The Electronics Manufacturing Training Center course entitled “Characteristic Properties of Materials Used in Electronics Manufacturing” is an effective resource for obtaining the knowledge required to perform more comprehensive quality inspections. This is particularly essential for domestic businesses that design and perform quality inspections of their own products that have been manufactured off-shore. As the role of the manufacturing engineer evolves, the job of making informed decisions about materials selection, performance, and reliability becomes more critical.
Material properties and selection influence the cost, performance and reliability of the final product. This course deals exclusively with materials-related issues in electronics. The course relates material properties to product and process quality. The objective is to provide participants with the ability to make educated assessments of all of the materials used in their components and assemblies.
Participants in the class are first exposed to the definition of material properties. These material properties are then associated with the chemistry and physics that influence product yield, reliability, and quality. Throughout the class there are a number of hands-on laboratories and demonstrations to improve understanding of the topics, and relate them to current manufacturing situations such as the following:
- PCB board materials analysis
- Metallography of solders
- Polymer characterization and selection
- Halide content characterization of fluxes and circuit boards
- Wire bonding
- Oxide detection and quantification
A wide range of topics are covered including:
- Board finishes
- Viscosity
- Electrical properties
- Corrosion
- Diffusion
- Ceramic and composite substrates
- Fluxes
- Semiconductors
- Solder alloys
- Lead materials
- Plastic packaging
- Wire bonds
- Underfills and adhesives
- Solderability
- Contamination
- Advanced packaging materials
Participants divide their time between the state of the art class-rooms, analytical laboratories, and the manufacturing facility during the three day course. They work with analytical equipment such as optical and scanning electron microscopes. Production and demonstration materials are used to provide a comprehensive learning experience that applies to real manufacturing situations. Attendees are also encouraged to bring sample products from their companies to use as examples during the labs.
The curriculum is divided into three main sections as follows:
1) Selection
Material selection is one of the most common tasks for 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. For example, knowledge of how Young’s modulus affects the mechanical behavior of an underfill can reduce the cracking of flip chips and improve the overall reliability of the assemblies.
2) Behavior
The actual behavior of a material can be much different from the reported theoretical value. This course discusses the causes of the variables and teaches the participants how to troubleshoot property variation.
3) Testing
The testing of material properties is widely understood to be the key to obtaining data for a project, performing failure analysis, or understanding material interactions. Material testing also provides information on the quality of incoming and outgoing products. Inspection test equipment and techniques are demonstrated for a wide range of materials and assemblies during the class. This provides the participants with both knowledge of the common failure modes observed in electronics and the proper techniques for evaluating them.
Engineers, quality managers, technicians, and designers attend the course to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of material properties. Topics such as diffusion and intermetallic formation are extremely useful for solder selection and process control. Those converting to lead-free solder alloys appreciate the understanding of phase diagrams, grain coarsening, and solder microstructure.  The fundamental understanding of surface tension, oxide formation and flux can improve solderability awareness and increase product yield. The course curriculum was developed to translate complicated concepts into useful knowledge to assist in product development and production support. |
