Global PCB Connections: Following DFM Rules Leads to Better Boards
Elementary Mr. Watson: How to Reinvent Your Professional Journey
Fresh PCB Concepts: PCB Plating Process Overview
Book Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... Low-Temperature Soldering, Vol. 2, Chapter 5
December 23, 2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
By Morgana Ribas, Pritha Choudhury, Ramakrishna H V, and Rahul Raut, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Chapter 5: Unveiling a Total Solution for Soldering Through-hole Components Using a Low-temperature Alloy
Electronic assembly developers have a myriad of material and process choices to make, and low- temperature soldering is a process increasingly being considered for various assembly needs. LTS is attractive for a range of advantages:
- Potentially reduces material cost by enabling the use of lower cost PCBs and components due to lower processing temperature
- Promotes long-term reliability by reducing exposure to thermal excursion
- Long-term reliability is promoted by improvement in micro-via lifetime performance
- Lower energy cost
- Lower dynamic warpage in sensitive components
- Improved memory cell retention in high-density memory products such as LPDDR5
Use of the same low-temperature alloy for solder paste and solid solder provides a total solution for assembling a wider variety of electronic packages, including through-hole components.
The key benefits of using a low-temperature alloy for through-hole components are:
- Enables the use of low temperature in selective soldering
- Enables soldering processes with heat-sensitive substrates, components, or board materials
- Provides efficiencies in both energy and cost versus standard lead-free alloys
- Reduction of warpage up to 99% (component and board/substrate) vs. SAC305 processes
- Comparable mechanical performance with SAC305 under certain conditions
- Cost effective
Solder joints are an essential part of electronic devices that provide an electrical connection as well as a mechanical and thermal bond. Increased digitalization and greater connectivity are driving factors for miniaturization and more complex and integrated designs in electronics. With shrinking real estate on the PCBs, package sizes continue to shrink and the demand for reliability only increases. The requirement for solders with higher thermal and electrical reliability is the most important technology driver for designing new soldering materials. The ability of soldering at lower temperatures needs to be balanced with the thermal and mechanical reliability requirements for a specific application. The higher reflow temperature required for soldering a hybrid solder joint involving SAC BGA can potentially result in soldering defects such as non-wet opens, solder bridging, head on pillow, and non-contact opens in packages such as Package on Package (PoP) bottom and PoP memory. Low-temperature soldering is becoming a crucial technology, as it helps prevent defects caused by warpage in ultra-thin, high I/O CSP packages used in complex electronic devices.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Overview of Soldering Systems With Vacuum
12/18/2024 | Dr. Paul Wild, Rehm Thermal Systems GmbHWhen soldering electronic assemblies, the focus of the vacuum application is on the removal of volatile substances from the solder joints and the associated reduction of pore formation. Particularly in the thermal management of power electronics components, pores can cause so-called hotspots with higher temperatures due to their poor heat conduction. These hotspots can lead to overheating of the components on the one hand and to thermally induced destruction of the solder structure on the other.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
12/13/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007This week, Peter Tranitz discusses the upcoming Pan-European Electronics Design Conference, set for Jan. 29-30 in Vienna, Austria. Pete Starkey brings us a review of the most recent EIPC Technical Snapshot webinar, which featured a global PCB maker update by Dr. Hayao Nakahara. Don't miss our interview with Manfred Huschka, who explains how companies can begin their own China Plus One plan. Stan Farnsworth breaks down photonic soldering and discusses its use in soldering materials that are not typically compatible. I also enjoyed Dan Beaulieu’s discussion on the value of consistency, and why just showing up for work is half the battle, especially in an inconsistent, evolving industry like ours.
Advancing Photonic Soldering
12/11/2024 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineStan Farnsworth, director of customer satisfaction at PulseForge, discusses the advancements in photonic soldering that highlight its energy efficiency and versatility. Over the past two years, the company has refined its applications for flexible substrates and energy reduction, finding that photonic soldering allows the processing of materials that typically aren’t thermally compatible and offers significant energy savings compared to traditional methods.
Indium Introduces New ROL0 and Halogen-free Flux-cored Wire
12/11/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation announced the global availability of CW-807RS, a new high-reliability, halide- and halogen-free flux-cored wire that improves wetting speeds and cycle times for electronics assembly and robot soldering applications.
SolderKing Celebrates a Year of Expansion, Innovation, and Sustainability Achievements
12/09/2024 | SolderKing Assembly Materials Ltd,SolderKing Assembly Materials Ltd, a leading UK-based manufacturer of soldering materials and consumables, has wrapped up 2024 with a series of milestones that reflect its ongoing growth and commitment to innovation.