First published in 2007 for semiconductors and expanded in 2008 for MEMS elements, the previous version of the manual dealt exclusively with the robustness validation (RV) method. "Many companies have worked with it over the past 16 years," says Dr. Sven Baumann, microelectronics and sensor and actuator expert at the ZVEI Electronic Components and Systems Association. "It became clear that there are often hurdles to implementing the RV in practice when qualifying an electronic device." It was also shown that larger companies in particular use the method, whereas most small and medium-sized companies lack sufficient resources for it.

An electronic device or component is considered robust if it functions correctly or does not fail under different application and production conditions. "However, the previous manual lacked clear handling and test specifications similar to the AEC-Q standards, for example. These are used to qualify electronic components in the automotive supply industry," says Baumann. "This is where the new manual comes in by defining three so-called ARRA levels, which make it easier to carry out the RV and assess the reliability of a specific MEMS component."

Clear sub-steps and checklists support the path to good quality and robustness and simplify the exchange along the supply chain, explains Baumann: "The added value of ARRA lies in the fact that it combines the advantages of the existing qualification methods - the RV approach and AEC-Q standards." ARRA helps to overcome the growing challenges of automotive and industrial quality requirements. ARRA could also be useful for manufacturers of non-automotive applications such as MEMS acceleration sensors for cell phones.

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