Case study

Specifying durability and repair

for laptop computers

June 2011 A case study of a Hewlett-Packard notebook to

illustrate and encourage the durability and repair of

laptop computers.

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 2

Introduction

This case study complements the buying specifications for laptops

that have been developed by WRAP to assist buyers and

manufacturers procure and produce products that last longer, can

be more easily repaired and that lead to lower environmental

impacts.

The HP (Hewlett-Packard) 6530b notebook was used to

demonstrate the practical application of many of these good

practice specifications. The study assesses the key features that

contribute to extending the product‟s lifetime through durability

and repair by highlighting the most beneficial measures, some of

which can be relatively simple to achieve. The buying

specifications (see separate publications) include further detail for

companies wanting to take a more ambitious approach and deliver

greater environmental benefits.

The specifications were developed by assessing a range of laptop

and notebook computers through discussions with manufacturers,

designers and repairers, and also through carrying out „teardown‟

on a range of products to identify design features that facilitate

repair.

Product information

The HP 6530b is a corporate notebook with a widescreen 14”

diagonal display and a dual core processor. It weighs 2.41kg

including the DVD/CD drive. There is an option to install a

webcam and the laptop represents the „high-cost‟ machine and

retails at around £650.

The model comes with a 1 year manufacturer‟s guarantee,

although newer HP corporate models such as the Elitebook series

come with a 3 year parts and labour guarantee. This longer-term

repair warranty typically exceeds that of most models of a similar

specification and helps to ensure that repair takes place in the

event of failure rather than disposal.

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 3

Laptop lifetime issues

Due to the mobility of laptops they are more prone to general

damage and hardware failure than desktop models. It is reported

by Square Trade1 that on average 7% of laptops fail due to

hardware malfunction or accidental damage within the first year of

use, however this rises sharply to nearly 20% by year two, and by

the third year one third have failed.

The most common faults and associated issues reported by

independent repairers in the US, relevant studies and by Gartner

IT2 3 and Square Trade4 are:

LCD (liquid crystal display) screens - difficult to remove from

case lids and can break;

lid hinge and bracket damage - due to fatigue by constant use;

hard drive and motherboard (main printed circuit board) faults

DC (direct current) damage to sockets - often plastic

connectors where the power lead is exposed;

overheating of electronic components such as hard-drives and

printed circuit board components;

keyboard damage - particularly individual keys that are not

available to purchase;

cost of key spare parts - such as screens and printed circuit

boards that make repair uneconomical; and

overheating due to insufficient ventilation - often fewer fans

are used due to space restrictions and ventilation slots become

blocked.

Ensuring the reliability of electronic devices is becoming

increasingly challenging, attributable to the rate of technological

advancement and added functionality which can lead to:

increased complexity of electronic circuits;

increased power requirements (e.g. for video); and

new components and material technologies.

Durability

1 http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109 2 http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=493252 3 http://www.gartner.com/press_releases/asset_154164_11.html 4 http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 4

A typical laptop is intended for mobility and is therefore regularly

subject to potential damage by impact, compression loads,

vibration (for example when used on trains) and liquid spillages.

HP‟s product user manual specifies the operating limits for

voltage, temperature, relative humidity, shock and vibration for

safe operation of the laptop, helping the user to reduce potential

damage. The laptop has been designed to withstand these

stresses as far as possible to extend lifetime and reduce the need

for repair.

Mechanical robustness

Vulnerable parts

Design and location of key components is a key consideration to

prevent damage, and hinges of the HP 6530b are positioned away

from its exposed edges and are protected by a cover. The power

socket is recessed on the side of the casing for protection and the

on-off button is away from the edge and close to the keyboard.

Exterior casing

The casing is made from PCABS (a poly-carbonate acrylonitrile

butadiene styrene blend). This is considered to be a robust and

suitable material ideal for this type of application. The polymer is

clearly labelled as shown in figure 1, which assists the recycling

process during disassembly.

The mouldings

are designed to

withstand

breakage and

provide protection

if dropped, and

fixings are located

in areas that are

less prone to

damage such as

away from corners and edges. The wall thickness of the casing is

sufficient to provide good rigidity which reduces flexing during use

Figure 1 Material (PCABS) plastic labelling on casing

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 5

and offers protection to internal parts. The covers used for

accessing components are also sufficient to resist flexing and the

laptop shows limited deflection of the top moulding when pressure

is applied around the mouse pad area.

Component housings

All removable parts such as the RAM (random access memory),

hard drive (storage memory) and WLAN (wireless local area

network) module are secured to the casing and have a cover that

is screwed in place. This eliminates the potential for parts to

spring out of their mounts and be exposed to damage.

The touch pad, which undergoes heavy use during the lifetime of

the laptop, is secured with a metal bracket screwed to the chassis

by six bosses.

The main screws securing the two halves of the chassis together

have an adhesive applied to the threads which forms an instant

seal and prevents loosening by vibrations, stress and shock, whilst

also allowing easy disassembly.

Figure 2 Touch pad fixing – from manual

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 6

Electrical robustness

Connectors and leads

The keyboard and LED (light emitting diode) boards are connected

to the main circuit board by a ZIF (zero insertion force) connector

which prevents damage caused by applying force upon insertion

and extraction.

All of the connectors

are securely fixed with

the leads routed

around the inside of

the case and clipped or

taped where

necessary. The length

of the wiring between

components is kept to

a minimum to prevent

movement of the

cables, as over time

this may lead to failure of the connectors or soldered joints.

As an example of good practice, the wire clips identified with a “5”

below are used to hold the wire for the wireless antenna cables.

Cooling

The HP model ensures adequate cooling through the use of an

internal fan which draws air in through four underside inlets, and

exhausts warm air through a dedicated slot in the left side

(illustrated as “2” below). Having several air inlets helps to

prevent obstruction when the machine is used on a lap or a

cushion for example.

Figure 3 Wire clip positions – from manual

Figure 4 Side cooling vent – from manual

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 7

The fan is controlled by a temperature sensor designed to

automatically operate to protect it from high temperatures. In

order to ensure the air flow is not interrupted, HP recommend

there is a minimum 3” clearance on the left side of the computer

when in use, and that it is placed on a flat surface so the

underside vents are not obstructed.

Repair

Fault diagnosis and technical support

Basic information for the diagnosis of faults is provided by HP in

the user guide and also on a diagnostic page on their website5

which includes information on:

Microsoft Windows error messages;

error conditions such as unexpected shutdowns; and

faults with the display, drives, keyboard and sound.

In addition there is a software diagnostics menu available at start-

up which provides test information on:

start-up: verifies the system components needed for starting

the computer;

run-in: a comprehensive check on system memory; and

hard disk: runs a comprehensive test on all hard drives in the

system.

This allows the user to verify that all the key operating

components are working correctly and identify any faults. Hewlett-

Packard also provides a technical support web centre for this

product6. The self-diagnostic software combined with the

customer support assists users in identifying the cause of an error

and enables them to either take action to remedy the fault or use

the information to inform a repairer.

5http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SupportTaskIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=uk&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3687446&taskId=110

6http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3687446&lang=en&cc=us

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 8

A comprehensive manufacturer‟s maintenance and service guide

(or manual) can be downloaded7 from HP‟s website to assist

professional repairers and this includes:

exploded views of all the key parts (figure 5);

photographs detailing buttons, sockets and access covers;

illustrated parts catalogues;

sequential parts number listings of available parts;

step-by-step guide to replacing parts;

listing of screw types and locations;

connector pin alignments; and

power cable requirements.

Figure 5 Exploded view of major parts - from manual

7http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01938625/c01938625.pdf

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 9

Parts availability

HP‟s online spare parts store8 list prices of available parts.

Availability, together with the price of parts can be a significant

barrier to repair, particularly in the independent repair sector

which deals with repairs undertaken when the guarantee period

has expired. HP facilitate repair by making all parts available for

five years after the model production has ceased.

Access for repair and replacement

The most commonly replaced parts are easily accessible from the

underside of the laptop. Each of the key components can be

accessed by individual panels (figure 6), clearly marked and

referenced in the online user guide9 and the manual.10

Figure 6 Parts access locations - from manual

The panels that allow access to each component are clearly

labelled with a symbol representing the component (below). The

manual also highlights the screws – here a reference key for the

symbols can also assist the process.

8http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/Default.aspx?mscssid=42DB6E808D6A4E479439E91CF0A70866

9http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=&contentType=SupportManual&prodSeriesId=3687446&prodTypeId=321957#5

10http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01938625/c01938625.pdf

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 10

Figure 7 Screws and associated parts markings (indicated by arrows)

These features make replacement of parts easier and quicker and

while a number of laptop manufactures use similar methods to

access panels, this product demonstrates best practice by also

labelling the covers.

The hard drive, RAM, WLAN and Bluetooth modules, and DVD/CD

drive are all simply secured with screws allowing the repairer to

replace or upgrade the components without the need for specialist

tools. A web page11 on HP‟s site provides a step-by-step guide to

replacing these key components.

Any tools required for disassembly of more complex assemblies

are listed along with recommendations on the handling of

components, cables and connectors to prevent damage including

that from electrostatic discharge. All the parts are described as

safe to replace by a general user, provided the manual guidance

on safe handling of components, cables and connectors is

followed.

To demonstrate the level of ease with which each key part can be

accessed and replaced, as part of the assessment several parts

were replaced following the instructions in the manufacturer‟s user

guide and the process is described below.

11http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/site/search/r4_0/jsp/search.jsp?lang=en&cc=uk&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3782222&tx=6530b

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 11

Hard drive

Two screws secure the hard drive cover to the chassis and a

further screw enables it to be removed from the casing. Four

screws then enable the hard drive to be removed from its

mounting bracket. These stages were found to be simple and

relatively quick, taking less than 5 minutes.

Figure 8 Removal of hard drive – from manual

Bluetooth module

The Bluetooth cover is held in place by a single screw. Beneath

this there is a clip-on lead and the module can then be removed

from the casing. This takes only a minute or two to complete.

DVD/CD drive

Access here is a little more complicated as it requires a Torx

screwdriver. It would be preferable to use the same screws and

screw-head size for all

the covers to avoid tool

changes and decrease

replacement time. Two

further screws then

release the drive from

the retaining bracket

and this takes about 2

minutes to complete.

Figure 9 Removal of Bluetooth cover and module

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 12

RAM and WLAN modules

The RAM memory slot and WLAN are easily accessed by the same

cover and one standard screw. The RAM is then simply unplugged

and a replacement inserted. The RAM takes approximately a

minute to replace and the WLAN about 2 minutes.

The WLAN is accessed by two screws and the antenna lead is

removed, and this was found to be a simple operation.

LCD screen

The LCD screen is one of the more complex assemblies to replace,

although the process is simplified by following the step-by-step

guidance in the manual.

In the HP 6530b, the keyboard and switch cover are removed to

access the screen. The screen is then detached from various leads

and its hinges, the screen front bezel, the screen brackets, the

antenna leads and the inverter (screen controller) cable. This

sequence is clearly explained in the manual using text and

photographs and this operation takes around 20 minutes.

Figure 10 Removal of cover for RAM and WLAN Figure 11 Removal of WLAN - from manual

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 13

Figure 12 Some of the LCD screen removal stages

While this process is relatively complex it was found to be easier

in the HP model than some of the other manufacturer‟s models

assessed, where the whole keyboard base moulding needed to

be removed to allow access and this should be avoided.

Replacing the LCD screen would be one of the more expensive

tasks carried out by a repairer. A new LCD screen from

independent stockists was found to cost between £75 - 100

(based upon compatible screens from a range of online

vendors.)12

12 http://www.screens4laptops.com/hp_laptop.php, http://www.computerbasement.co.uk/?gclid=COK5uua2oKcCFRAa4QodLU0qYw, http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/

Specifying durability and repair for laptop computers 14

Conclusion

The HP 6530b laptop illustrates some of the key specifications that

contribute to durability and repair. This model is designed to be robust and

durable, and also enables many of the major components and assemblies

to be easily removed for replacement or upgrade which is critical to

extending the product‟s life. Parts that would usually need replacement by a

qualified repairer such as the LCD screen, can be replaced by the user

following the clear step-by-step guidance in the manual.

Laptop durability and repair in most cases can be addressed by identifying

and implementing relatively straightforward and „easy to achieve‟

specifications. Measures such as ensuring good availability of spare parts

that are easy to access and replace on the machine can provide significant

benefit and encourage repair and longer product life.

Some „easy to replicate‟ specifications for repair include:

access panels that are clearly labelled and easy to open;

minimising the number of standard screws for access panels and

internal components; and

ensuring the availability of key critical spare parts at reasonable prices.

Enabling user and repairer online access to:

the user guide;

diagnostic information of faults;

detailed parts listings and support; and

step-by-step repair manuals with exploded views and photographs.

Specifying laptops that are robustly constructed, are more durable and last

longer by:

using robust casing and chassis;

protected external parts from damage; and

securely fixing internal components.

Specifying laptops that have good electrical design to reduce the likelihood

of parts failure by:

careful wiring runs and clips;

using zero insertion force connectors;

ensuring adequate component cooling by heat sinks and

thermostatically controlled fans; and

providing adequate air inlets and outlets in considered locations that

prevent obstruction.

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