This is the time of year when people begin to look back on their New Year’s resolutions and realize that their good intentions were just that. While some people will just give up – smart people will realize that we don’t need to wait for January to make resolutions. We can resolve to make positive changes in our life any time.
So, let’s resolve now to get stronger and healthier. We can start by eating healthier (not necessarily less), exercise more to increase cardiovascular and muscular strength, and while we’re at it, let’s work on strengthening our solder joints.
Weak solder joints are usually the result of inadequate solder volumes during bonding (aka solder starvation), just as weak muscles are caused by inadequate volumes of protein during training (aka muscle starvation). Without the proper amount of solder ‘protein’, the joint will remain weak and unreliable. The other consequences of solder starvation include:
- open solder joints
- intermittent short circuits
- reduced first-pass yields
- increased inspection
- increased rework
- increased field failures
- increased labor costs
- increased total costs
- damage to your company's brand & image
- reduced sales and profits
If these consequences are to be avoided, you need to produce strong, reliable solder joints - the first time.
So your resolution has been set: manufacture healthier and stronger solder joints. Now, the question becomes: How can this be accomplished efficiently and economically? The answer - Solder Fortification® preforms. These small yet significant preforms are the protein powder that supplies solder joints with the added volume needed to produce a strong joint. Solder Fortification preforms solve this problem efficiently and economically because they can be added precisely, repeatedly, efficiently, and at a low cost using existing pick & place technology - and they can easily be included in most existing processes.
Features and advantages of using Solder Fortification preforms include:
- Features
- Increased solder volume
- Improved drop test results
- Fewer issues with flux residue
- Reduced rework and hand-soldering
- Improved fillet shape and volume
- Advantages
- Increased solder volume compared to what could be achieved with just solder paste
- Fewer issues with flux residue
- Elimination of costly or time-consuming processes, such as wave soldering or selective soldering
- Stronger solder joints which help improve drop test results
- Reduced rework and other manual processes to add solder volume
- Improved shape and volume of fillet to ensure joints meet IPC specifications
According to statisticbrain.com, people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to reach their goals as compared to those that do not make resolutions. Therefore, you are already on the right track to resolving your solder joint strength problem just by choosing to do so! If you find that your solder joints are weak because of inadequate solder volume, give your solder joints a healthy dose of the metal protein powder known as Solder Fortification preforms, then marvel at the improved shape, volume, and performance of your solder joints.
To learn more about voiding and Indium’s Solder Fortification preforms, please visit our website and YouTube channel.
To purchase samples of our Solder Fortification preforms, please visit buy.solder.com.
You can also contact me directly at rmckerrow@indium.com.