What Really Failed? Understanding Failure in Materials, Components, and Assemblies

This eBook explains how failure analysis helps engineering teams move from visible damage to defensible root cause. Using examples from metallurgical failure analysis, PCB/electronics failure analysis, polymer analysis, and component-level investigations, the guide walks through Covalent’s workflow: defining the problem, gathering service history, starting with non-destructive methods, moving into destructive analysis when needed, and using chemistry and microstructure to complete the story.

Topics include weld porosity, cratering, incomplete penetration, solder non-wetting, plated-through-hole defects, capacitor termination failures, connector contamination, fracture analysis, SEM/EDS, EBSD, micro-CT, SAM, dye-and-pry, cross-sectioning, and polymer FA decision pathways. The eBook emphasizes that effective failure analysis is not just defect hunting—it is a structured, multi-technique investigation that turns physical evidence into practical corrective action.