The importance of board-level reliability testing

Semiconductor manufacturers have been pivoting their focus to automotive electronics to find the next large-volume growth opportunity. This adjustment is for good reason as automotive electronics is one of the fastest-growing markets for integrated circuits. To be successful in the competitive automotive electronics landscape, semiconductor manufacturers must account for differences in how automotive OEMs and their suppliers qualify ICs compared to consumer products. A key factor is the critical importance of board-level reliability testing (BLRT).

BLRT is the process of evaluating the robustness of a semiconductor package once the device is soldered to the printed circuit board. While relatively common now, it used to be a deviation from common semiconductor qualification practices. There’s a lack of a universal standard for BLRT. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a robust plan in place to avoid confusion, delays and dissatisfaction up and down the supply chain.