A Recommendation for Ceramic Over Plastic IC Packages for 1972 Real-Time Commercial Computer Systems

Reliability requirements for commercial, real-time computer systems are comparable today to many of the present-day military electronic systems. To satisfy today's customer, it no longer is sufficient to build commercial computers to so-called "good-commercial-practices". Especially in real-time computer systems, the reliability design, testing programs and parts requirements need to be as stringent as present military programs. Because of the increase in commercial reliability requirements, ceramic versus plastic packages for integrated circuits (I.C.s) will be discussed. The writer feels that the ceramic package is three times superior to the present plastic package. The ceramic package should be used wherever the reliability requirements necessitate its use and life cycle costs make it economical to the business.