The introduction of new products to the manufacturing environment is a challenging task. The extent of this challenge varies depending on the complexity of the product being introduced. Fully Buffered Dual In-line Memory Modules (FBDIMMs), which have been a recent introduction to the memory industry, pose several unique challenges that need to be addressed. The objective of this study was to first comprehend the distinguishing features of this product against a generic memory module from an assembly process perspective and address the associated issues. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was conducted to highlight the areas of concern from a process and reliability stand point. Processes were developed to mitigate the occurrence and severity rate of the identified failure modes. The assembly of heat sinks on these modules is a unique aspect and required special tools and fixtures. Various issues that were critical to quality were encountered while assembling the heat sinks. Centering of heat sinks over the module after assembly was also observed to be critical. Misaligned heat sinks can obstruct the insertion of modules into test and application sockets. A special tool was designed to address this issue. Upon installation of the new tool, a capability study was performed to validate the process. Removal of the heat sink for component rework purposes was also a concern. This was mainly due to the adhesion of the Thermal Interface Material (TIM) material used on the heat sink with the components on the board. The adhesion led to component separation from the board during the removal process and required a special process to mitigate this issue. The methods used to address these issues are reported. The product reliability was validated using thermal cycling, shock and vibration tests. The results of these tests are also reported in the paper.

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