International Conference for Electronics Hardware Enabling Technologies

SMTA Presents - The Proliferation of Electronics into Harsh Environments and the Effects on Reliability

Since the evolution of no-clean soldering processes, many assemblers have enjoyed the cost and time savings a no-clean process affords. The proliferation of electronics into harsh environments has however, highlighted the well-established link between process residues and electro-chemical migration (ECM) caused failures. Higher operational voltages, increased component densities, assembly miniaturization, and increased reliability expectations increase the relationship between clean assemblies and long-term reliability.

This presentation will detail the relationship between clean assemblies and reliability and the reasons an historically successful no-clean process is measurably less successful on modern assemblies, especially when products are installed in harsh environments. Factors that affect circuit assembly residue tolerance will be presented as well as residue mitigation processes.

Real-world examples of residue-related failures from the automotive and communications space will be presented along with the solutions adopted by the manufacturers. Multiple residue-induced failure mechanisms will be reviewed including ECM, conformal coating adhesion, frequency distortion, corrosion, and cosmetic. Additionally, the relationship with reflow profiles and residues will be presented.

Newly updated IPC cleanliness quantification standards will also be presented in order to answer the age-old question, “how clean is clean”.

Location:

Centennial College Event Centre
937 Progress Avenue
Scarborough, Ontario M1G 3T8 | Canada
Spring/Summer Room