Abstract
In the automotive industry the long-term robustness of electronic assemblies under harsh ambient conditions is proven by various international, national and company-specific standards as part of the approvals. The applied tests simulate condensing ambient conditions in a time-lapsed manner and are usually carried out in climate chambers. Occasional differences of opinion between suppliers and OEMs on the correct interpretation of these time-lapsed environmental simulations as well as misunderstood influences on the test results motivated the Volkswagen Laboratory for Materials Technology to investigate these questions in principle.