Reliability:

The systems using ICs fail less frequently per component-hour of use than systems which make use of discrete components. This is so mainly since all interconnections are sealed in an IC situation, preventing corrosion or the intrusion of dust. The decreased failure rate translates into less down-time.

The IC technology lowers service costs since repair generates are simple whenever failures take place. Most of the systems use sockets for ICs, and substitution is simply a matter of finding the faulty IC, unplugging it, and plugging it in a new one. Unique de-soldering equipment is used for servicing circuit boards which have ICs soldered directly to the foil.