# PCB Failure Analysis

Date: 2012-11-27

Categories: [Component Failure Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/component-failure-analysis/index.md), [Failure Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/failure-analysis/index.md), [Fires](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/fires/index.md), [Printed Circuit Board Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/pcb-failure-analysis/index.md)




Gideon Analytical Laboratories received the main PCB that had a fire in one section of the board. The objective was to find the cause in an already established product line.

This PCB had some copper deposition problems at level two copper. The deposition was seen under the diode mounted to the PCB. The deposited copper also was responsible for an internal short within the PCB. The internal short caused the electrolytic capacitor to heat up and vent toward the PCB surface onto a hot trace line. This, in turn, caused the PCB to ignite as the electrolyte caught on fire.

Many other cross-sections were completed to track down the origin of the cause. Gideon Analytical Laboratories can investigate your components, PCBs, or designs to resolve the problems the affect production and yield loss. Call us with your needs.

![Burn Spot on PCB](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/pcb21.jpg 'Burn Spot on PCB')
![PCB Cross-Section](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/pcb41.jpg 'PCB Cross-Section')
![PCB Delamination](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/pcb51.jpg 'PCB Delamination ')
![Delamination near the top and bottom](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/pcb61.jpg 'Delamination near the top and bottom')