Most of the electronic components in the market — especially for commercial applications — are tested and guaranteed only up to the useful life phase instead of the lifetime limit. However, when it comes to the actual application or system design, failure of electronic components is very often a catastrophic occurrence, or at least a very costly one. Electronics are embedded on boards that incorporate tens or even hundreds of other components, so when something fails, it impacts the whole system, especially parts that are difficult to reach and never meant to be serviced. The importance of having reliable components becomes even more crucial for applications like medical equipment, automotive, or aerospace and defense.

The main objective of the Electronic Component Extended Reliability is to identify and develop a set of extended reliability assessment methods for electronic components/PCB assemblies used in critical applications and harsh environments. By proposing test methodology or sequences to accelerate failure detection of faulty component to reduce test time, the verification cycle to eliminate faulty parts or component’s lifetime limit prediction can be shortened and further improved, saving both time and cost. In addition, methods to extend reliability and prolong component lifetime limit — like applying conformal coating — will also be part of the assessment. 

Overview

• Define and propose a methodology for selecting existing electronic components for extended reliability. Extended reliability includes use in initial application for longer period than qualified for, or capability to be re-furbished or re-used. In addition, the methodology will define the stress testing to simulate extended electronic component use.
   
• Address the lack of reliability standards to enable successfully extending the reliability of electronics components by providing a data-based approach to determining the extended use of electronic components. 

Strategy/Approach

• Identify and classify new components by type (application), re-workability and criticality on system
• Select components (ICs, passives or others) and subject to extended reliability testing and if possible, re-use reliability models to assess reliability extension
• Select parts in use post 3+ years and subject to testing to assess further fail rates
• Phase 1 of the project will be suggesting classes of parts to be assessed as well as a suite of test conditions and other considerations that will need to be done in Phase 2 based on the use conditions and types of parts desired to be tested.  There is not a single set of tests or test conditions to cover consumer, automotive, aerospace, oil/gas use of parts. The team is also considering other testing opportunities such as extended reliability for reused parts, accelerated degradation testing development with ozone exposure and others.

Longer Term

• Share best practices and experiences across the industry
• Develop standard for understanding or assessing a part long term reliability

Benefits to Industry

• Ability for users to assess real lifetime of a component
• Enable systematic refurbishment, design for durability, cost and/or waste reduction
• Proof of concept for standard developments in the future 
• Proof of concept for extended lifetime or storage life of a component with economical relevance
• Framework to assess useful lifetime of electronic parts
• Framework to translate to business models/resource impact
• Provide more flexibility in the supply chain to address shortages of parts/materials by increasing component reliability and durability

Presentations

• Project Kick-Off Webinar:  Extended Reliability Assessment for Electronics Components, October 19, 2021       
• Extended Reliability Assessment for Electronics Components Call-for-Participation Webinar (August 2 & 3, 2021)

For Additional Information