ADI Reliability Handbook

Introduction The electronics industry has always striven for the highest levels in quality and reliability. Anyone involved in the industry knows the pace with which the industry progresses and the methodologies the industry uses to guarantee high levels of quality and reliability. Over the last two decades the emphasis has shifted from end-of-line statistically-based stress testing to more proactive techniques. These techniques, embraced by ADI, involve a shift in ownership and emphasis for reliability from reliability engineering to the process and product engineers. Consequently, the reliability engineering groups are the monitors and interpreters of the product and process reliability results. They work in a proactive manner as team members with the process and product developers to resolve any issues. The reliability engineering groups are a valuable resource that actively investigates new process and package reliability issues before the technologies become available for full-scale manufacturing. Papers have been published by Schafft, Gerling, Riordan, Prendergast, etc. [1–7, 20–22, 25, 25, 30–32], outlining the effectiveness of a proactive approach to reliability.