The EMPF's Learning Center offers a "Failure Analysis and Reliability Testing" course that is tailored specifically to address the most prevalent electronic components, manufacturing and packaging issues. The course objective of Failure Analysis and Reliability Testing is to prepare the participant to make informed decisions when troubleshooting an electronics manufacturing problem, as well as understanding and working with an analytical or failure analysis lab. The continuous shrinking of components and increasing of board complexity makes it crucial to understand what techniques and equipment provide the resolution required for accurate analysis.

Both novice and experienced students can benefit from a failure analysis and reliability course, even those who do not work in these areas directly. Failure analysis engineers learn both standard industry methodology as well as state-of-the-art techniques for determining the cause and solution for a number of electronics manufacturing-related issues. Quality control engineers, manufacturing engineers, managers, and technicians, who either perform failure analysis or collaborate with analytical labs, gain knowledge that can be used to improve their product or manufacturing process. The class is designed to provide an excellent learning experience that relates directly to the students' needs and level of experience.

The most prevalent electronics manufacturing-related issues are the focal point of the class. Also covered are topics that are process or component-specific. The program is based on test methods and specifications.

ACI's own experience in operating a failure analysis lab, learning center, and manufacturing facility helps to supplement the material presented. The instructors have a very large collective knowledge base and can answer individual questions with details. Incorporated in the curriculum are the operation of the instruments and techniques used to troubleshoot failures as well as the identification of common failure modes and mechanisms. Some of the topics covered in the class include:

Topics such as material properties, thermal expansion, advanced packaging failure, cyclic fatigue, integrated circuit fault isolation and spectroscopy are also discussed in depth from an analytical viewpoint.

Case studies provide the forum for problem formulation, investigation, and resolution. These case studies exemplify typical and atypical issues that encourage independent thinking as well as group discussion. As with many of the other courses offered at the EMPF Learning

Center, students are trained with a combination of presentation material and practical experience. Students will get hands-on lab experience in many areas including:

Coupled with the lab exercises, the class includes scheduled time to address specific problems encountered by the students at their workplaces. Students are encouraged to bring with them samples for investigation and discussion. A three-day course layout provides the proper format for comprehensive understanding. Each student who successfully completes the course leaves with a better understanding of manufacturingrelated issues as well as course notebooks of all the information presented for future reference and as an aid in resolving business decisions related to failure analysis and reliability issues.