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 With proven technology and methods available to perform electronics reliability testing of PCBAs in virtual environments, many industry standards are being updated to require them. GM is moving toward complete virtual validation of their equipment prior to any kind of physical testing; their GMW3172 standard explicitly requires the use of RPA methodology for the evaluation of PCBAs. It includes general, environmental, and durability specifications for electrical/electronic components. While the RPA methodology does not require the use of FEA tools, Ansys Sherlock has been designed from the ground up to facilitate the performance of these exact types of calculations. Please read this short white paper to learn the advantages of incorporating this tool into your electronics reliability workflow. Standard Mechanical Loading for Electronic Assemblies As more products have integrated electronics, PCBAs must be designed to be robust to a variety of environmental conditions. Here are some common types of mechanical loading in electronic assemblies that can be directly input into Sherlock to be applied to an assembly: 1. Thermal Cycling in an operating or non-operating condition 2. Mechanical Shock from transportation or during operation 3. Random Vibration also from transportation or during operation WHITEPAPER Example In the case where an ethylene glycol solution is being used to cool the engine of a truck, there is a very hot coolant in a harsh environment operating at high temperatures. You need to understand how it will all work and how the reliability of the assembly over the long term will be affected by the inputs.

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