Lead Free Solder Reliability Issues and Test Methods

This article discusses the reliability challenges of switching over to lead-free solder and the test methods used to demonstrate reliability, written by Gary Delserro and published in Evaluation Engineering Magazine.  Click on the link to download the article in PDF, Lead Free Solder Reliability Issues & Test Methods.

Environmentally friendly is a term rapidly invading the electronics industry.

The electronic industry will be facing great challenges over the next few years as the solder used in electronic products is migrating toward lead-free.  This is being driven by mandates in Europe such as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and similar ones in Japan.  There also is a great deal of pressure in the US to do the same.

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Exposing Hard to Find Defects

This article discusses an abbreviated technique that uses the tools of HALT to expose hard-to-find defects in products returned by customers, written by Gary Delserro and published in Evaluation Engineering Magazine.  Click on the link to view the article in PDF, Exposing Hard to Find Defects.

How many times have your customers returned products or circuit boards with reported defects that you can’t find?  Every manufacturer experiences this situation at some time.  Your customer reports a problem in your product and sends it back to you.  You test the faulty product in your lab and the problem doesn’t occur. Sometimes you try to bend it or tap it against the table.  You may even try heating it in a chamber or with a heat gun or using a freeze spray.  Still the problem does not expose itself.

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