For electronics manufacturers, the stakes of component failure are astronomically high. Shifting from a reactive ‘damage control’ mindset to a proactive, engineering-led framework is crucial. Engineers should follow a three-part framework covering design and testing, sourcing, and monitoring, and mitigation.
The true cost of electronic component failure
The price of replacing a defective part isn’t the only expense electronics manufacturers must account for. When component failure escalates into a full-blown crisis, cascading effects ensue. Engineers spend hours on reactive problem-solving while facing sourcing disruptions, expedited shipping costs, a loss of market trust and recalls.
The Pulse of Quality in Manufacturing report surveyed 750 quality professionals. Of those from the United States, 39% said the cost to remediate their most recent recall ranged from $10 million to $49.8 million.
Electronics manufacturers can even be held liable for property damage or injuries related to their products. Product liability insurance protects them against such claims, but it does not protect them against reputation damage. While insurance is an essential redundancy, it is better to avoid such situations entirely through strategic sourcing and design.
Engineers should take a proactive approach
A proactive approach prevents minor defects from escalating, averting full-blown crises. The three-part framework engineers should follow encompasses design and testing, sourcing, and monitoring, and mitigation.
A failure mode and effects analysis will help them analyse potential issues early in the development cycle. Assessing the risk level of failure modes can help them understand the potential consequences of certain designs. Simulation and digital twin technologies bring their findings to life.
Stress-testing sensitive and critical parts in both virtual and physical environments is crucial for ensuring their safety and reliability before they become a physical item. This is especially true for parts sourced from third parties.
Supply chain disruptions and counterfeiting can cause downstream product quality issues. Rigorous vetting and supplier diversification are key. Even after the finished product leaves the manufacturing facility, oversight is key. Companies can use sensors, big data and real-time analytics to monitor for degradation, enabling them to prevent catastrophic failure.
The importance of comprehensive mitigation
Electronics are typically highly reliable. For instance, solid-state drives have an annualised failure rate of less than 1% over a five-year service life. While most last at least five years, they can remain useful for up to 10 with careful handling. However, without comprehensive mitigation strategies, the failure rate can be unusually high.
Even with careful engineering and stress testing, devices can still fail. From the time the manufacturer ships them until the customer receives them, they are exposed to many hazards. As such, a robust risk mitigation strategy requires clear communication, collaboration with logistics professionals and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Research shows that component degradation can reduce the mean time between failures by 50%. Manufacturers can significantly enhance the reliability of electronics and lengthen the lifespan of manufactured products by adopting a 100% inspection protocol and enforcing stringent material quality controls. Only with a comprehensive and proactive strategy can electronics engineers minimise the chances of component failures, thereby protecting brand reputation and safeguarding the company’s future.
Shifting from reactive to proactive strategies
Since anything from a single counterfeit part to a small electrostatic discharge can cause small, sensitive electronics to fail, resilience by design is crucial. Manufacturers that don’t adopt this approach risk earning a reputation as an unreliable partner.
An end-to-end strategy goes beyond design to include sourcing and monitoring. By predicting and addressing potential component failures before they occur, engineers can go from reactive troubleshooters to strategic leaders. This way, they cement themselves as integral contributors to success.
About the author:
Devin Partida is the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com, and a freelance writer. Though she is interested in all kinds of technology topics, she has steadily increased her knowledge of niches such as biztech, medtech, fintech, IoT, and cybersecurity.
