An important factor in ensuring the reliability of an electronic assembly is understanding the raw material properties and characteristics from which electronic components and assemblies are made. As part of its comprehensive line-up of electronics manufacturing training, the EMPF Training Center offers a three-day course entitled "Characteristic Properties of Materials Used in Electronics Manufacturing" that deals exclusively with the selection, use and compatibility of materials used in electronic assemblies. The course focuses on the correlation of material properties and characteristics to product development, manufacturability and quality.

The objective is to prepare participants to make informed decisions about the materials used in their components and assemblies, and to identify how material properties influence the performance and reliability of the end product. Engineers, quality managers, technicians and designers will benefit by gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of material properties with a focus on translating complicated concepts into practical applications for design and production related scenarios. A wide range of topics are covered including:

Curriculum
1) Selection
Material selection is fundamental for effective design engineering. The ability to interpret data sheets and assess the material's impact on the performance of a product is crucial for reliable performance. Successful participants in the course will attain the technical knowledge required to make informed decisions regarding the selection of fluxes, paste, adhesives, substrates, cleaning materials, conformal coatings and other common interconnect materials.

2) Behavior
The actual behavior of a material can vary from the theoretical or expected performance of the material in various situations. Because of this, the factors that affect material behavior such as temperature, humidity, contamination, processing and additives are covered in depth in order to prepare the participants to effectively troubleshoot and correct variations in material behavior.

3) Testing
The testing of material properties and the associated collection of test data is widely understood to be the key to understanding material interactions. Material testing serves as the basis for performing failure analysis and also provides information on the quality of incoming and outgoing products. Inspection test equipment and the associated inspection techniques are demonstrated for a wide range of materials and assemblies. This provides the participants with both knowledge of the common failure modes observed in electronics manufacturing and the proper techniques for evaluating them.

Participants are first exposed to the definitions of material properties. These material properties are then linked to the chemistry and physics that influence product yield, reliability and quality. Throughout the course there are a number of hands-on laboratory exercises and demonstrations to further enhance the understanding of the topics and relate them to actual manufacturing situations. Several of the laboratory exercises include:

• Metallography of intermetallics and solders using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
• Glass transition temperature measurement of polymermaterials using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
• Characterization of halide content of fluxes and circuit boards
• Wire bonding
• Oxide characterization and quantification

Course participants are encouraged to bring sample products to use in the hands-on laboratory exercises. This will assist in relating the comprehensive course material to each participant's specific manufacturing applications. Successful completion of the three day course will ensure that each attendee will leave with a better understanding of material properties and prepare them to use the information to improve product reliability and manufacturability in their respective organizations.