This chapter discusses some of the more advanced methods and procedures used in failure analysis, including in-service material sampling, in situ microstructure analysis, and a form of punch testing that can determine the fracture toughness of any material from a tiny specimen. The chapter also covers quantitative fractography, fracture surface topography analysis, and the use of oxide dating as well as fault tree and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and computational techniques.

This chapter is a detailed account of various factors pertinent to the development and launch of a product. It begins by describing the five phases in the product launch process, namely product design and development, process design and development, product and process validation, product launch, and continuous improvement. This is followed by sections covering product-process flow diagrams and also the process elements considered for process failure mode and effects analysis. Some of the aspects covered by the engineering specifications to meet the product performance requirements are then reviewed. Details on product validation requirements and definitions of parameters related to the launch process are also provided. The chapter discusses the purpose of manufacturing control plan, along with an illustration of a manufacturing control plan outlined for a safety-critical suspension casting. It ends with an overview of the contents of a program launch manual.

This chapter discusses quality control programs and procedures for induction heat-treating systems and includes related forms and checklists.

The aim of every extrusion plant is the efficient production of competitive products that meet the appropriate quality requirements. This chapter discusses the processes involved in the selection and introduction of a quality management system, along with its application, advantages, and disadvantages. It describes the process chain for order processing within the quality circle and provides information on product liability legal issues. In addition, the chapter discusses the processes involved in quality control, along with its organization, responsibilities, audits, and testing.

This chapter targets areas that determine if a change occurred and if the change induced the failure: change or what's different analysis. It describes the different sources of changes that induce process deficiencies: design, process, test and inspection, environmental, supplier lot, aging, and supplier changes. The chapter presents an example of a cluster bomb failure to explain how the failure analysis team found and corrected the failure cause.

Fault-tree analysis is a graphical technique that identifies all events and combinations of events that can produce an undesired event. This chapter emphasizes several fault-tree analysis concepts, examining with examples how all three categories of charting symbols (events, gates, and transfer symbols) come together to generate a fault-tree analysis.

This chapter briefly outlines some of the basic aspects of failure analysis, describing some of the basic steps and major concerns in conducting a failure analysis. A brief review of failure types from fracture, distortion, wear-assisted failure, and environmentally assisted failure (corrosion) is also provided.

Failure mode assessment and assignment (FMA&A) is a tool designed to help organize the evaluation of hypothesized failure modes. This chapter begins by describing the process of preparing an FMA&A. It then describes the follow-on activities to evaluate the hypothesized failure cause. The chapter also provides information on evaluating the hypothesized potential causes.

This article depicts typical fractographic features for a number of different composite materials, covering interlaminar and translaminar fracture characteristics in composite materials.

Fracture mechanics is a well-developed quantitative approach to the study of failures. This chapter discusses fracture toughness and fracture mechanics, linear-elastic fracture mechanics, and modes of loading. The discussion also covers plane strain and stress and crack growth kinetics. The chapter presents a case history that illustrates the use of fracture mechanics in failure analysis. An appendix provides a more detailed discussion of fracture mechanics concepts.

Passive components can be broadly divided into capacitors, resistors, and inductors. Failure analysis of these components helps determine the root cause and improve the overall quality and reliability of the electronic systems. This article describes different failure analysis approaches used for these components. It discusses different types of capacitors along with their constructions and failure modes. The types include tantalum, aluminum electrolytic, multi-layered ceramics, film, and super capacitors. The article then provides a discussion on the two common types of inductors, namely, common mode choke coil and surface mount powder choke coil.

Semiconductor memories are superb drivers for process yield and reliability improvement because of their highly structured architecture and use of aggressive layout rules. This combination provides outstanding failure signature analysis possibilities for the entire design, manufacturing, and test process. This article discusses five key disciplines of the signature analysis process that need to be orchestrated within the organization: design for test practices, test floor data collection methodology, post-test data analysis tools, root cause theorization, and physical failure analysis strategies.

This chapter focuses on common failure characteristics exhibited by mechanical and electrical components. The topic is considered from two perspectives: one possibility is that the system failed because parts were nonconforming to drawing requirements and another possibility is that the system failed even though all parts in the system met their drawing requirements. The common failures discussed in this chapter include those associated with metallic components, composite materials, plastic components, ceramic components, and electrical and electronic components.

Gears can fail in many different ways, and except for an increase in noise level and vibration, there is often no indication of difficulty until total failure occurs. This chapter begins with the classification of gear failure modes, followed by sections discussing the characteristics of various fatigue failures. Then, it provides information on the modes of impact fractures, wear, scuffing, and stress rupture. Next, the chapter describes the causes of gear failures and discusses the processes involved in conducting the failure analysis. Finally, the chapter presents examples of gear failure analysis.

Laser Voltage Probing (LVP) is a key enabling technology that has matured into a well-established and essential analytical optical technique that is crucial for observing and evaluating internal circuit activity. This article begins by providing an overview on LVP history and LVP theory, providing information on electro-optical effects and free-carrier effects. It then focuses on commercially available continuous wave LVP systems. Alternative optoelectronic imaging and probing technologies for fault isolation, namely frequency mapping and laser voltage tracing, are also discussed. The subsequent section provides information on the use of Visible Laser Probing. The article closes with some common LVP observations/considerations and limitations and future work concerning LVP.

Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) has an increasing important role in the development of nanoscale semiconductor technologies. This article presents a detailed discussion on various SPM techniques including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, Scanning Capacitance Microscopy, Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy, Conductive-AFM, Magnetic Force Microscopy, Scanning Surface Photo Voltage Microscopy, and Scanning Microwave Impedance Microscopy. An overview of each SPM technique is given along with examples of how each is used in the development of novel technologies, the monitoring of manufacturing processes, and the failure analysis of nanoscale semiconductor devices.

This article reviews various analytical techniques most commonly used in plastic component failure analysis. The description of the techniques is intended to make the reader familiar with the general principles and benefits of the methodologies. The descriptions of the analytical techniques are supplemented by a series of case studies that include pertinent visual examination results and the corresponding images that aided in the characterization of the failures. The techniques covered include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, thermomechanical analysis, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The article also discusses various analytical methods used to characterize the molecular weight distribution of a polymeric material. It provides information on a wide range of mechanical tests that are available to evaluate plastics and polymers, covering the various considerations in the selection and use of test methods.