used effectively to discover process defects for identification of production lot problems.

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Electrochemical Migration (ECM) Testing

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Testing for electrochemical migration (ECM) would occur in the case of a field failure return. Metal migration between isolated conductors on a completed printed circuit assembly may produce electrical shorts.Why does this growth occur and what do you need to look for? Basically, we need to know if our assemblies are “dirty.” By dirty, we mean littered with ions. Ions on printed circuit assembly surfaces can cause short circuits. In simple terms, shorts occur when the space between the conductors is bridged by dendrites formed by re-deposited metal ions. This metal migration is best described by IPC as a reverse plating of the conductors in the presence of ions, water and an electrical potential.

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Electronics Failure Analysis (F/A)

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NTS electronics failure analysis capabilities can be utilized to improve yield, determine root cause of failure, extrapolate life expectancy and improve reliability, and increase performance on integrated circuits (ICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and passive surface mount devices as well as materials and assemblies.Electronics F/A can provide detailed information regarding the performance of materials and devices in their intended end-use application. When a device or material does not meet its performance expectations, a F/A should be performed to identify the root cause of failure. The information presented in the root cause F/A will allow the product designer, manager, test and process engineers, or end-user to identify design, selection, test, and process deficiencies. Recommendations for corrective actions from the failure analysis report can then be evaluated and implemented to enhance product reliability and performance. By having an unbiased F/A performed by an independent test laboratory, the liability of a failed device or material can be converted into an asset, resulting in production of higher quality products.

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Ion Chromatography Testing (IC Testing)

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Ion Chromatography Testing provides cleanliness-related information, specifically individual ionic data values, for various types of samples, including, but not limited to, printed circuit boards, printed circuit assemblies, and soldering fluxes.

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Analysis via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

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Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is a standard technique used in the identification of contaminating materials on the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and around the leads of electronic components (BGA, capacitors, resistors, inductors, connectors, diodes, oscillators, transformers, IC, etc.) on printed circuit assemblies (PCAs). Additionally, FTIR can be used for “simpler” identifications, such as determining a specific type of plastic or rubber compound.

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IPC Testing

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IPC was founded in 1957 as the Institute for Printed Circuits. Today, it is a global trade association representing the electronics industry with a focus on design, PCB manufacturing and electronics assembly. IPC has over 3700 members, including Aerojet Rocketdyne, Rockwell Collins, Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Training, and Parker Hannifin Electronic Controls.

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Membrane Switch Testing

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A membrane switch is a low power electrical switch, comprised of silver or graphite impregnated ink, printed and cure bonded to a plastic substrate – polyester being the most common – and assembled with various adhesive layers and finished with a graphic overlay. Major benefits in designing a membrane switch into your product include ease of cleaning, environmental sealing, low profile, and the ability to create a visually attractive interface.

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Microsectional Analysis (Cross-Section)

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Microsectional Analysis remains the most widely accepted means for analyzing the PCB/PWB plated through-hole integrity. A PCB is a combination of different types of materials such as glass, aramid fibers, kapton, copper, acrylic adhesive, epoxy, polyimide, Teflon, and solder. Each of these materials has a different relative hardness and, coupled with that of the mounting media such as epoxy or acrylic, makes the PCB microsection one of the most difficult to perform.

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Moisture Resistance

IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020D.1 - National Technical Systems

The advent of surface mount devices (SMDs) introduced a new class of quality and reliability concerns regarding package damage ”cracks and delamination” from the solder reflow process. This document describes the standardized Moisture Sensitivity Levels (MSL) of floor life exposure for moisture/reflow-sensitive SMD packages along with the handling, packing and shipping requirements necessary to avoid moisture/reflow-related failures. Companion documents J-STD-020D.1 and JEP113 define the classification procedure and the labeling requirements, respectively.

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Printed Circuit Board Testing: Qualification, Acceptance and Conformance

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PCB testing, or printed circuit board testing, begins with understanding that the PCB is the foundation for any printed circuit assembly (PCA).The circuit board is a top quality product that should not cause your end product to cost you money due to failures and recalls. NTS is an internationally accredited test laboratory approved for PCB testing including the bare PCB, the raw materials that the PCB is comprised of, as well as the finished PCA. The most commonly used PCB testing performance specifications for qualification, acceptance, and/or conformance are IPC-6012, IPC-6013, IPC-6016, IPC-6018, MIL-PRF-55110, MIL-P-50884, or MIL-PRF-31032.

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Analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS)

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The use of Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) in the analysis of failure related issues of printed circuit boards (PCBs), assemblies (PCAs), and electronic components (BGA, capacitors, resistors, inductors, connectors, diodes, oscillators, transformers, IC, etc.) is a well-established and accepted protocol. As opposed to or simply in addition to normal optical microscopy, SEM/EDS allows for the “inspection” of areas of interest in a much more informative way.

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Solder Joint Reliability Testing

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Solder joint reliability is defined as the ability of your product’s solder joints to function under given conditions and for a specified period of time without exceeding acceptable failure levels.Whether you are trying to implement a new solder type or new component types, solder joint reliability testing is essential in providing confidence that your product will perform within its intended operating limits. The results from different test programs can be compared to provide an understanding of design requirements for adequate reliability. This provides you with useful technical information for future designs, saving you time and money.

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Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR Testing)

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Surface Insulation Resistance (SIR), as defined by IPC, is the electrical resistance of an insulating material between a pair of contacts, conductors, or grounding devices that is determined under specified environmental and electrical conditions.In respect to the world of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and printed circuit assemblies (PCAs), SIR testing—also commonly referred to as Temperature Humidity Bias (THB) testing—is used to evaluate a product’s or a process’ ability to resist “failure” by means of current leakage or an electrical short (i.e., dendritic growth). SIR testing is typically performed under elevated temperature and humidity conditions—such as 85°C/85% RH and 40°C/90%—with periodic insulation resistance (IR) measurements obtained.

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Solderability Testing

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The Solderability test method provides optional conditions for preconditioning and soldering for the purpose of assessing the solderability of device package terminations. It provides procedures for dip & look solderability testing of through hole, axial and surface mount devices and a surface mount process simulation test for surface mount packages.

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Tin Whisker Testing

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Tin whiskers pose a serious problem for electronics of all types. When used as a finish material for electronic components, pure tin can spontaneously grow conductive whiskers. These structures can form electrical paths, affecting the operation of the subject device. The scientific community has yet to agree on the reason for tin whisker growth. Some theories suggest that tin whiskers might occur due to a mechanism of stress relief, especially “compressive” stress, within the tin plating.

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Testing of Hydrophobic and Super-Hydrophobic Coatings

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Coatings provide critical asset protection in some of the harshest operating environments. With advanced coating materials being introduced at an ever greater pace, applied to everything from consumer products to medical and industrial electronics, the need to understand their performance qualities is essential.Hydrophobic and Superhydrophobic coating is a nanoscopic surface layer that repels water. Droplets hitting this kind of coating can fully rebound in the shape of column or pancake. In industry, super-hydrophobic coatings are used in ultra-dry surface applications. The coating causes an almost imperceptibly thin layer of air to form on top of a surface. Super-hydrophobic coatings are also found in nature; they appear on plant leaves, such as the Lotus leaf, and some insect wings. Hydrophobic coatings such as the NeverWet product, can be sprayed onto objects to make them waterproof. The spray is anti-corrosive and anti-icing; has cleaning capabilities; and can be used to protect circuits and grids.

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Analysis via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

National Technical Systems

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is a standard technique used in the identification of contaminating materials on the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and around the leads of electronic components (BGA, capacitors, resistors, inductors, connectors, diodes, oscillators, transformers, IC, etc.) on printed circuit assemblies (PCAs). Additionally, FTIR can be used for “simpler” identifications, such as determining a specific type of plastic or rubber compound.

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PCB Failure Analysis: Identification and Testing of Defects

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