Original Date: 05/17/1993
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Failure Analysis Branch of the Strategic Systems Division at the Crane Division-Naval Surface Warfare Center specializes in conducting detailed analyses of failure mechanisms, determining the root cause, and devising solutions to the problems. A staff of multi-disciplinary engineers, scientists, and technicians are maintained at an extensive, completely equipped laboratory which permits evaluation of packaging, wire bonding, on- chip device probing and modeling and includes scanning electron microscopes and other surface and bulk material analysis equipment for detailed analysis of microcircuit lithography, process chemistry and doping profiles.

This Failure Analysis Branch was mandated to evaluate components selected for the Trident guidance system when the program was initiated. Since 1977, component problems in 10% of the 6,000 lots have been uncovered and corrected, thereby avoiding employment of 225 rework operators per year over an eight-year period. This equates to a total program cost avoidance of $14.7 million.

The component evaluation program was extended to the destruct system components in the Trident II program, producing a cost avoidance of $640,000. Employing failure analysis techniques during the design and production phase of ultra-high reliability systems avoided costly failures by identifying and correcting problems while they could be cost effectively addressed. This program also involved review of specifications for components to avoid over-specification on non-critical components and components not subjected to hostile environments. The Crane division-Naval Surface Warfare Center maintains that independent review of design specifications for components in non-high reliability systems can result in substantial savings by using appropriately specified parts and avoiding the cost of inappropriate and unnecessary performance and quality requirements.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.