Analytical Services

Timely response to production fallout or product field failures is critical to your business. Reacting swiftly, decisively and objectively secures your reputation and resolves issues that will otherwise drag down profitability. To achieve it, you must locate and rectify the root cause immediately.

That’s a big task when you are working with the most advanced components, leading-edge materials and techniques, and cost-sensitive assemblies. You need specialized tools to look beneath the surface of chip scale components, solder joints, circuit boards, and associated materials. You need the knowledge to manipulate those tools, and you need expertise across many disciplines to correctly interpret the results.

Take the fastest and most cost-effective route to the failure data you need – Universal Instruments APL Failure Analysis Services. We have already invested in specialized, precision analytical tools and the knowledge of various Subject Matter Experts whose collective expertise covers every packaging and assembly technology in depth.

Your strategic advantage

The Advanced Process Lab has developed critical manufacturing processes for all component families. The APL builds on Universal’s expertise in helping customers shape ideas into products. We actively participate in product development and design activities. Our experience positions us to deliver failure analysis that adds real value to your business:

• Identify and rectify the root cause of the defect

• Increase production yield

• Improve field reliability

• Provide evidence to support product liability cases or vendor returns

• Deliver rapid return on investment

The technology to succeed

The APL provides detailed analysis of sample packages, including characterization of inherent weaknesses and recommendations to enhance product lifetime and yield. Component-level Interconnect/PCB Failure Analysis:

• Microanalysis of failures

• Dye penetration, cross section, shear test

• Solder rupture and inter-facial failure modes identified

• Prediction of "time zero" and long term field failures

• Contamination studies

• EOS/ESD die failures

• PCB fabrication problems

Proven return on investment for assemblers

We have helped OEM and EMS assemblers save big on scrap, rework and warranty costs

• Polarized light analysis quickly highlighted serious cracks in a batch of LEDs that had shown intermittent behavior in an OEM instrument panel. Our failure analysis also showed these cracks to be present at the point the LEDs were received at goods-in. Our inexpensive analysis and rapid reporting pinpointed the problem, proved liability, and saved the customer over $250,000.

• Using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis, we quickly determined that the surface finish applied by the board fabrication house did not conform to the product specification ordered by the customer. Our analysis allowed the assembler to return boards for credit and insist future boards be finished to specification. Estimated saving to the customer: $100,000.