Overview
IEC 60749-37:2022 - "Semiconductor devices - Mechanical and climatic test methods - Part 37: Board level drop test method using an accelerometer" - specifies a standardized board-level drop test to evaluate and compare the drop performance of surface-mount electronic components used in handheld electronic products. This second edition (2022) updates the 2008 edition, corrects a prior technical error in test conditions and reflects technology improvements. The method uses an accelerometer to measure shock magnitude and duration applied to a standardized test board so that component failure modes observed at product level (caused by PCB flexure) are reproducibly produced in an accelerated laboratory test.
Key topics and requirements
- Test objective: Provide a reproducible, comparable assessment of component drop performance where excessive PCB flexure leads to product failure.
- Test scope: Applies to perimeter-leaded and area-array surface-mounted packages; not intended as a full component qualification or to replace system-level product drop tests.
- Measurement method: Uses an accelerometer to record shock magnitude and duration (proportional to local stress on mounted components). IEC 60749-40 (strain-gauge method) is an alternative referenced method.
- Test elements covered:
- Test apparatus and mounting scheme
- Standardized test board construction, material and layout (Annex A)
- Test board assembly, sample sizes and component placement
- Pre-test characterization, drop testing procedure, and data acquisition
- Failure criteria and failure analysis to identify board, interconnect or component cracks
- Reporting and comparability: Emphasizes standardized reporting and notes that cross-lab comparability requires matching studies before direct component performance comparisons.
Applications and who uses it
IEC 60749-37:2022 is relevant to:
- Reliability engineers and test labs performing board-level shock/drop assessments
- Component manufacturers evaluating robustness of surface-mount packages for handheld devices
- OEMs and product designers of portable electronics (e.g., phones, cameras, PDAs) wanting to screen components for drop-induced failures
- Test equipment vendors and PCB fabricators implementing standardized test vehicles and data acquisition
Practical uses include establishing baseline performance, comparing candidate packages, investigating failure modes related to board flexure, and augmenting system-level drop testing programs.
Related standards
- IEC 60749-10 - Mechanical shock (device and subassembly)
- IEC 60749-40 - Board level drop test method using strain gauge (alternative measurement)
- IEC 60749-20 / 20-1 - Moisture and soldering heat resistance for SMDs
- JEDEC JESD22-B111A - Basis document (permission used for this edition)
Keywords: IEC 60749-37:2022, board level drop test, accelerometer, surface-mount components, PCB flexure, handheld electronic products, drop performance, test board.