Electronic equipment failure

Nature

Although amounts spent by manufacturers on production testing are increasing rapidly, a rising percentage of faulty equipment is being delivered to customers. Every step in the manufacture of an electronic product, for example, produces defects of which a certain number inevitably remain undetected. There is a direct relationship between the percentage of undiscovered defects and the cost of the final product, since some defects must be accepted if costs are to be kept down. Such difficulties are likely to get worse rather than better with the introduction of more sophisticated techniques, such as integrated circuit technology, and with the increasing complexity of equipment which such techniques make possible.

Background

The global significance of electronic equipment failure emerged in the mid-20th century as electronics became integral to industry, healthcare, and communication. High-profile incidents, such as the 1965 Northeast blackout and early computer malfunctions, highlighted vulnerabilities and spurred international research into reliability. Over subsequent decades, the proliferation of complex, interconnected systems deepened awareness of the widespread economic and safety impacts, prompting coordinated efforts to track, analyze, and mitigate electronic failures worldwide.

Incidence

Electronic equipment failure most often occurs in complicated radio-electronic equipment, such as computers and automatic control devices. The principle causes are imperfect soldering, poor contact in plug and socket connectors and internal defects in the elements.