Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE)
Department
Computer Science
Committee Chair
Tathagata Mukherjee
Committee Member
Letha Etzkorn
Committee Member
Chaity Banerjee
Research Advisor
Tathagata Mukherjee
Subject(s)
Metal crystals, Crystal whiskers, Printed circuits--Computer simulation, Electronic apparatus and appliances--Design and construction
Abstract
Tin whiskers are metal strands that spontaneously form on tin surfaces and can grow up to a centimeter long. These whiskers can cause electrical shorts by breaking off and landing on circuit boards, yet there is limited simulation and analysis data regarding their shorting probability. This thesis presents a software tool developed using Unity, Blender, and FreeCAD to simulate the behavior of tin whiskers on PCBs. The tool accurately represents PCBs and whiskers, applying various forces to predict whisker landing positions and the impacted metal faces. By importing STEP files of PCBs, the software automatically sets up the simulation in Unity, visualizes whisker impacts, and identifies affected metal faces. This project advances towards a reliable 3D whisker simulation, offering significant potential benefits for NASA, the MDA, and other industries. Enhanced understanding of whisker behavior through this tool can lead to more reliable electronic components and improved product safety.
Recommended Citation
Black, Joseph Eric, "Development of a simulation tool for assessing electrical short risks from metallic whiskers on printed circuit boards using Unity" (2024). Theses. 706.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/706