Tim’s Takeaways: Take It From Scotty, Simple Really is Better
Dana on Data: Simplify PCB Documentation
Beyond Design: Just a Matter of TimeDFM 101: Final Finishes—Electrolytic Nickel/Gold
January 30, 2023 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Introduction
One of the biggest challenges facing PCB designers is not understanding the cost drivers in the PCB manufacturing process. This article is the latest in a series that will discuss these cost drivers (from the PCB manufacturer’s perspective) and the design decisions that will impact product reliability.
Final Finishes
Final finishes provide a surface for the component assembler to solder, wire bond, or conductively attach a component pad or lead to a pad, hole, or area of a PCB. The other use for a final finish is to provide a known contact resistance and life cycle for connectors, keys, or switches. The primary purpose of a final finish is to create electrical and thermal continuity with a surface of the PCB.
There are several final finishes in use in the industry today. These include:
- ENIG (electroless nickel, immersion gold)
- ENIPIG (electroless nickel, immersion palladium, immersion gold)
- ENEPIG (electroless nickel, electroless palladium, immersion gold)
- ImmAg (immersion silver)
- ImmSn (immersion tin)
- Sulfamate nickel/hard or soft gold (electrolytic nickel/gold)
- HASL (hot air solder leveling)
- SnPb (63/37 tin/lead)
- LF (lead-free)
- OSP (organic solderability preservative)
Final finishes are primarily application driven, so there are several considerations that should be part of any decision to choose a final finish:
- Lead-tolerant or lead-free (LF) process
- Shelf life
- Flatness
- Lead or ball pitch
- Wire bondability
- Lead insertion
- Solder joint integrity
- Corrosion resistance
- Potential problems
- Cost
To read this entire article, which appeared in the December 2022 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
AIM Debuts New NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste
11/30/2023 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its new NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste, which it revealed recently during the Productronica Germany trade show.
Real Time with... productronica 2023: Koh Young Discusses Semiconductor and Advanced Packaging Inspection
11/27/2023 | Real Time with...productronicaKoh Young’s Harald Eppinger talks about the company’s technology for the semiconductor and advanced packaging market and how they address the challenges introduced by reflective components and micro solder deposits.
HyRel Technologies Attains ITAR Registration, Reinforcing Leadership in Robotic Solder Component Tinning
11/27/2023 | HyRelHyRel Technologies, a global provider of quick turn semiconductor modification solutions, announces the achievement of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration.
Mek Launches the SpectorBOX X1: A Revolution in 3D THT Inspection
11/24/2023 | Mek (Marantz Electronics)Mek (Marantz Electronics), a leader in Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) solutions, used last weeks’ Productronica show in Munich to proudly introduce the SpectorBOX X series, a modular full 3D AOI system for THT solder joints and THT components.
The Finer Points: World Champions of the IPC Hand-Soldering Finals
11/21/2023 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Productronica 2023 played host to the IPC World Hand Soldering Competition, bringing talented regional solder champions from all over the globe to compete for the title of World Champion. Each competitor was given sixty minutes to assemble a complex printed circuit board with their performance judged in accordance with IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria. Each competitor’s efforts were rated on the merits of the results achieved, scored on the quality of the assembly process, the electrical functionality of the assembly and the speed at which the assembly was produced.