Category Archives: Quality


May22
What is CAF (Conductive Anodic Filament) in PCBs? and How to Prevent It

One of our company’s products once experienced an issue called an “internal micro-short” in the printed circuit board (PCB). After investigation, we discovered the root cause was something called CAF (Conductive Anodic Filament). But let’s be honest—if you translate that … Continue reading

May08
The Deep Dive: BGA Pads: SMD vs. NSMD (Strength, Voids & Design Considerations)

Hey folks, welcome back to the blog! Today, we’re diving deep into something absolutely critical for the reliability of almost every electronic gadget out there: BGA solder joints. You know, those tiny connections that hold complex chips onto our printed … Continue reading

Apr17
How to Identify Unknown Contaminants: Choosing Between EDX/EDS and FTIR

When we discover unknown contaminants on printed circuit boards assembly (PCBA) or electronic products, how do we determine what they are and where they come from? Do we rely on experience, or do we use scientific instruments for analysis? What … Continue reading

Apr03
PCB Warping and Bowing: Causes, Prevention, and Best Design PracticesPCB warpage

A user asked: “During the SMT process, PCBs often warp or bow after going through reflow high temperature. In severe cases, this can lead to defects like insufficient solder joints or tombstoning. How can we prevent and solve this issue?” … Continue reading

Mar27
Does PCB Solder Mask Misalignment Lead to BGA Soldering Defects?

Recently, our company started a new project, and the R&D team has been pushing PCB layout requirements to the extreme. As PCBs size get smaller, the solder mask (S/M) design must also shrink accordingly. However, our current PCB manufacturers struggle … Continue reading