Publications Details
Environmental mandates and soldering technology: The path forward
Environmental legislation related to lead-free soldering technology that have been imposed in several nations are requiring manufacturers to consider several technical and business issues to effectively use the lead-free soldering technology. Several researches for reflow/furnace soldering have focused on tin-silver-copper compositions, commonly referred to as the SAC alloys. These alloys exhibit similar processing performance but presents both solderability and temperature sensitivity issues. The SAC396 alloy has been recommended as a standard replacement for tin/lead solders by the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative. Long-term reliability is also a primary concern associated with the adaptation of lead-free solder alloys for critical applications. The international soldering community is continuously working to meet the technical challenges of implementing a lead-free soldering technology into consumer and high-reliability electronics.