Question

Failure analysis aims to identify the causes of failure and failure may arise during the product life cycle. The stages of the life cycle for an electronic system are design, prototype, fabrication, and operation.

a) Discuss the potential failures during the life cycle of an electronic system.

b) Predict the role of failure analysis for each of the stages.

c) Recommend the action to be taken to verify the failures.

Answer 1

a) Potential failures during the life cycle of an electronic system are as:

- Design= wrong process or wrong process parameter

- Prototype=wiring and assembly component failure

- Fabrication=wiring and assembly component failure

- Field operation=component failures, operator errors

b)Role of failure analysis are as:

- Design=provide knowledge of each failure risks

- Prototype=provide knowledge of typical failure mechanisms

- Fabrication=provide knowledge of typical failure mechanisms

- Field operation=when performed on each failed product during field operation, can describe the three possible failures.

c)Actions to be taken to verify the failure as follows:

-Design=Identify the weak point of the components that goes under high stress and elaborate the necessary measures for their elimination.

- Prototype=The quality of the material to be used is analysed by reliability test.

- Fabrication=at the stages of manufacturing flow, reliabilty monitors are established and reliability test are performed.

- Field operation=As data furnished by customers,failure rate is assessed continuously by the manufacture of componenet.

with all these proper solution can be found out.