The Electronics Interconnect team at National Physical Laboratory is creating a Defects Database as part of their continuing support to the electronics industry.
Available in the near future at: http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk, the database was suggested as an industry project by members of the Industry Advisory Group IAG, recommending that NPL were best equipped to co-ordinate the activity due to their scientific and manufacturing expertise.
The creation of the online database of problems provided by industry will be treated in a confidential manner. Collecting together common problems and making images freely available to the industry will assist engineers to implement corrective actions in their process or design.
To further assist and aid a better understanding of manufacturing problems and issues from every perspective, NPL are circulating three surveys to establish the most common problems experienced or highlighted. The surveys are aimed at:
PCB Manufacturers/Distributors/Brokers:
http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk/surveys/pcb.pdf
Component Manufacturers & Distributors:
http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk/surveys/components.pdf
Printed Circuit Board Assembly Companies:
http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk/surveys/assembly.pdf
The survey is available to download, and when the results are compiled, a copy of the full results will be available, so that all can compare with their results.
There is a strong belief that many of the component, printed circuit board, and assembly solder joint failures are often common to many parts of the industry worldwide. By collecting common problems and making example images available, it will assist engineers to implement corrective actions in their process or design. It will also pinpoint common trends to guide the NPL team in correctly identifying future projects to maximise its benefit to the industry.