Enhanced defect elimination process for electronic assemblies via application of sequentially combined multiple stress processes

Abstract

A method for testing electronic assemblies having an electronic component affixed via solder or other such connections to a printed circuit board. The method includes combining, in order, three sequential stress test steps, into a single stress test for screening defects in the electronic assemblies. In particular, the test combines a thermal cycling stress test followed by a electrical burn-in stress test coupled with functional monitoring of the assembly, followed by a random vibration stress test coupled with functional monitoring of the assembly, each test is imposed with defined parameters upon the electronic assembly. The combination, order, and parameters of the sequential stress test steps provide a single test for electrical assemblies which substantially screens all such assemblies having systematic or random defects while imparting minimal reduction in useful life to the defect-free assemblies by virtue of the testing, thereby resulting in a high reliability product.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.