With the global emphasis on sustainable development, the importance of product reliability has increasingly gained importance. Reliable products not only improve consumer experience and brand confidence, but also reduce resource waste and environmental burden. To improve product reliability, Moxa set up the Reliability and Failure Analysis Laboratory, exploring the causes of failure using scientific engineering methods and formulating preventive measures to extend product life. The establishment of the laboratory not only shortens the waiting time for outsourced tests, reduces analysis costs, but also quickly responds and meets customer needs. At the same time, we monitor the core technologies of reliability, optimize design and manufacturing processes, further reduce the impact of product failure on the environment, and strengthen customer trust and cooperation relationships.
Establishment of the Reliability and Failure Analysis Laboratory
Moxa established the Reliability and Failure Analysis Laboratory in March 2022, and gradually recruited professionals in the fields of reliability and failure analysis (e.g., electrical signals, materials, and statistics). We have also purchased advanced analysis equipment and tools to establish non-destructive and destructive analysis technologies and capabilities (e.g., electronic signals, component structure, material microscopic structure, thermal analysis, and reliability testing). We analyze the causes and mechanisms of product failure using scientific engineering methods and provide the correct preventive recommendations and solutions to customers.
Evolution of the Reliability and Failure Analysis Laboratory
With the increasing capacity of reliability and failure analysis, Moxa has gradually established comprehensive component analysis technology since the laboratory was first launched. Moxa is now able to accurately diagnose the causes and mechanisms of product failure and provide specific improvement plans for different cases.
Major Case: Analysis and Research on the Failure of 5G Communication Electronics Products due to Application in Severe and Adverse Environment
5G communication electronics products are used in transportation systems. Communication was interrupted due to switching of parts. After a detailed scientific and professional failure analysis run in the laboratory, it was found that the products were used in heavy industrial environments and environments with highly corrosive gas (such as hot spring areas). The air contained high concentration of corrosive hazardous gases, such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. This resulted in silver electrodes or circuit materials in the parts of the products undergoing chemical reactions, such as resistance, induction, and eventually leading to a crack and an open circuit.
Based on the analysis results, Moxa provided a series of specific and effective preventive recommendations and improvement measures for customers. First, a protective layer was coated onto the surface of circuit boards and components to effectively isolate the external corrosion and hazardous gases, preventing chemical reactions from damaging the components. In addition, materials with higher corrosion-resistant properties were selected based on the environmental conditions of the application scenario to further improve the reliability of products. These measures not only effectively extended the service life of products in high-pollution environments, reduced the risk of failure, saved customers potential maintenance and replacement costs, and comprehensively enhanced product competitiveness. Through accumulating data and experience through failure analysis, Moxa also continues to improve product design and material selection capabilities, thereby laying the foundation for future product development.
In this case, Moxa provided customers with effective improvement measures and technical support through comprehensive and professional laboratory analysis and accurate failure diagnosis. It enhanced customer trust and built long-term cooperative relationships. When the product distributors visited the laboratory at the 2023 Global Distributor Summit (GDS), they expressed recognition and appreciation to the team for the analysis results and improvement measures of this case.
Extending the Influence of Reliability
To promote the importance and application of product reliability, the laboratory has actively carried out a number of measures, including launching the "Professional Instrument Training Course" in 2024 to improve the efficiency of technology and failure analysis. A total of 22 people completed the training course. In addition, Moxa organized 18 customer visits and 4 cross-unit tours in 2024, garnering over 100 employees from different departments and customers to participate, demonstrating Moxa’s core competencies and application results. Last but not least, Moxa publishes the “Reliability Scientific Periodical” on a quarterly basis to analyze failure cases and emphasize the importance of product reliability.
Future Prospects
The Reliability and Failure Analysis Laboratory will continue to grasp the core technologies of product reliability based on expertise and engineering. We will accumulate experience through experiments and analysis, and promote cross-field collaboration to optimize the design and manufacturing process of the next-generation of products. This improves product reliability while reducing the impact of product failure on the environment. Moxa is committed to striving for product reliability.