Printed Circuit Board Assembly Modeling for Predictive Reliability Assessment

This paper presents the impact of critical factors in printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) finite element (FE) modeling. Following the authors' previous research on PCB modeling approaches and effective material calibration, this study focuses on the impact of conductive layers in PCB response under static, dynamic, and thermomechanical loading. We evaluate the merit of complex PCB modeling by comparing an equivalent homogenous board model with trace models including copper circuits as shell reinforcements bodies, respectively mapping the traces material properties on the board mesh based on local copper concentration. Lastly, we assess the effect of local CTE mismatch and stiffness over the low cycle fatigue life of the PCBA. The main objective of this work is to propose an efficient methodology for modeling the PCBA for predictive reliability assessment.