Aug12
BGA Solder Ball Crack Analysis Using the Red Dye Test | Types and Failure Patterns

post on August 12, 2026
BGA錫球斷裂(crack)的紅墨水測試判斷與現象分析
Figure: Use the Red Dye Test to Identify BGA Solder Ball Cracks: Failure Patterns and Practical Analysis

BGA IC functional failures are a major headache for many electronics companies. This is especially true today, as most CPUs use BGA packages. When a product with a boot-up failure is returned from the customer and we need to determine the root cause, one of the most common methods used to identify the root cause is the Red Dye Penetration Test.

One of the main advantage of the Red Dye Test is that it provides a clear visual indication of where solder ball cracks have occurred across the entire BGA. This allows manufacturing and R&D engineers to quickly identify potential failure locations and better understand the possible causes and sources of mechanical stress.

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Process, Quality, SMT, Soldering     WorkingBear    Views (94)     comment (0)
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Jul30
How to Analyze Returned Electronic Products and BGA Failures: A Practical Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

post on July 30, 2026
如何著手分析市場返修的電子不良品及BGA不良
Figure: Using the Red Dye Penetration Test to Check BGA Solder Joints for Open Solder or Head-in-Pillow (HIP) Defects

At first glance, analyzing returned electronic products or BGA failures doesn’t seem all that complicated. In reality, however, many new engineers have no idea where to begin when a failed unit is returned from a customer or the field. Even worse, I’ve watched new engineers accidentally destroy critical evidence before they even start the investigation. Once the evidence is gone, so are many of the clues needed to find the real root cause.

Troubleshooting a failed electronic product is surprisingly similar to solving a crime in CSI or NCIS. Instead of rushing to conclusions, you start by gathering evidence and carefully examining every clue. From there, you develop possible root-cause hypotheses and test them one by one until the real culprit reveals itself. Ideally, you should also be able to reproduce the failure. If you can’t recreate it, there’s always a chance you’ve only found a symptom rather than the actual root cause.

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Personal Opinion, Quality     WorkingBear    Views (350)     comment (0)
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Jul22
Should BGA Pads Be Designed as SMD or NSMD? Pros, Cons, and Drop-Test Performance

post on July 22, 2026
Should BGA Pads Be Designed as SMD or NSMD? Pros, Cons, and Drop-Test Performance
Figcaption: Should BGA Pads Be Designed as SMD or NSMD? Pros, Cons, and Drop-Test Performance

Do you know the difference between SMD (Solder Mask Defined) and NSMD (Non-Solder Mask Defined) pad designs for PCB? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? More importantly, which pad design provides better resistance to BGA solder joint cracking under mechanical stress?

A few years ago, our company went through a management change. It’s a familiar story in many companies—new managers often like to introduce new ideas to make their presence felt. One of the first changes was a new PCB design rule: all future BGA layouts should use NSMD pads instead of SMD pads. The idea was that NSMD pads would create stronger solder joints, making BGAs more resistant to mechanical stress and increasing the likelihood of passing impact drop tests and tumble tests.

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Design, Quality, SMT, Soldering, Uncategorized     WorkingBear    Views (480)     comment (0)
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Jul16
BGA Failure Analysis: Manufacturing Issue or Design Flaw?

post on July 16, 2026
How to Determine Whether a BGA Solder Joint Crack or Component Detachment Is Caused by the SMT Process or Product Design
Figcaption: How to Determine Whether a BGA Solder Joint Crack or Component Detachment Is Caused by the SMT Process or Product Design

Many engineers have asked the same question: When a BGA solder joint cracks or a BGA component falls off the PCB, how can you tell whether the root cause comes from the SMT manufacturing process, the PCB fabrication process, or the product design itself?

Based on Workingbear’s experience, many design engineers immediately assume that any BGA solder crack or component detachment must be caused by poor soldering during SMT assembly. Unfortunately, this often leaves manufacturing engineers with little opportunity to defend themselves because they lack solid evidence proving that the design may actually be the real problem.

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EDX/EDS/SEM/IMC/FTIR, Quality, SMT, Soldering     WorkingBear    Views (449)     comment (0)
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Jul08
BGA Cross-Section Analysis: How to Evaluate Solder Joint Quality and Identify Common Defects

post on July 8, 2026
BGA Cross-Section Analysis: How to Evaluate Solder Joint Quality and Identify Common Defects
Figcaption：BGA Cross-Section Analysis: How to Evaluate Solder Joint Quality and Identify Common Defects

This article is intended for anyone who isn’t yet familiar with how to evaluate the quality of BGA solder joints from cross-section images.

Workingbear happens to have several cross-sectional photos from actual production boards that make excellent teaching examples. Among them are some very typical defects, including Head-in-Pillow (HIP) solder joints and solder balls that were stretched during assembly, resulting in weak solder connections.

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Process, Quality, SMT, Soldering     WorkingBear    Views (874)     comment (0)
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