Cover story
Long-term solutions for long lifecycle applications Supporting critical industries
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n today’s semiconductor industry, where capacity is limited, many Original Component Manufacturers (OCMs) are moving to shorter
product lifecycles. However, multiple industries require vital equipment to be operational for decades. Therefore, ongoing component supply is critical to sustaining these applications throughout their lifecycle. One common solution is to
store semiconductor components for extended periods of time after production ends. Rochester Electronics has been successfully storing components for extended periods of time to bridge supply chain disruptions for long-life applications since 1981. When long-term component
06 April 2023
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storage is deployed, it is important for end users to be confident that properly stored components will be reliable in the field. For this reason, Rochester’s Quality and Reliability teams have investigated the long- term storage effects on mechanical integrity and electrical performance. Several white papers published by
Texas Instruments have investigated the reliability of components after long-term storage. While an initial paper highlighted that semiconductor products properly stored in a controlled environment have a shelf life exceeding 15 years, a subsequent Texas Instruments paper found that no failure mechanisms were found on components stored for up to 21
years. It is worth noting that these studies are based on components that have been stored in controlled environments. Rochester’s own investigations used a random sample of components that have been stored in a variety of environments for up to 17 years. A selection of eight different products was evaluated, composed of three separate lead finish types, from a total of five different suppliers. Additionally, the analysis included an industry-standard board mount and solder paste reflow manufacturing process. An independent third-party electronic manufacturing company, experienced in PCB assembly, conducted the assembly process. The contract assembly house is fully ISO-
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