Everything breaks, and electronics are no exception. Designing systems that anticipate the three primary failure modes of electronic components helps to enhance the reliability and usability of those components.
FMEA – What is Failure Mode and Effects Analysis?
There are many reasons why components fail. Some failures are slow and graceful, where there is time to identify and replace the component before it fails and the equipment goes down. Other failures are fast, violent and unexpected, all of which are tested for during product certification testing.
The packaging of a component has two core functions: it protects the component from the environment and provides a way to connect to the circuit. If the barrier protecting the component from the environment breaks, external factors such as humidity and oxygen accelerate its aging and cause it to fail more quickly.
Mechanical failure of packaging is caused by a variety of factors, including thermal stress, chemical cleaning agents, and ultraviolet light. These causes can be prevented by anticipating these common factors and designing accordingly.
