Safety in Defence and military applications

This sector has specific issues that they face due to RoHS exemption, harsh environment, vibration and obsolescence. Find out how Retronix can assist you.

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 like tin whiskers.

These high-reliability industries are critically dependant on a technology that obsoletes itself every few years (or faster), is made in un-secure locations and over which it has no market share influence.

To source scarce parts, purchasers in the defence industries often buy from independent distributors or 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 sourced instead of taking the risk associated with non-franchised brokers.

applications include:

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.

Reflow-Reballing
Component Reclaim Image

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.

Why retronix?

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