Printed Circuit Assembly FSI (Failure Scene Investigation)

This article presents best practices and procedures for analyzing printed circuit board assembly failures. It discusses the role of electrostatic discharge and electrical overstress, the increasing complexity of ball grid arrays and buried vias, the challenges associated with lead-free solder processes, and the problems caused by counterfeit components flowing into our supply lines. It also includes a summary of the tools available to failure analysts and how they are best put to use