White Papers
Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" Hardware Failure
Since the product's introduction in November, 2005, a significant quantity of Microsoft's Xbox 360 game consoles have experienced a field malfunction that is indicated by three flashing red LEDs on the front of the console. This error function, which designates a critical hardware failure and renders the unit inoperable, is known among gamers as the "Red Ring of Death" and has spawned numerous user forums and web postings that claim to offer easy "fixes" for out-of-warranty units or for users who lack the patience to return their systems to an authorized repair center.
This white paper contains findings, conclusions, and recommendations for the proper equipment and techniques needed to repair the consoles and eliminate future recurrence of the problems.
In the assembly world, putting vias directly in surface mount pads is often not recommended. But for routing large or fine-pitch BGAs, bypass capacitors, thermal management, and grounding on high-frequency parts, via-in-pad can be an effective, if demanding, solution.
Global Impact of the Accelerating Cost Increase of Metals on the Assembly Electronics Industry
The participating members of the IPC Solder Products Value Council are compelled to clearly articulate the current situation regarding the global supply and demand of two crucial metallic elements to the Electronics Industry. The cost of tin and silver have reached 19-year highs and it is important for our industry to understand the implications of this kind of cost increase on the supply of solder alloys.
“Selecting an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Partner for Military/Government Applications: 7 Things You Must Know,” by Ed Evangelista of Federal Electronics,
Abstract: Seven things defense contractors must know before selecting an EMS partner for outsourcing military and government projects is the theme of a free white paper. This paper provides how-to advice on such issues as determining the appropriate outsourcing strategy; matching business profiles and capabilities; addressing product mix; enterprise resource planning; new product introductions, and cost strategies and issues. It is available at www.federalelec.com/militarypaper.
The Effect of Filling Via in Pad
The debate on the effect of voiding on BGA reliability has continued for years. Many PCB assemblers strive to minimize voiding, particularly with the advent of lead-free processing and in fine feature area array devices. Although solder pastes have been designed to minimize voiding, and processing guidelines exist to mitigate void formation during reflow processing, the presence of a microvia in a PWB pad can contribute significantly to void formation. It is believed that the depression in the pad caused by the microvia traps air during the stencil printing process, and the air cannot fully escape during reflow.
A process of filling the vias with copper at the board fabrication phase, thereby eliminating the depression that contributes to voids, was tested for its effectiveness in void mitigation during assembly. The test compares the voiding results of filled vias with those of unfilled vias and flat pads with no vias at all. The test vehicle and methods, as well as the results of the tests are presented and discussed in detail.
