The CTI Failure Analysis Division analyzes failed consumer products to determine the source of the failure and offer a recommendation for redesigning the product to avoid future failures.

 

The Failure Analysis Division focuses on electrical and electronic products, while offering parallel diagnostics for metals and polymers.  In addition, CTI carries out performance analysis on metals and polymers to address the ability of materials to withstand different sources of stress and damage.

 

As heat conducting materials are commonly employed in electronic products, CTI also specializes in thermal, physical, and electrical property testing of such materials.

 

Electrical and Electronic Parts

Among electrical and electronic products, PCBs, PCBAs, electrical components and fillings, and electrical processing materials are the most common items that undergo failure analysis.  CTI also performs performance testing and product evaluation of such items.

 

External visual inspection is usually the first step in failure analysis, which employs stereomicroscope, metallic microscope, and scanning acoustic microscope analysis.  Non-destructive analysis can be carried out with the aid of x-ray inspection and a scanning acoustic microscope.

 

Electrical characteristics are measured with the aid of a probe, an oscillograph, LCR, curve trace, and/or a semiconductor parameter tester.

 

Samples are prepared using a precision cutter, a grinder-polisher, or de-cap acid and etching.  Following preparation, samples are analyzed with:

• Energy Dispersive Spectrometer
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer
• Auger Electron Spectrometer
• Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer
• Atomic Force Microscope
• Transform Electron Microscope

 

Nano indentation can be used to measure the topography and hardness of surfaces and thin films.

 

Metals and Polymers

 

While failure analysis can be performed on parts based composed of metals or polymers, the performance of different metals and polymers is commonly of interest in product development.  Coating/plating and adhesive materials are also of interest in regards to failure analysis.

 

Cast iron, steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, and zinc alloys are the most common metallic materials that undergo performance analysis.   Among polymers tested by CTI, plastic, rubber, pipe, tape, and composite are the most common materials.

 

CTI provides macromolecular polymers and micro-analysis metals by evaluating their performance in regards to mechanical, electrical, physical, thermal, and chemical properties.

 

CTI commonly performs the following tests to analyze mechanical properties:

• Tensile strength
• Impact
• Fatigue
• Compression
• Yield strength
• Elongation after break
• Bending
• Abrasion
• Hardness-HB
• Hardness-HA
• Hardness-HV
• Hardness-HRC
• Micro-HV

 

CTI offers the following tests to analyze electrical properties of materials:

• Surface resistivity
• Volume resistivity
• Breakdown voltage
• Withstand voltage
• Dielectric constant
• Dielectric loss

 

The following thermal tests are used by CTI:

• Melting point
• Low temperature brittleness
• Fusion index
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Thermogravimetry temperature
• Vicat temperature softening point
• Head conduction coefficient
• Thermal resistance
• Flammability

 

The following microstructure analysis tested are employed by CTI

• Metallographic analysis
• Heat treatment morphology
• Crystal grain of metal
• Macroscopic view of fracture
• Microscopic view of fracture
• Phase structure with X-ray
• Surface residual stress analysis