The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) is launching a new project ― the Medical Components Reliability Specifications Project ― to develop testing and use condition guidelines to help assure reliability of electronic components used in medical applications.This project is the first organized under the consortiums new Medical TIG (Technology Integration Group). As is happening in so many industries, medical products are increasingly relying on electronics for their functionality.As would be expected, there are unique requirements relating to reliability and operating conditions for components used in these applications,said Jim McElroy, CEO of iNEMI.Several of our members told us they would like for iNEMI to address some of the issues related to medical electronic components for implantable applications.In response, we organized the Medical TIG and are developing new collaborative efforts in this area. This new focus has not only helped us respond to members who are active in this market segment, but has also attracted new members from the medical electronics field. iNEMIs Medical Components Reliability Specifications Project will develop test and extrapolation methodologies that can be used to predict reliability of components in actual use conditions. Leveraging industry knowledge and existing standards, the project team plans to create a minimum set of requirements for electronic components used in implanted or life critical devices. The project will also develop guidelines that provide information about when testing should be done, what kind of testing is required, and how to apply test results such that they are relevant to the use conditions developed. Adopting commonly accepted testing, extrapolation analysis, materials and processes will help manufacturers achieve proven quality, reliability and consistency while also helping suppliers focus on a single set of criteria (instead of having to meet different requirements for each customer). The team has defined four areas of concentration: (1) discretes (e.g. surface mount multi-layer chip capacitors, surface mount tantalum capacitors, surface mount resistors and surface mount inductors); (2) array packages (CSP, BGA); (3) substrates and interconnects; and (4) hybrids. There are very high expectations for reliability in medical devices, especially implantable devices, and a products reliability is significantly affected by the components used in that product, commented Anthony Primavera, Boston Scientific CRM and chair of the iNEMI Medical TIG and the Medical Components Reliability Specifications Project. Drivers such as high quality and reliability, shorter development cycles, a simplified supply chain, extended product lifecycles and increased complexity of medical electronics have resulted in a need for guidelines and specifications for assessing the reliability of electronic components used in medical devices. This project will develop specifications for testing medical electronics and will work with the appropriate standards-making body or bodies to implement those specifications. We see this project as a major advancement for the medical electronics field. For more information about the project, contact David Godlewski, iNEMI, at dgodlewski@inemi.org or go to http://www.inemi.org/cms/projects/medical/Medical_Components_Reliability_Specifications.html. For additional information about iNEMI, visit www.inemi.org.
