Failure Analysis

When a material or product fails, you need to know the behind cause, fix the problem and protect against further failures, which is a process called failure analysis. Failure analysis is a critical process in determining the physical root causes of problems. The information obtained can help developers identify weaknesses during product manufacturing, assembly, inspection, or delivery processes. By getting the complete answers to about the cause of the component defect, future failures can also be prevented. Generally, failure analysis is a multidisciplinary and complex process, requiring a variety of visual inspections, laboratory analysis and simultation tests.

At Alfa Chemistry, we are able to use our comprehensive analytical techniques, instrumentations, and resources to look for the root cause of the failure according to the specific product and the failure mode, ensuring that every component in your product can withstand the most demanding applications to perform its intended function.

What is a Failure?

A good definition of a failure is "a component, material, or process failure to perform the proper function in a given situation." Failures have a wide range of origins and forms, including distortion or undesired deformation, fracture, corrosion, and wear. Specific levels of failure causes can be physical, human, latent, or root. It is necessary to be knowledgeable about defining the requirements of the failure at hand.

Failure can be defined on several different levels. The simplest form of a failure is a system or component that operates but does not perform its intended function. This is considered a loss of function. A jet engine that runs but can only produce partial thrust (insufficient for takeoff) is an example of a loss of function. The next level of failure involves a system or component that performs its function but is unreliable or unsafe. This is known as loss of service life. In the next level of severity of failure, a system or component is inoperable.

Why Do Failures Happen?

The most common reasons for failures include:

• improper Service or operation conditions (wear failures, fatigue and other types of slow crack growth , brittle and ductile overload failures)
• Improper maintenance (corrosion/oxidation problems, contamination problems)
• Improper testing or inspection
• Assembly errors (Adhesion and bonding problems)
• Fabrication/manufacturing errors (heat treatment problems, plating problems)
• Design errors (stress, materials selection, and assumed material condition or properties)

Our Failure Analysis Services

Alfa Chemistry utilizes a variety of testing methods to determine root cause of a material or product failure. These methods can be divided into two categories: non-destructive tests, which keep a product intact; and destructive tests, which require the product to be altered in order to examine cross-sections or thermal behavior. We are able to use both non-destructive and destructive testing techniques wherever possible.

Our services help identify problems associated with product failures, including:

• Find major flaws or indications of misuse
• Identify the source of unknown impurities
• Compare of materials to specification
• Analyze failure modes, effects and origins
• Select optimal heat treatment condition
• "Good Vs. Bad" Sample Comparison Analysis
• Optimize material performance conform to requirements

Why Alfa Chemistry?

• Scientists and chemists with years of experience in failure analysis
• Comprehensive and advanced analytical instruments
• A complete range of testing and analysis services with most accurate testing results
• Detailed report including operation steps, equipment used, and analysis results will be provided
• Alfa Chemistry follows ASTM, IPC, ISO, and other recognized industry standards for testing and analysis

Ordering Process

Alfa Chemistry is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to determine root cause of failures through a combination of surface analysis, materials characterization and metallurgical analysis techniques. Whether the tested product is printed circuit board (PCB), electronic component, electronic device, metal, plastic or composite, our expert R&D team will strive to prevent financial losses from failed components. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information about our analytical services, we will answer you as soon as possible.