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In the field of automotive electronics, a quick and accurate technique to predict the useful life of electronic modules is considered a critical tool to assure future, and existing, product designs are successful in meeting long-term life requirements. This need is particularly true for harsh environment electronics, such as transmission and engine control modules. These modules are confronted with many difficulties such as a changing thermal environment and reductions in component packaging size that are not significant problems for most other electronic products. Because these modules are designed for ten or more years of use, accelerated life testing methods are necessary for predicting product life for new designs. However, there is a very limited understanding of the relationship between accelerated life testing and product field requirements. A better understanding of this relationship is critical to future product designs.

Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) packages have been used in many applications. Most studies designed to verify solder joint reliability and package integrity have focused on commercial applications (Temperature Cycling range 0°C to 100°C). Other studies have shown that this package design will not meet the requirements for automotive applications.1 Design enhancements aimed at making the PBGA more robust and capable of being used in automotive application have been suggested. A joint effort by Chrysler, Delco Electronics, Ford Visteon Automotive Systems, and Motorola Semiconductor was organized to design and test PBGA packages for automotive applications and to develop module assembly processes for PBGA packages.