Stress Screening of Electronic Modules: An Investigation of the Effects of Temperature Rate of Change

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of temperature rate of change on the environmental stress screening (ESS) of printed wiring assemblies (PWA). The related effects of chamber air velocity and temperature dwell time on module temperature response also were evaluated.

Tests were conducted to investigate the effects of varying thermal cycling parameter levels. The effects of various chamber air temperature rates of change and velocity levels on the temperature responses of two vastly different PWAs were measured. A thermal cycling analysis of a PWA of the same construction as one of the two PWAs tested in the present investigation also was performed. Results from a portion of the test were compared with the analytical predictions.