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border="0" onload=""></a></td> <td><a href="mailto:empf@aciusa.org" target="_top" onClick="MM_nbGroup('down','group1','contact','',1)" onMouseOver="MM_nbGroup('over','contact','../../nav/images/empfasis_nav_06-over.gif','',1)" onMouseOut="MM_nbGroup('out')"><img src="../../nav/images/empfasis_nav_06.gif" alt="" name="contact" width="74" height="34" border="0" onload=""></a></td> </tr> </table> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --></div> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td width="85%" class="style17">A publication of the National Electronics Manufacturing Center of Excellence</td> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Date" --><td width="15%"><div align="right">February 2011 </div></td> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td width="237" valign="top"> <div align="center"> <table width="237" height="1280" border="0" cellpadding="30" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="237" valign="top" background="../../archive/images/left_banner4.jpg"><div id="lft_banner"> <table width="185" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.aciusa.org" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/archive/images/aci_sm.gif" alt="Go to the ACI website" width="69" height="44" border="0" align="left" longdesc="http://www.aciusa.org"></a></td> <td><a href="http://www.empf.org" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/archive/images/empf_sm.gif" alt="Go to the EMPF website" width="65" height="44" border="0" align="right" longdesc="http://www.empf.org"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"> <!--link here--> <table width="175" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td valign="top"><span class="style24"><br>In This EMPFasis Issue<br><br></span></td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="advanced.html">Advanced Materials for TPV Devices</a></p> </td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top">&nbsp;</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="help-0211.html">Ask the EMPF Helpline!</a></p> </td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="materials.html">Materials Testing for High Efficiency Electronics</a></p> </td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="tech-tips-0211.html">Tech Tips: Soldering Iron Tip Care</a></p> </td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="manf-corner-0211.html">Manufacturer&rsquo;s Corner: Test Research, Inc.</a></p></td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="electronic.html">Electronic Packaging for Efficiency</a></p></td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="http://store.aciusa.org">EMTC Online Registration</a></p></td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top"><p align="left">&nbsp;</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left:10px"> <p align="left"><a href="../html/empfasis/emlcupcoming.pdf" target=_blank>Training Center Course Schedule</a></p></td> </tr> </table> <!--link here--> <br> <br> <hr align="center" size="1"> <br> <a href="http://store.aciusa.org"><img src="http://www.aciusa.org/images/lower-pricing-ad.gif" alt="Discount pricing on IPC training course J-STD-001, 610, 600, 7711, 7712" width="150" height="288" border="1"></a> <a href="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/subscribe.htm"> </a> <p class="style9"><script language="JavaScript"> <!-- function random_imglink(){ var myimages=new Array() myimages[1]="http://www.aciusa.org/wwwaci/html/random/boot.gif" myimages[2]="http://www.aciusa.org/wwwaci/html/random/lead.gif" myimages[3]="http://www.aciusa.org/wwwaci/html/random/help.gif" myimages[4]="http://www.aciusa.org/wwwaci/html/random/service.gif" myimages[5]="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/archive/images/subscribe2.gif" var imagelinks=new Array() imagelinks[1]="http://www.aciusa.org/courses/train_boot.htm" imagelinks[2]="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/leadfree.htm" imagelinks[3]="http://www.empf.org/helpline/helpline.htm" imagelinks[4]="http://www.aciusa.org/ana/ana_home.htm" imagelinks[5]="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/subscribe.htm" var ry=Math.floor(Math.random()*myimages.length) if (ry==0) ry=1 document.write('<a href='+'"'+imagelinks[ry]+'"'+'><img src="'+myimages[ry]+'" border=0></a>') } random_imglink() //--> </script></p> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"><span class="style5">ACI Technologies Inc.</span><br> One International Plaza<br> Suite 600 <br> Philadelphia, PA 19113 <br> (610) 362-1200 <br> <span class="style6">FAX: </span>(610) 362-1290<br> <span class="style6">HELPLINE: </span>(610) 362-1320<br> <span class="style6">WEBSITE: </span><a href="http://www.empf.org">www.empf.org</a><br> <a href="http://www.aciusa.org">www.aciusa.org</a></div></td> </tr> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br> <br> </p> <div align="center"> <p align="center" class="style7">Michael D. Frederickson<br> <strong><em>EMPF Director </em></strong><br> <br> Barry Thaler, PhD.<br> bthaler@aciusa.org <br> <strong><em>Empfasis Technical Editor<br> </em></strong><br> Paul Bratt<br> pbratt@aciusa.org <br> <strong><em>Empfasis Editor</em></strong><br> </p> <p align="center" class="style7"><img src="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/archive/images/iab_sm.gif" alt="IAB" width="100" height="52"><br> <span class="style9">Industrial Advisory Board</span><br> <span class="style14"><em>Gerald R. Aschoff</em>, The Boeing Company<br> <em>Dennis M. Kox</em>, Raytheon<br> <em>Gregory X. Krieger</em>, BAE Systems<br> <em>Edward A. Morris</em>, Lockheed Martin<br> <em>Jane Krueger </em>, Rockwell Collins<br> <em>Gary Kirchner</em>, Honeywell<br> <em>Andrew Paradise</em>, Northrop Grumman<br> <em>Richard Kidwell </em>, ITT Industries</span></p> </div> <p align="center" class="style7"><br> </p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div></td> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Body1" --><td width="70%" rowspan="2" valign="top"><div class="body_style" id="body_content"> <p><img src="images/helpline.gif" alt="title"></p> <p class="body_text"><i>Calls on the EMPF Helpline, asking for assistance are varied. Some require very simple answers, while others can be quite complex. This article covers a few examples.</i></p> <p><span class="style20">T</span>he EMPF provides a Helpline service for anyone who has a question or problem to call a toll-free number and tap into the resources of this Navy ManTech Center of Excellence for electronics manufacturing. The questions may be as simple as identifying a typographical error in a printed wiring board specification to tackling a root cause analysis of a manufacturing defect that has shut down the production line of a major overseas contract electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider.</p> <p><b>Case 1</b></p> <p>In the latter case, the EMPF was contacted by the EMS customer, a major electronics original equipment manufacturer (OEM). An unacceptable level of manufacturing defects forced a production line shutdown in an overseas printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing plant. The local engineers were unable to determine the cause, so the EMPF was contacted. Since this was a  line down situation, time was of the essence. </p> <p><i>Approach</i></p> <p>An initial phone conference was set up with the EMPF s engineers and scientists to gather as much up-front information as possible. Design and process information was provided by the OEM and EMS, as well as the statistics for the failure rate. Several hypotheses were formulated, but until the PCB was examined, a final determination could not be made. The EMS shipped a couple of example PCBs overnight to the EMPF facility located near the Philadelphia airport. The boards were immediately examined under optical inspection and documented with photos. A number of diagnostic techniques were employed to confirm or refute the hypotheses. During the analysis, the EMPF staff maintained contact with the EMS and OEM to gain additional information and provide feedback.</p> <p><i>Result</i></p> <p>The root cause was determined to be marginal products from a second tier supplier whose process had drifted out of control. The corrective action was to purge and replace the stock at the EMS. The product line came back on line in just a few days. </p> <p><b>Case 2</b></p> <p>An automotive component manufacturer called with a similar problem in the engine control module (ECM) they supply for major car manufacturers (Figure 2-1). Inside is an electronics assembly that has been potted and sealed in a metal enclosure. At this stage the assembly is not reworkable. This manufacturer was also in a line down situation, but had already completed a root cause analysis and correction. Their problem was that they had a substantial inventory that contained an unknown number of defective parts. They knew that the defect was a cracked solder joint at a particular location on a ball grid array package. What they were seeking was a non-destructive screening method for the suspect inventory to find the assemblies with the defect.</p> <p align="center"><img src="images/fig2-1.gif"></p> <p><i>Approach</i></p> <p>Electrical screening was ruled out because the cracked solder joint could make intermittent electrical contact until subjected to normal driving conditions. The next approach was to use the state of the art x-ray imaging system at the EMPF s Manufacturing Factory. The manufacturer had a slightly older model of the x-ray imager but was unsuccessful in identifying the defect due to a number features shadowing that portion of the assembly. They sent one of their modules to the EMPF to try on the newer machine along with drawings to provide a map to the defect area. This also proved unsuccessful. A relatively new technique being used in the materials analysis community is micro x-ray computed tomography (micro CT). The test is similar to medical CT using higher energy x-rays to penetrate harder materials. The EMPF contacted the micro CT manufacturers to explore that possibility. Unfortunately, the resolution needed to image the solder joint defect was not available for the size of the ECM (several centimeters). Micro CT is only effective for samples a few millimeters in size. Acoustic imaging is also available but does not have the resolution at the depth of penetration required to reach the defect area. The EMPF staff communicated this information back to the ECM manufacturer.</p> <p><i>Result</i></p> <p>The ECM manufacturer now had the information they needed to make the decision to proceed with scrapping the suspect inventory. They were very appreciative of the effort the EMPF provided on their behalf and the information on new technologies that could be used for diagnosing manufacturing defects. </p> <p>For more information on our analytical and engineering services, please contact the EMPF at 610.362.1320, via email at helpline@empf.org or visit the website at www.empf.org.</p> <p class="body_text"><img src="../../archive/updated/mbarger.gif"></p> </div> </td> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </tr> <tr> </tr> </table> <br> <table width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"> <p><em>The EMPF is a U.S. Navy-sponsored National Electronics Manufacturing Center of Excellence focused on the development,<br> application, and transfer of new electronics manufacturing technology by partnering with industry,<br> academia, and government centers and laboratories in the U.S</em></p> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="footer">ACI Technologies, Inc - - <a href="http://www.aciusa.org">www.aciusa.org</a> - - (610)362-1200</td> <td><div align="right"><a href="http://www.onr.navy.mil/Science-Technology/Directorates/Transition/Manufacturing-ManTech.aspx"><img src="http://www.empf.org/empfasis/archive/images/mantech.gif" width="144" height="42" border="0"></a></div></td> </tr> </table> <div align="right"> <!-- Start of StatCounter Code --> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=350643; var sc_partition=1; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"></script> <noscript> <a href="http://www.statcounter.com/free_hit_counter.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://c2.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=350643&amp;amp;java=0" alt="hit counter" border="0"></a> </noscript> <a href="http://www.empf.org/sitemap.htm"><em>[site map] </em></a> <!-- End of StatCounter Code --> <!-- Start of StatCounter Code --> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=1902214; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_partition=17; var sc_security="759b802c"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.statcounter.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://c18.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=1902214&java=0&security=759b802c&invisible=1" alt="website statistics" border="0"></a> </noscript> <!-- End of StatCounter Code --> </div> </body> <!-- InstanceEnd --></html>