Lead Free Solder Testing
The Change to Lead Free Solder
The solder used in electronic products is migrating toward lead free, driving the need
for lead free solder testing protocols. Because of the mandates in Japan and Europe such
as WEEE and ROHS, many electronic component suppliers have or will be phasing out their
parts used for lead containing solder. In addition, some companies are already producing
electronic products with lead free solder and are using this as a strong competitive
marketing tool. In order to excel in this changing market and keep the competition at
bay, you need to have a lead free solder testing process in place.
Lead Free Solder Reliability Test Issues
Some of the issues facing lead free solder reliability are:
- The metallurgy of lead free solder is much different than the existing lead
containing (tin lead) solder.
- There is no long term field reliability data for lead free solder.
- Simple lead free vs. tin lead solder reliability test comparisons cannot be
made.
- At the present time, the material coefficients used in many life prediction
models have not been fully developed for lead free solder.
- Tin whiskers can grow over time with the use of tin-plated or pure tin
component finishes causing electrical shorts in lead free solder.
Lead Free Solder Testing at DES
Delserro Engineering Solutions (DES) has extensive knowledge in the area of lead
free solder reliability testing. DES already has a large amount of experience testing
lead free solder products at the circuit board level to the finished assembled product.
A typical test program will include HALT or Rapid HALT, vibration testing,
temperature cycling, and humidity testing. Typical guidelines used for testing are
from IPC and JEDEC. DES will develop a comprehensive reliability test plan customized
for your individual product and its intended usage. After the lead free solder testing,
the solder joints can be examined for tin whiskers. Once your product has successfully
completed its comprehensive reliability program, DES can ensure its reliability during
production by performing HASS.
How Lead Free Solder Testing Can Save Money
By precipitating failures using our lead free solder reliability test chambers, we can
uncover design or manufacturing process flaws, which could end up costing you hundreds of
thousands or millions once your product is in production. This translates into a higher
quality, lower warranty costs, and increased consumer confidence. We believe the best
way to make your product more profitable is by making it more reliable and the best way
to ensure this is to perform comprehensive lead free solder testing. |
