DfR is Hiring!

DfR is looking for two senior members of the technical staff. The first should have 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience and an operational knowledge of Abacus modeling software. The second should have 10+ years of experience in a technical discipline, such as SMT, Solar, LED, etc. Both will be expected to manage and assist on DfR projects, write technical reports, make presentations at conferences, and provide guidance to staff engineers. Send your resume and cover letter to Tammy Smittenaar.

DfR is Looking for Volunteers to Staff our Newest Facility

In our continuing effort to lead the industry with regard to Physics-of-Failure analysis and support new locations, DfR is looking for volunteers to staff our newest facility. Warning: The commute is brutal.

Efficient Manufacturing in the US

Everyone is aware that getting their products produced in China should reduce costs. However, this article, addresses the fact that the support engineering activity is lacking. The military infrastructure in the US must maintain a level of critical resources for their products. Can this be applied to bring jobs back to the US in other sectors by maintaining a high level of expertise and infrastructure? Andy Grove talks about how Intel accomplished just that. Let DfR help you to define reliable manufacturing operations that reduce costs. For more information contact Cheryl Tulkoff.

Get on the Optical Bus

For many years, engineers have sought to transfer signals from chip to chip with photons. Photons are more than fast, and because they don't carry a charge, can't interfere with each other. For designers, however, the optoelectronic strategy has been hindered by the problem of channeling photons correctly. IBM has done some interesting research in this technological area. DfR engineers can provide insight into the reliability of optical interconnect technology. For more information contact Nathan Blattau.

0201-01005 "It's a Small World After All!"

First introduced in 2000, 0201 production ramped up in 2003 and now accounts for approximately 20% of chip component demand worldwide. Does this mean these parts are ready for your design? Before you make the wrong the decision, read our ground-breaking industry-wide survey on the implementation of this challenging technology. For more information, please contact Cheryl Tulkoff.

Where in the World is DfR?

DfR senior staff and management spend a lot of time on the road visiting customers and presenting at conferences worldwide. In 2010 alone, we visited more than 70 locations including Israel, England, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, China, Canada, and 28 US states. So, keep an eye on our upcoming events calendar in each newsletter and let us know when we can stop by your company and educate you and your colleagues on the latest in electronics technology, design, packaging, and reliability. To arrange a visit, please contact June Caswell, jcaswell@dfrsolutions.com

Managing Counterfeit Risk

DfR Solutions is known for being one of the leaders in counterfeit avoidance strategies and detection techniques. In recognition of our capability, Honeywell has selected DfR as one of the few organizations approved to perform counterfeit detection per SPOC 419. Trying to manage your counterfeit risks? Contact Ed Dodd today to learn more.

Trends in Material Substitution

The fear of RoHS is starting to lead to some fascinating material substitutions, including halogen-free flame retardants and a nickel-tungsten replacement for hexavalent chrome. But, RoHS is not the only environmental legislation OEMs need to worry about. Conflict minerals is fast becoming the legislation of concern, with several organizations trying to direct the industry response. Some DfR customers are even eliminating tantalum capacitors from future designs (legislative obsolescence?). Confused and concerned? Contact Randy Schueller for assistance.

Upgrading your Derating

In the early stages of product development (circuit schematic and part selection), effective design-for-reliability (DfR) can have a critical impact on final product integrity. To respond to this need, DfR has developed world-leading strategies on derating, one of the most popular DfR approaches for assuring that an individual component will operate robustly against major stress elements. To learn more, contact Greg Caswell.

DfR Service of the Month: Parts and Part Manufacturers

Our client base does not stop at OEMs. DfR is well-renowned for our expertise in electronic and electro-mechanical parts and we have assisted part manufacturers in variety of areas, such as application notes, finite element analysis (FEA), reliability prediction, FMEA of new technology, conflict resolution with customers, root-cause analysis, and part qualification and testing. If you are a part manufacturer looking for a partner that will help you succeed in the marketplace, please contact Nathan Blattau.

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and Reliability: A New Approach

A major issue facing the utilization of lithium ion batteries is the problem associated with self discharge while in storage. There is a critical need to develop a rapid and cost-effective approach for determining the state of health (SOH) of a large number of batteries during storage. DfR has partnered with Exponent in proposing a revolutionary methodology for resolving this issue. For more information, contact Eli Aghassi.

RoHS II Has Arrived

Approved two weeks ago by the European Parliament, this major update to environmental legislation does not provide too many surprises. Key things in the document to be aware of: no new restricted substances; there are nine (9) exclusion categories - military, space, transportation (trains, planes, autos), fixed installation, large industrial tools, off-road machinery (i.e., bulldozers), implantable devices, solar panels, and R&D equipment; medical and monitoring and control have three years to be compliant, in-vitro medical has five years to be compliant, and industrial monitoring and control has six years to be compliant; all exemptions will die out in five to seven years, including telecom / enterprise and high lead (Pb); and you will need a CE mark. For more information on RoHS, including compliance and transition, please contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR is hiring!

DfR is looking for two senior members of the technical staff. The first should have 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience and an operational knowledge of Abacus modeling software. The second should have 10+ years of experience in a technical discipline (SMT, Solar, LED, etc.). Both will be expected to manage and assist on DfR projects, write technical reports, make presentations at conferences, and provide guidance to staff engineers. In addition, DfR is looking for a staff engineer to support our laboratory team. Send your resume and cover letter to Tammy Smittenaar, tsmittenaar@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR's Craig Hillman an invited speaker at IPC Tin Whiskers Conference

Monday, December 6: Technical Workshops
8:30 am–12:00 pm
Causes of Tin Whiskers: Theories of Formation
Craig Hillman, Ph.D., CEO, DfR Solutions

This workshop will help provide an understanding of fundamental drivers for tin whiskers: how they can be related to presence/absence and growth rates under a variety of environmental conditions. Discussions will focus on current theories on tin whisker initiation and growth: a review of material diffusion, stress gradients, oxide formation and how various plating elements and environments play a critical role in these behaviors.

General trends in research from exposing tin plating to a variety of environments (temperature, humidity, vibration, mechanical shock, corrosion, pressure, bending) will be reviewed and related back to drivers. The ability to test for and predict the occurrence of tin whiskers will be presented, with a critical review of existing tin whisker prediction algorithms and the risk/benefit of implementing these equations into design decisions and reliability predictions.

Your Instructor
Craig Hillman, Ph.D. is CEO and managing partner of DfR Solutions. Dr. Hillman's expertise includes best practices in design for reliability (DfR), lead-free strategies, supplier qualification for commodity and engineered products, passive component technology, and printed board failure mechanisms. Dr. Hillman holds two patents, has published more than 50 white papers, and has appeared in more than 40 publications; he has presented on a wide variety of reliability issues to over 250 organizations. A member of the Lead-Free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) working group and invited lead-free SME on the DoD Lead-Free Manhattan Project (LFMP), Dr. Hillman has a BS in metallurgical engineering and material science from Carnegie Mellon a doctorate in materials from UC-Santa Barbara, and took his post-doctoral fellowship at Cambridge University.

Defibrillators Failing Too Early and Too Often

In a newly released white paper from the FDA detailing the "External Defibrillator Improvement Initiative", the following design and manufacturing practices were identified as examples of industry practices contributing to continued safety concerns that the FDA identified during its review of external defibrillators:

Engineering Design Practices.

Review of past recalls suggests that manufacturers of external defibrillators sometimes use design practices that lead to inconsistent device performance. In one example, a firm designed its voltage-monitoring circuit to draw power from the same power source it was intended to monitor. Because of this design, a momentary drop in the voltage caused a false signal to shut down the AED and the device was unable to deliver a shock, which may have caused a patient’s death. In another case, a firm used the wrong kind of component in one of the circuits, causing the device to be susceptible to interference from noise coming from the device’s power line. Good engineering design practices also require user interfaces (like dials, monitors, alarms, and connectors) meet users’ needs. Recent surveys suggest that improvements in user interfaces may be warranted.

Manufacturing Practices.

The FDA’s analysis of recalls and inspections identified problems in how manufacturers test and incorporate components used in the manufacture of external defibrillators, as well as how they evaluate changes to the device before they are implemented to assure that device modifications do not adversely impact the safety and effectiveness of the technology. Between 2005 and 2010, the FDA issued nine warning letters to external defibrillator manufacturers, seven of which cited the firms for failing to appropriately control these aspects of their manufacturing process.

In several cases, manufacturers purchased components from suppliers who did not meet the manufacturers’ required specifications. In some cases, the problem with the component was due to a change in how the component was manufactured by the supplier. However, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to assure that the components it receives meet its specifications.

Design and Manufacturing are two key areas where DfR can help your company prevent problems! For more information, please contact Cheryl Tulkoff, ctulkoff@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR White Paper: 0201 and 01005 Adoption in Industry

0201 and 01005 components have grown to represent a large portion of the modern component market and usage will continue to increase as time goes on. Currently, issues with manufacturability, cost of use, and inspection limit wider adoption of these components. The trend for smaller products in certain industries will drive an increase in adoption that will necessarily result in improved practices in manufacturing. As the market matures, and more reliability data becomes available, even those applications where reliability is paramount will begin to see adoption of these small parts. Indeed, the majority of respondents to DfR Solutions’ survey expect to be using 0201 components within the next three years.

Interested in learning more? Contact Cheryl Tulkoff, ctulkoff@dfrsolutions.com

DfR at IPC Tin Whiskers Conference in Chicago, IL: December 6-7

Craig Hillman has been invited to give a half-day workshop on Tin Whisker Prediction and a half-day workshop on Tin Whisker Mitigation and Risk Assessment at this unique industry conference focused on practical methodologies. For more information or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions Presents at IPC High Reliability Workshop

Cheryl Tulkoff, Senior Member of the Technical Staff, will be presenting "Solving Problems with Reliability, Repair and Rework in the Lead-Free Era" at IPC's High Reliability Workshop on December 8, 2010, in Santa Clara, California.

This session addresses potential reliability issues within lead-free processes, current state of industry knowledge and risk mitigation based on product design, materials, complexity, volumes and customer expectations of reliability. The session summary includes a roadmap for ensuring the reliability of lead-free product.

For more information or to register, please visit the IPC event website.

DfR at IPC / SMTA Cleaning Conference - Chicago, IL: November 16-18

DfR Solutions will be presenting on a number of topics at the IPC / SMTA Cleaning industry conference in Chicago on November 16th through the 18th. Randy Schueller, rschueller@dfrsolutions.com, will provide updates on sulfur attack of silver and other board platings. Seth Binfield, sbinfield@dfrsolutions.com, will present on recent work on flux chemistry and voiding, performed in collaboration with Jeannette Plante of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Shock and Vibration of Pb-free

DfR has announced it is building upon its successful SBIR Phase I Partnership Program. Where SBIR Phase I Partnership focused on capturing the behavior of Pb-free solder under shock and vibration, the SBIR Phase II Partnership will focus on quantifying the value of various mitigation strategies, including staking, underfill, dummy ball / ball removal, and cutouts. Participants will not only have exclusive access to the largest investigation into Shock and Vibration of Pb-free solder ever performed, they will also finally be able to capture the cost / risk tradeoffs necessary for a successful product launch. For more information, please contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com.

Say Goodbye to Reliability?

Taiwan's Contract Electronics Manufacturers to Benefit from Freer Outsourcing Atmosphere. For a long time, Intel, which commands over 80% of world's market for computer microprocessors, has demanded notebook-computer manufacturers using its microprocessors to build the processors packed with its designated wireless-network modules into their notebook computers. Five Taiwanese CMs can now choose their own modules for inclusion. Will they chose the most reliable or will they choose the least expensive? With the margins the way they are for CMs, this is not a tough question. What does that bode for notebook computers? Ask Cheryl Tulkoff, ctulkoff@dfrsolutions.com.

Counterfeit watchdog! DfR Presentation at iMAPS 2010 Raleigh on Nov 2.

DoD watchdogs are stating that the military is wide open for intrusion by counterfeit parts. Crackdowns are occurring, but the boldness of counterfeiters is increasing. DfR has a complete understanding of how we can help you with this dilemma. Greg Caswell, gcaswell@dfrsolutions.com, will be presenting a paper entitled "Counterfeit Detection Strategies-When to Do It/How to Do It" at the IMAPS Symposium on November 2. In addition, a new and unique methodology, "Using DNA to Safeguard Electronic Components," for obviating counterfeit parts will be presented by Janice Meraglia, janice.meraglia@adnas.com, from Applied DNA Sciences.

Printed Circuit Board Quilt - Bringing Art & Technology Together

Greg Caswell's wife June is a quilter and has produced some interesting designs over the years. This article about a "circuit board" quilt brings art and technology together.

Buyer Beware!!!

SquareTrade provides failure percentage information on a variety of electronic products with VERY SCARY figures; some with failure rates as high as 26% within the first two years of a product's life. Recently, they have examined iPhones, digital cameras, laptop/netbook computers, and computer game boxes. Understanding failure mechanisms is what DfR does best and working with customers to improve their products so that warranty issues are not a problem is a focus. Please contact Tom Johnston, tjohnston@dfrsolutions.com, for more information.

Remote Monitoring and Control Systems - Buyers Unhappy with Reliability

A recent survey by Atenga, Inc. pointed out that buyers of remote monitoring and control systems were unhappy with the reliability of the products. Solving this type of problem is right up DfR's alley. DfR can work with design engineers to facilitate enhanced reliability in a product during the design stage. Don't let your product end up in surveys like this one; contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com, for more information.

If at First You Don't Succeed, Triac, Triac Again!!

DfR engineers have definitive experience is electrical characterization and skill in developing the parameters for proper operation of specialized components in their application environment. Triacs are one such component type and this white paper describes the step by step methodology followed to provide this level of insight to our customer. For more information regarding electrical characterization, please contact Robert Manzanares, rmanzanares@dfrsolutions.com.

Fill 'er up!!

Increased circuit board densities coupled with the need for higher electrical performance have resulted in a new reliability challenge, that of vias in close proximity to either SMT or BGA pads. In an effort to reduce inductance, increase density or employ finer pitch array packages, via pads are being placed close to the SMT/BGA lands. Thicker PWBs, due to higher I/O array packages exacerbate these issues as larger holes and pads may be required to maintain through-hole reliability. DfR has extensive experience in both modeling the filled via concept and analyzing failures associated with this defect. For more information contact, Nathan Blattau, nblattau@dfrsolutions.com.

BGA Reballing - A High Reliability Necessity

The military and high reliability market segment have maintained a higher level of stability over the past couple of years. Military manufacturers are, for the most part, still using Sn/Pb materials. The commercial industry has used Pb-free for several years and the medical industry will be following in the next couple of years. Military suppliers are using approaches such as reballing of BGAs with Sn/Pb to utilize them. DfR has extensive experience regarding the reliability of the reballing of BGA packages. Joelle Arnold, jarnold@dfrsolutions.com, recently presented a joint paper with Stephan Meschter of BAE at the IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop on High Reliability Microelectronics for Military Applications.

DfR is Hiring!

DfR is looking for two senior members of the technical staff. The first should have 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience and an operational knowledge of Abacus modeling software. The second should have 10+ years of experience in a technical discipline (SMT, Solar, LED, etc.). Both will be expected to manage and assist on DfR projects, write technical reports, make presentations at conferences, and provide guidance to staff engineers. In addition, DfR is looking for a staff engineer to support our laboratory team. Send your resume and cover letter to Tammy Smittenaar, tsmittenaar@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions presenting at DMSMS in Las Vegas, NV: Oct 25-28

Craig Hillman of DfR Solutions and Walt Tomczykowski of ARINC will be presenting "Can the DoD Rent/Borrow the Design? A New Method to Mitigate the Impact of DMSMS and Improve Reliability" at the Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages Conference in Las Vegas, NV. For more information or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR at SMTA International in Orlando, FL: October 24-28

DfR Solutions will be presenting two workshops at the SMTAI. Randy Schueller will present "The Reality of Pb-Free Reliability" on Monday, October 25 at 1:30p.m. Craig Hillman will present "Contamination and Cleanliness: Developing Practical Responses to a Challenging Problem" on Monday, October 25 at 1:30p.m.

DfR at AIMS/Harsh Environments Symposium in Orlando, FL: Oct 25th

Jim McLeish will be presenting "Overview of the New DoD Reliability Revitalization Initiatives," at the AIMS Symposium. For more information or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Jim McLeish, jmcleish@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR at Space Simulation Conference Annapolis, MD: Oct. 20th

Ed Wyrwas and Nathan Blattau will present "Integrated Circuit Reliability Simulation in Space Environments" at the Space Simulation Conference in Annapolis, Maryland on October 20th. For more information on this topic or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Nathan Blattau, nblattau@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions in Seattle October 12-13!

Craig Hillman and Randy Kong will be visiting companies in the Seattle area. If you and your colleagues are interested in a visit and possibly a presentation on a range of technical topics, please contact Tammy Smittenaar, tsmittenaar@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions at the IEC 2010 Technical Committee 107 Meeting in Seattle, WA; October 12

Ed Wyrwas has been invited to present to the IEC Technical Committee regarding his work on physics-of- failure based reliability and durability modeling of current and future generations of integrated circuits. For more information on DfR's ability to eliminate the current empirical approach to reliability prediction, contact Ed Wyrwas, ewyrwas@dfrsolutions.com.

Upcoming DfR Joint Webinar: ESD Damage - The Surprisingly Dominant Failure Mechanism!

DfR Solutions, in association with Dangelmayer Associates, is proud to announce the Electrostatic Discharge: The Surprisingly Dominant Failure Mechanism webinar, to be held on October 21, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

While most companies are acutely aware of the hazards of electrostatic discharge (ESD), few are aware of just how pervasive ESD failures actually are. Recent studies into the misdiagnosis of these failures suggest that ESD damage may, in fact, be a dominant failure mechanism on the factory floor and in the field. Attend this joint webinar to learn the latest facts about ESD damage, failure analysis, and design-related ESD damage prevention techniques.

Dangelmayer Associates offers a full range of customized ESD/EOS (Electrostatic Program Management/Electrical Over Stress) professional consulting services on a Global basis for both product design and manufacturing, including but not limited to S20.20 Programs, Class 0, CDM, Charged Board Events, S20.20, EOS and Cleanrooms.

Course Outline
Introduction to Dangelmayer Associates, DfR Solutions and Speakers

EOS and ESD Impact and Roadmap, Devide Sensitivities and Procedures (Industry Council)
Defect analysis pareto
EOS and ESD dominance

ESD Models - Brief Background and Overview
Event characteristics - comparing energy/power/risetime
Human Body Model (HBM), Charged Device Model (CDM), Electrical Overstress (EOS) differentiation
Board and assembly level models
Charged board event (CBE)
Cable discharge event (CDE)

EOS Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis - Case Studies
How did they come to this determination?
Failure analysis tools typicall used for EOS/ESD/EOL
Other similar failures that are commonly mischaracterized

Damage Prevention Techniques
Design solutions
IC level protection strategies
Board-level (off chip) design solutions
Manufacturing solutions
CDM techniques
CDE techniques
EOS techiques


Cost
The cost to attend the webinar is $75. A Professional Development Hours certificate is available for an additional fee of $25. Please click here to purchase.

All presentations require the use of Adobe Flash Player to view.

Last chance to sign up for DfX Austin, TX!

Just a few days left to sign up for DfX Austin, Texas! We still have class openings in:

Best Accelerated Life Tests: Oct 11-12, Instructor: Mike Silverman

Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Oct 13-14, Instructor: Cheryl Tulkoff

Design for Mechanical Reliability: Oct 15, Instructors: Kim Parnell & Cheryl Tulkoff

For registration details, please click here.

Courses will be held each day from 9 am - 4:30 pm on the National Instruments campus.

All breaks, lunch, and course material provided!

DfR Solutions at Austin CTEA Expo on Thursday, Oct 7th

Randy Schueller will be presenting" Key Reliability Risks on Pb-free Products" at the Austin Central Texas Electronics Association - SMTA/IMAPS Expo & Tech Forum on Thursday, October 7th. Cheryl Tulkoff will also be attending and will be available for meetings.

If you'd like to schedule a meeting at the Expo, please contact Cheryl Tulkoff, ctulkoff@dfrsolutions.com.

Nathan Blattau presenting at iMAPS Chesapeake Chapter, Laurel, MD on Oct.5

Nathan Blattau will present "Tensile Ratcheting in Solder Bumps" at the Fall Symposium of the IMAPS Chesapeake Chapter on October 5th. For more information, please contact Nathan Blattau, nblattau@dfrsolutions.com.

Austin CTEA Electronics Design & Manufacturing Tech Forum & Expo: Oct. 7th

Central Texas Electronics Association

Electronics Design & Manufacturing Tech Forum & Expo
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Norris Conference Center at Northcross Mall in Austin

Program:

10:30 – 5:00 Trade Show Open

11:00 - First Presentation, Dr. Randy Schueller, DfR Solutions:

"Key Reliability Risks on Pb-free Products"

Noon - Complimentary Lunch and Door Prize Drawings

1:00 - Second Presentation, Iga Hallberg, HelioVolt:

"Solar Power - Macroeconomic Trends"

2:15 - Third Presentation, Dr. Ron Lasky, Indium Corporation / Dartmouth College:

"Establishing a High-Yield, Pb-free Process, including Ultra Fine Pitch Printing
for Passives and CSPs"

3:00 - Afternoon Refreshments, Networking, and Door Prize Drawings

3:30 - Fourth Presentation, David Carey, UBM TechInsights:

"Packaging for Portables: Going Vertical and Getting Small"

5:00 - Door Prize Drawings & Trade Show Closes


Registration Via SMTA Website:

This event is complimentary for SMTA and IMAPS members and non-members as well.

Event Location:
Norris Conference Center at Northcross Mall (backside), 2525 West Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas

In Central Texas, SMTA and IMAPS work together as the Central Texas Electronics Association (CTEA)

2010 IEEE Workshop on Accelerated Stress Testing & Reliability (ASTR): Oct 6-8 in Denver

2010 IEEE Workshop on Accelerated Stress Testing & Reliability

“Bridging the Gap between the Test Lab and Field Failures”
October 6 – 8, 2010
Denver , CO

ASTR 2010 will provide a forum to bridge gaps in knowledge and share ideas that address intra and inter industry endeavors to limit and eliminate field failures of products. The focus will be on rapidly finding design weaknesses, developing robust systems, and improving strategies to cost effectively screen defects and weaknesses in electronic and electro-mechanical hardware and structural systems while reconciling twin needs of obtaining high product quality and reliability with that of low product development and manufacturing costs and timely introduction of new products to market.

Click here for the complete event schedule.

This is always a great, informative event!

DfR Solutions at IPC Electronics Midwest: Chicago, Il Sept. 28-30

Randy Schueller will be presenting "Design for Reliability: The Next Generation" at the IPC Midwest Conference on Thursday, September 30th at session S05. For more information or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Randy Schueller, rschueller@dfrsolutions.com .

S05 Design for Reliability (DfR) and Failure Analysis

Thursday, 9/30/2010 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Moderator: John Radman, Trace Laboratories East Denver
Turn on the news these days and see how quality recalls can detrimentally affect the confidence and loyalty customers have for a company’s product. This session will cover various failure modes, identify high risk assembly processes, and outline physics of failure (PoF) principles and other critical prevention strategies in DfR that need to be implemented to product a defect-free quality product.

ESD Control for the Automotive Electronics Industry
Gerry Pedone, Delphi Electronics & Safety

Strategies for the Prevention of Board Strain and Cracked Chips in Automotive Electronics
Steve Davidson, Delphi Electronics & Safety

Reliable Solder Identification by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Ronald Glaser, CMG Sales/Fischer Technology, Inc.

Design for Reliability: The Next Generation
Randy Schueller, DfR Solutions

Die Attach Solder and Solder Alternatives
Brian Toleno, Ph.D., Henkel Corporation

DfR Solutions in Los Angeles, CA: September 27th-30th

Cheryl Tulkoff and Craig Hillman will be visiting companies in the Los Angeles area. If you and your colleagues are interested in a visit and a presentation on a range of technical topics, please contact Tammy Smittenaar, tsmittenaar@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions in Connecticut: September 23rd and 24th

Craig Hillman will be visiting companies in Connecticut September 23rd and 24th. If you and your colleagues are interested in a visit and presentation on a wide range of technical topics, please contact Tammy Smittenaar, tsmittenaar@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR at Pb-Free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) meeting in Bloomington, IN: September 21-23

Jim McLeish will be attending the PERM meeting in Bloomington, IN September 21-23. For more information or to arrange a meeting during the conference, contact Jim McLeish, jmcleish@dfrsolutions.com.


The Pb-free Electronics Risk Management Consortium

About PERM
The purpose of the Pb-Free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) Consortium (formerly known as LEAP) is to provide overarching leadership and coordination of Pb-free electronics risk management activities for the government and industry aerospace and defense communities.

The goal of PERM is to better respond to the long term challenges of Pb-free solders and finishes over a systems life cycle.
The PERM Consortium addresses executive leadership, communications, research coordination, standards, training, advocacy, supply chain, and international cooperation through dedicated task teams and advisory groups.

The PERM Consortium is chartered by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and includes support from DoD, DoE, Army, Air Force, Navy, FAA, NASA, and industry.

PERM White Paper

DfR presenting at the ESTC 2010 Conference in Berlin, Germany: September 13-16

Cheryl Tulkoff will be presenting "Managing Reliability Expectations and Warranty Costs in Medical Electronics" at the Electronics System Integration Technology Conference in Berlin, Germany. For more information on this topic or to arrange a meeting during the conference, please contact Cheryl Tulkoff, ctulkoff@dfrsolutions.com.

Conference Program of ESTC 2010 now available.

The program committee has arranged 160 oral and 80 poster presentations into an exciting program for the ESTC 2010 Conference in September. Check out the conference program now!

Download the conference program!

Conference topics are:

Microsystem Packaging

Application and product-oriented packaging technologies
New approach of sensor and actuator principles
Integration of new functionality in microsystems
Micro-nano integration
Nanobased advanced packaging technologies (e.g. self assembly, top-down and bottom-up approach, integration of nano-objects, CNT, tools, process)
New Materials and Processes

IC packaging processes including bonding and plating processes
Technology, development and application for adhesives, encapsulants, interconnect materials on substrate and wafer level
Added functionality materials: magnetic, thermal, optical, nano-enhanced
Optoelectronics

Packaging & interconnection strategies for novel roll-to-roll lighting devices
100Gb/s Ethernet PIC & ultra-wide band optical transceivers
Power LED and solid state lighting
Optical PCB: optical and electrical signal integration
Hi-power diode laser packaging, couplings, fiber pigtailing and connectorization
Concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) and optoelectronics in energy
Assembly and Manufacturing Technology

Advanced process development and equipment improvement for volume production
Cost, yield, performance and environmental impact improvements
Process characterization
New product introduction and ramp-up
Design for flexible manufacturing, testing and burn-in, and design for manufacturing
Manufacturing simulation, optimisation and scheduling
MEMS and opto-electronic assembly
Board level, product and system level assembly
Modeling and Simulation

Electrical and mechanical modelling
Simulation and characterization of packaging solutions including system-level applications
Prediction of thermal and mechanical performance of packages and modules
Applied Reliability

Reliability field data analysis
Fast reliability quaification
Advanced failure analysis
Failure mode identification and ranking
Reliability modeling, reliability diagnostics and curing
Failure prediction and experimental verification
Characterization and modeling of material
Process and product behaviour
Lifetime prediction
Reliability standards
Power Electronics

Further development of high power devices (e.g. IGBT-, MOSFET-packaging)
Alternative packaging and cooling concepts (e.g. double-sided cooling)
Prediction of thermal and thermo-mechanical performance of packages and modules
Reliability investigations and life time prediction
High temperature applications
Electrical Design & Modeling

Technology-aware design of circuits and systems - from architectural design to implementation level
Multi domain system level modelling
Design for manufacturability and testability
Design approaches for robust, fail safe and fault tolerant systems
Impact of integration technology - SiP and 3D
Advanced methods for 3D floor planning and place & route
Emerging Technologies

Nano-packaging and bio-electronic packaging
Organic printable electronics packaging
Green electronic packaging
Portable power supply packaging