Safety in Defence and military applications

The sector has specific issues they face due to RoHS exemption, harsh environment, vibration, obsolescence.. and more.

Many defence and military systems rely on electronic parts that are no longer produced by the original manufacturer or sold by their authorized distributors. That reliance is based, in part, on the long life cycles of these systems.

An electronic part may be manufactured for two years, but many defence systems which use these parts may be in service for more than two decades. Older components often need electronic component testing and retinning to avoid solderability issues and risks of tin whiskers. These high-reliability industries are critically dependant on a technology that obsoletes itself every few years (or faster), is made in geo-politically sensitive locations and over which it has no market share influence.

To source scarce parts, purchasers in the defence industries are often forced to buy from unverified brokers. However, in doing so, they run the risk of acquiring faulty or counterfeit components. Retronix’s testing laboratory detects counterfeit and faulty parts and prevents them from being acquired. When we reclaim the components from authentic PCB’s – safe, reliable and tested devices can be re-used instead of taking the risk associated with un-verified brokers.

In defence and aerospace industries where the stakes are exceptionally high, the quality and procurement teams play a critical role in ensuring the reliability, longevity, and compliance of electronic components. Among the myriad of challenges these sectors face, the need for components to endure extreme environments, combat technological obsolescence, and adhere to stringent regulatory standards is paramount.

This is where Retronix’s component preparation services emerge as a crucial partner for Tier 1 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and their Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) partners, providing a suite of services tailored to enhance the quality and reliability of electronic components.

Bridging the Gap with Retronix's Component Preparation Services

Retronix offers a comprehensive array of services designed to meet and exceed the rigorous demands of defence and aerospace industries:

Robotic Hot Solder Dip & Automated Alloy Conversion/Re-Tin: These processes are essential for mitigating issues like tin whiskers and gold embrittlement, which could compromise the integrity and reliability of components in harsh conditions. The automation of these processes ensures consistent quality — a feature that’s invaluable in high-reliability applications.

Advanced IC Testing & Counterfeit Detection: In an industry plagued by counterfeit parts, Retronix’s cutting-edge testing facilities provide a beacon of trust and security. From visual inspections to XRF analysis and beyond, Retronix equips quality and procurement professionals with the confidence that they’re sourcing authentic, functional components.

Component Reclamation & Semiconductor Shortage Solutions: The defense and aerospace sectors often rely on parts no longer in production. Retronix’s component recovery service offers a sustainable and reliable sourcing solution, reclaiming components from obsolete PCBs, thus alleviating the risks associated with sourcing from non-franchised distributors.

Risk Reduction: By partnering with Retronix, Tier 1 OEMs and their EMS partners significantly mitigate the risks of integrating non-compliant or counterfeit components into critical systems. This is crucial for maintaining operational integrity and adhering to sector-specific regulations.

Ensuring Compliance and Reliability: Retronix’s adherence to high-reliability industry standards, such as the ANSI/GEIA Standards, and their capability to provide lead-free to tin/lead conversion services ensure that components meet the strict compliance and reliability requirements of the defence and aerospace sectors.

Cost-Efficiency and Sustainability: The practice of reclamation not only addresses the challenge of obsolescence but also contributes to a more sustainable industry model. By recovering and repurposing components, Tier 1 OEMs and EMS partners can achieve cost savings while supporting green initiatives.

Alloy Conversion

The High-Reliability sector is exempt from RoHS compliance due to issues associated with lead-free solder. Reintroducing lead into the alloy finish on an IC is seen as the best way to avoid issues such as tin whiskers.

Retronix offers a fully automated solder dip process, that complies with the High-reliability industry standard ANSI/GEIA Standards.
Our process offers repeated dip length, dwell time and temperatures on the smallest of chip components up to the largest QFPs’ and thru-hole components.

We can then confirm alloy using our in-house XRF system. We offer lead-free to tin/lead conversion, and vice versa.

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Obsolescence Services

Many High-Reliability systems rely on electronic parts that are no longer produced by the original manufacturer or sold by their authorized distributors.

That reliance is based, in part, on the long life cycles of these systems. So if a component is not available from normal sources, what options are there? Many high-reliability components are used on multiple systems, so, can sometimes be found on unused, but obsolete PCBs within the system manufacturer themselves.

These components are known and have had zero hours of use, so often recovering them is a better option than buying supposedly “brand new” components from the grey market. Retronix utilises a unique process of component recovery which avoids reflow cycles.

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