BOARD-LEVEL ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
PCB Failure Analysis Services
Preserve the evidence, isolate the failing circuit or structure, and connect the physical defect to the electrical symptom.
Confidential review · Global project support · Test path selected from evidence
EVIDENCE-PRESERVING ENGINEERING REVIEW
Start Your PCB Failure Review
85%Of PCB failures are detectable with proper analysis
10+Common failure modes identified
40%Reduction in rework with AI-assisted analysis
15+Industry standards for compliance
BOARD-LEVEL FAILURE MODES
Board-level failure modes
we diagnose
PCB failure analysis starts by reproducing the board-level symptom, isolating the affected circuit region and preserving solder, via, laminate and contamination evidence before rework changes it.
01
No power, shorts or open circuits
Missing rails, excessive current, open signal paths, damaged connectors or an unstable power, clock or reset domain.
02
Intermittent environmental or load-dependent faults
Board faults influenced by temperature, vibration, humidity, electrical load, flexing, contamination or time in operation.
03
Solder, BGA/QFN and assembly defects
Voids, fatigue cracks, head-in-pillow, insufficient wetting, bridges, opens, warpage and hidden area-array defects.
04
Via, trace, laminate, CAF and corrosion damage
Plated-through-hole cracks, conductor damage, delamination, dendritic growth, conductive anodic filament formation and corrosion.
BOARD-LEVEL FAULT ISOLATION
From board symptom to isolated circuit fault and physical cause
The workflow separates test-fixture, firmware and circuit behavior from the physical board evidence needed for a corrective action.
01
Record board revision and reproduce
Capture the board revision, serial number, firmware, load, environment, fixtures and repeatable failure conditions.
02
Isolate the circuit region
Compare rails, clocks, reset and signal paths with a known-good board to narrow the power domain or functional block.
03
Inspect without rework
Use visual inspection, X-ray, thermal imaging and electrical measurements before cleaning, replacing parts or cutting the board.
04
Confirm the physical site
Apply targeted cross-section, microscopy or SEM/EDS only after the suspect interconnect, via, material or component region is defined.
05
Corrective action and report
Correlate the reproduced circuit fault with assembly, material, layout or process evidence and document the corrective action.
ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES
Core PCB failure analysis methods
Methods are combined around the symptom, board construction, component package, prior handling and evidence-preservation needs—not from a fixed checklist.
01 / NON-DESTRUCTIVE
X-ray and visual inspection
Reveal hidden solder joints, vias, voids, alignment, bridges, opens and internal structural features without cutting the board.
- BGA, QFN, connector and multilayer inspection
- 2D review or targeted tomography where appropriate
- Evidence retained before rework or cross-sectioning
02 / LOCALIZATION
Thermal imaging and circuit isolation
Use controlled power-up, current limiting, rail measurements, signal tracing and thermal imaging to localize a short, overloaded component or unstable functional block.
- Compare suspect and known-good boards
- Correlate temperature with load and time
- Protect evidence during fault localization
03 / PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Cross-section, SEM and EDS
Use targeted cross-sectioning, microscopy and elemental analysis to evaluate cracks, intermetallics, plating, contamination, corrosion and material interfaces at the selected failure site.
- Use only after the target area is defined
- Document orientation and preparation sequence
- Correlate physical evidence with the electrical symptom
SYMPTOM-TO-TEST GUIDE
Match the PCB symptom to the first discriminating test
The first test should narrow the circuit or physical region without removing the evidence required for confirmation.
| Observed board symptom | Useful first checks | Evidence to preserve |
|---|---|---|
| No power or excessive current | Current-limited power-up, resistance comparison, thermal imaging | Original component state, heat pattern and rail measurements |
| Intermittent with flex, heat or vibration | Controlled stress reproduction, continuity monitoring, X-ray | Failure timing, fixture conditions and suspect interconnect area |
| BGA/QFN assembly concern | 2D/3D X-ray, optical comparison, targeted cross-section | Board orientation, package location and unreworked solder joints |
| Corrosion, CAF or material damage | Visual/microscopy review, resistance testing, SEM/EDS | Contamination condition, humidity history and material interface |
BOARD INTERCONNECT FAILURE PATH
Intermittent board failure under mechanical and thermal stress
Observed symptomA populated board passed initial testing but failed intermittently after temperature change and handling.
Circuit isolationControlled reproduction and rail measurements narrowed the fault to one functional region and suspect interconnect.
Physical confirmationX-ray and microscopy guided the selected section; SEM/EDS evidence correlated the interconnect feature with the electrical discontinuity.
Corrective actionReview the related soldering profile, assembly handling, mechanical support and inspection controls using the documented evidence.
PCB ROOT-CAUSE REPORT
PCB root-cause report and corrective actions
- Fault location and root-cause confidence
- Rail, signal and thermal observations
- Annotated X-ray, cross-section or SEM/EDS evidence
- Reproduced conditions and evidence limitations
- Assembly, material, layout or process recommendations
- Confidential PCB engineering report
Helpful board intake information
Board revision, operating state and prior handling help isolate the right circuit region.
- Board part number, revision and assembly status
- Failure symptom, reproduction rate and environment
- Operating voltage, load, firmware and test setup
- Manufacturing lot, field history and prior rework
- Known-good board or comparison data
- Photos, logs, schematics, Gerbers or test files
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT
PCB failure analysis FAQ
Still unsure which test method fits? Start with the symptom and available evidence; the analysis path can be defined during review.
What information should I send with the failed PCB?
Send the board number and revision, failure symptoms, operating conditions, reproduction rate, handling or rework history and any available photos, logs, schematics or known-good comparison data.
Should the failed board be repaired before analysis?
Usually not. Cleaning, component replacement, reflow or probing can change or remove evidence. Record the current condition before altering the suspect area.
Can you investigate intermittent failures?
Yes. We can reproduce or bound faults using controlled temperature, load, timing, flexing and electrical conditions, then correlate the symptom with thermal, electrical or physical evidence.
What is included in the final report?
The report documents samples, test conditions, analysis sequence, annotated observations, findings, limitations and engineering recommendations appropriate to the available evidence.
START WITH THE BOARD, SYMPTOM AND OPERATING STATE
Need an engineer to review your failed PCB?
Share the board revision, failure symptom, operating state and available evidence. We will recommend the next PCB fault-isolation step.