ABSTRACT
Lead-free solder materials are emerging to replace tin-lead solders in electronic assemblies as the industry adapts to legislation and environmental lobbying to ban lead in electronic products. Implementation of lead-free solders in electronic packaging involves knowledge of lead-free solder materials characterization and mechanical properties, solder joint reliability tests and failure analysis, finite element analysis simulation, and fatigue life prediction. To successfully achieve lead-free electronics assembly, each participant in the manufacturing process, from purchasing to engineering to maintenance to quality/inspection, must have a solid understanding of the changes required of them. This pertains to considerations regarding design, components, PWBs, solder alloys, fluxes, printing, reflow, wave soldering, rework, cleaning, equipment wear and tear, and inspection.
