Materials Laboratory & Services for the Electronics Industries

Surfaces Characterization

Surfaces CharacterizationOften the surface characteristics of a material significantly affect its performance from different points of view: solderability, adhesion, wettability, cleaning…
Their equipment allows them to characterize a surface from both chemical and morphological point of view, giving the customer a valid help for the setting up of processes and for the solution of problems.

Qualification / Validation of Materials and Processes

Scanning Electronic MicroscopePIEK’s Partner performs failure analyses combining mechanical, electrical, chemical and metallographic techniques. Thanks to the experience of their IPC certified analysts, they offer consultancy on assembly process and materials’ quality in the electronic field.

Chemical Laboratory

Chemical LaboratoryThe chemical laboratory is equipped with a complete set of analytical techniques, from elementary analysis to thermal analysis, from chromatography to infra-red spectroscopy and UV-visible. This allows us to offer a wide range of services and analysis in several areas, including: characterization of polymers, identification of contaminated (ionic and non), analysis of metal alloys… Moreover, our engineers are available to develop specific tests to meet the needs of the customer.

Failure Analysis

Failure AnalysisPassive and active electronic component failure analysis:
– Electrical test
– Constructive analysis
– Electronic application review and validation

Electronic Design assemblies failure analysis:
– Root cause determination
– Component stress evaluation
– Design validation

Compliance with RoHS Directive and Environmental Analysis

Compliance with RoHS Directive and Environmental AnalysisPIEK’s Partner aims to offer its customers a comprehensive service concerning the RoHS Directive, both for the materials’ analysis and for documentation management.
In fact, their laboratory makes available its competences to help the customer position its product against the standard, manage the collection of conformity certificates and, eventually, proceed with the chemical analysis of materials, both at the screening level (by XRF spectroscopy) and at more accurate determination, all according to the method IEC 62321.

In addition, since January 2013 the RoHS compliance is a requirement of CE Mark and PIEK’s Partner, thanks to the collaboration with a laboratory partner, is able to provide its customers the support about all directives provided from this certification.

Other environmental analysis
The laboratory can determine the concentration of asbestos in air, in accordance to DM 6/9/94 by electronic microscopy (SEM/EDX).

Statistical Analysis of Product Design, Process and Reliability

Statistical Analysis of Product Design, Process and ReliabilityThe main services provided are:

  • FMEA of project and process (also according to the Automotive standard).
  • Statistical analysis of processes: ANOVA (evaluations of factors affecting the process), statistical tests (comparison between different samples and processes), sampling plans (evaluation of defectiveness in a lot or a process), DOE (optimization of process’ parameters).
  • Measurement System Analysis (MSA) for attributes and variables, calculation of repeatability, reproducibility, measurement uncertainty, accuracy (also according to the Automotive standard).
  • Reliability analysis: MTBF, IFR, time evolution of reliability parameters, evaluation of acceleration factors.

Shock and Vibration

Shock and VibrationDynamic tests can be performed to assess finished products and subassemblies solidity and reliability, with or without packaging.
Tests (in compliance with international standards or with customer’s requirements) can be applied not only on electronic applications, but also on other industrial fields: military, telecommunication, medical, household appliances, alimentary…

Dimensional Analysis

Dimensional AnalysisPIEK’s Partner metrological area has equipment that can measure, with extremely high precision, dimensions of electronic and mechanical components, under controlled environmental conditions.

Reliability Analysis for Processes and Products

Reliability Analysis for Processes and ProductsAim of these analyses is to guarantee that products meet specifications in terms of functionality and lifetime.
PIEK’s Partners thermal and environmental chambers and electronic equipment allow monitoring and verifying reliability of processes and products according to international standards or customer’s requirements.

ESD Measures (ElectroStatic Discharge)

  • ESD MeasuresConductivity measurements on materials and their classification:
    – Pavement, work tables’ surfaces, cabinets,…
    – Packaging (envelopes, cardboard, fillers,…)
  • EPA (ESD Protected Area) Conformity Assessment with current standards
  • Analysis of individual protection (ESD armbands, shoes, lab coats,…)

Rework and Repair Processes for Microelectronics

Rework and Repair Processes for MicroelectronicsRework clinic of high technological capability:
– BGA Reballing
– BGA Rework
– PCB repair, assembled and not
– Circuit boards with “High Thermal Mass”

Counterfeiting of Electronic Components

Counterfeiting of Electronic ComponentsIn the last years, the problem of counterfeit components is spreading more and more in the electronic field.
To respond to market demands, PIEK’s Partners laboratory has developed a number of tests to verify the legitimacy of suspect components.

Service Test Method
Cross-sectioning ASTM E3/IPC-TM650 2.1.1
Manufacturing Handling Simulation (Dye & Pry testing)
Solder float test (Thermal stress , plated-through holes) IPC TM650 2.6.8
Solder float test (Thermal stress of laminates) IPC TM650 2.4.13.1
Solderability test for components and/or PCB J-STD-002 J-STD-003
X-ray Fluorescence (XRF thickness) ASTM B568 (98) (Reapproved 09) ISO 497
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) ASTM E1078-90, E1015-90, E902-88, E673-90
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM w/EDX)
Instron testing (mechanical Pull strength test) IEC 62137-1-1
Instron testing (mechanical Shear strength test) IEC 62137-1-2
Fourier Transform Infrared Spettroscopy (FTIR) on pure compounds ASTM E 1252
Fourier Transform Infrared Spettroscopy (FTIR) on residues ASTM E 1252
Fourier Transform Infrared Spettroscopy (FTIR) on residues with research on spectra library ASTM E 1252
Ion Chromatography (7 anions) IPC TM 650 2.3.28B
Total Ionic Contamination IPC TM 650 2.3.25.1
Total Ionic Contamination by OMEGAMETER 600 IPC TM 650 2.3.25D
Metallic alloy by ICP-AES Internal methods
Porosity test ASTM B 735
Contact angle meter ASTM D 5725-99 (2008)
Tg and CTE determination by TMA IPC TM 650 2.4.24C
Time to delamination by TMA IPC TM 650 2.4.24.1
Tg determination by DSC IPC TM 650 2.4.25C
Tg determination by DMTA IPC TM 650 2.4.24.2
TGA analysis ASTM E 1131
Acid value IPC TM 650 2.3.13A
Solid content, flux in liquid flux IPC TM 650 2.3.34C
Solid content, flux in solder paste and/or cored wires IPC TM 650 2.3.34C
Metal content IPC TM 650 2.2.20
Melting point ASTM E794-89
Copper mirror test IPC TM 650 2.3.32D
Bromide and Chloride content IPC TM 650 2.3.28.1
Halide Content, Quantitative (Chloride & Bromide) IPC TM 650 2.3.35C
Solder Powder Particle Size Distribution-Measuring microscope Method IPC TM 650 2.2.14.1
Corrosion test IPC TM 650 2.6.15C
Peel Strength of Metallic Clad Laminates IPC TM 650 2.4.8C
Solder Mask Abrasion (Pencil Method) IPC TM 650 2.4.27.2A
Adhesion, Solder Mask IPC TM 650 2.4.1E (tape test)
Solder paste – Slump Test IPC TM 650 2.4.35
Decomposition Temperature (Td) of Laminate Material Using TGA IPC TM 650 2.4.24.6
Solder Paste – Solder Ball Test IPC TM 650 2.4.43
Solder Paste – Wetting Test IPC TM 650 2.4.45
Solder paste rheology Internal methods
Gel time – room temperature Internal methods
Gel time – temperature requested by customer Internal methods
Carbon and sulphur determination by LECO CS-244 (infrared detection) ASTM E1019
Determinazione Assorbimento H2O nei polimeri ASTM D570
S.I.R. Test IPC TM650 2.6.3.3B
Resistance to Electrochemical Migration, Solder Mask IPC TM650 2.6.14D
Electrochemical Migration Resistance Test IPC TM650 2.6.14.1
Shock test system
SAM (Scanning Acoustic Microscopy)
X-ray analysis (FEIN FOCUS)
X-ray Tomography  analysis
Chamber Services
Shock test system
Vibration test system
Dimensional analysis by contact or optical machine
Optical Dimensional verification (on PCB) IPC TM650 2.2.2B
Bow & Twist measurement (on PCB) IPC TM 650 2.4.22C
Mechanical Dimensional Verification (on PCB) IPC TM 650 2.2.1A
Surface Roughness and profile of Metallic Foils (Contacting Stylus Technique) (on PCB/Cards) IPC TM 650 2.2.17A
Roughness by contact profilometer UNI EN ISO 4288 (2000) / UNI EN ISO 4287 (2002)
MTBF Test (Mean time between failures)

– RoHS analysis Service

Test Method

Sample preparation (to separate samples in homogeneous materials)
1 chemical element by ICP-AES (in homogeneous sample)
4 chemical el (Pb/Hg/Cd/Crtot) by ICP-AES (in hom sample) IEC 62321
Determination of Cr VI by EN ISO 3613:2001 (in hom. Sample) IEC 62322
Determination of Cr VI by UV-VIS (in hom. Sample)

Please contact our sales department if you are interested in our Test Center activities. We will be happy to provide more information about our testing services.