We’ve heard the classic proverbs on doing something right the first time:
“Measure twice, cut once.”
“Haste makes waste.”
And my personal favorite from Parks & Rec’s Ron Swanson: “Never half-(do) two things, whole-(do) one thing.”
The picture above shows a textbook example of a through-hole joint that did not have enough solder volume compared to one that did have enough solder volume thanks to the addition of a Solder Fortification® preform (right). The solder joint that did not have enough solder would likely have to be touched up after reflow, expending precious time in the production process that possibly could have been prevented through the use of preforms (Holy alliteration Batman!). The solder joint with a solder preform complimenting the solder paste has a much better looking fillet in this scenario, and will likely be a stronger joint compared to its solder paste-only counterpart. The addition of the solder preform can reduce rework time, improve drop testing, and improve joint reliability.
So, the next time you have to perform rework on a solder-starved joint created using only solder paste and say to yourself, "There has to be a better way," remember that Solder Fortification preforms could be the solution you're looking for.
To learn more about Indium Corporation’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.