I-Connect007 is excited to announce the release of The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... Via Structures: Reflow Process Survivability, Reliability, and Robustness, the newest addition to its technical resources library. In this new book, reliability expert Bob Neves tackles one of the electronics industry’s most misunderstood topics: how to properly evaluate PCB via structures for assembly process survivability, long-term reliability, and robustness.
The challenge is that these three terms are often used as though they mean the same thing. They don’t. Neves explains why each represents a different aspect of performance, why each requires its own testing strategy, and why assembly process survivability must be validated before meaningful reliability testing can even begin.
From there, the book takes a closer look at the strengths—and limitations—of traditional evaluation methods like microsection analysis and daisy chain testing. Neves then introduces performance-based assessment techniques that detect failures as they develop, giving readers practical insight into real-time electrical monitoring, the HATS² test system, and single via structure testing. Together, these approaches improve statistical confidence while revealing failure mechanisms that conventional methods often miss.
Dennis Fritz of Fritz Consulting praised the book for bringing clarity to a complex subject, saying it “nicely separates Process Survivability, Reliability, and Robustness” while explaining the strengths and limitations of current reliability test methods. He called it “an essential resource” for engineers looking to better understand the factors that influence long-term microvia performance and PCB quality.
Neves is chair and CTO of Reliability Assessment Solutions Inc. (RAS), manufacturer of the HATS² reliability test system, and founder of Microtek Laboratories. A recognized leader in the electronics industry, he is a past chair of the Global Electronics Association Board of Directors and a member of its Hall of Fame. He has authored dozens of technical papers and articles on reliability, testing, and failure analysis, and has spent decades advancing reliability engineering through standards development, technical education, and consulting.
The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... Via Structures: Reflow Process Survivability, Reliability, and Robustness is available now through the I-Connect007 technical library. Printed copies are also available to order here.