Whitepapers

E L I T E C H A N N E L PA R T N E R simulation@rand.com | RandSIM.com | 888.483.0674 It's Time to Move to Reliability Physics Analysis (RPA) for Electronics Testing Common Electronics Failure Modes The push to move from handbook methods of testing to Reliability Physis Analysis (RPA) is geared toward looking at assemblies from a failure mode perspective; instead of just knowing that a component will fail, RPA methods help to understand why a component failed and can inform design changes to mitigate that failure going forward. Failures are typically driven by four things: 1. Thermal cycling and thermal effects 2. Vibration 3. Humidity 4. Dust Predicting PCBA Behavior with Ansys Sherlock Software As an Ansys Elite Channel Partner, Rand Simulation has helped PCBA manufacturers save time and money by testing their PCBAs in virtual environments with Ansys Sherlock. The key capabilities that set Sherlock apart are as follows: • FEA Model Generation It is easy to generate FEA models for analysis with Sherlock software. Unlike other products on the market, Sherlock allows users to start with their native ECAD files and then build up the FEA model using properties from the Sherlock parts library. This library contains more than 900,000 common, off-the-shelf components, and contains data for each part such as lead type, lead geometry, case size and shape, mounting style etc., making it easy to place and replace components to optimize designs. Sherlock also includes tools for defeaturing, so components can easily be omitted if their likelihood of failure and contribution to overall dynamic response is low. All of this can be done within the Sherlock interface, so users don't need to go into a space claim and try to modify the geometry there or modify it in their 3D CAD tool. • Generate Results without the Need for External Tools or Post Processing Once the FEA model is generated, Sherlock gives the user the ability to develop time-to-failure plots based on thermal cycling, random vibration, and shock based on any combination of the environmental inputs from the specification without leaving the base tool. The interface also allows you to view 3D/2D results for deflections, stresses, etc. of the FEA models that are run within the tool. In addition to the modeling capability, Sherlock was designed to be used by electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and PBCA designers, so they can collaborate on the electronics reliability paradigm. By replacing traditional simulation interfaces with the menu seen to the right, the software keeps some of the more complex simulation elements behind the scenes. Although the interface appears simple, it uses Ansys' best- in-class mechanical APDL code to perform the simulations.

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