Lead-Free Wave Solder

Processing
CPS Study Phase I

Initial Lessons Learned from Cookson

Performance Solutions L-F Wave Solder Study
 Wetting Balance Testing
To Determine Lead-Free Solder Pot Temperature
• Laboratory test designed to determine the best
temperature to wave solder an alloy with.
– Data not relevant to SMT processing
• Test Conditions
– Preheat after flux immersion: Test coupon held 0.1” above solder
pot for 5 seconds
– Dwell time in solder: 5 seconds
– 15 test coupons per test
• Cleaned as follows:
- degreased in boiling IPA
- Cleaned in Alpha 922 copper cleaner for 15 seconds
- Two DI water rinses: 5 & 10 seconds
- Two IPA rinses: 5 seconds each
• Test using cleaned coupons as well as clean coupons oxidized for 1 hour
@ 100°C (212°F)

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 Wetting time vs. Solder temperature (RF 800, oxidized Cu)
Sn63/Pb37 Sn96.5/Ag3.5 Sn99.3/Cu0.7
Sn95.5/Ag4/Cu0.5 Sn96/Ag2.5/Bi1/Cu0.5 Sn96.2/Ag2.5/Sb0.5/Cu0.8
Solder Temperature (°C)
232 238 243 249 254 260 265 271 277
4.5

3.7
Wetting Time (sec.)

2.9

2.1

1.3

0.5
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530
Solder Temperature (°F)

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 Wetting force vs. Solder temperature (RF 800, oxidized Cu)
Sn63/Pb37 Sn96.5/Ag3.5 Sn99.3/Cu0.7
Sn95.5/Ag4/Cu0.5 Sn96/Ag2.5/Bi1/Cu0.5 Sn96.2/Ag2.5/Sb0.5/Cu0.8
Solder Temperature (°C)
232 238 243 249 254 260 265 271 277
350
Wetting Force (uN/mm)

280

210

140

70

0
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530
Solder Temperature (°F)

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Wetting Balance Observations & Discussions

• The Binary & Ternary Tin, Silver & Copper alloys

generally produced the fastest wetting times and
maximum wetting forces.
• 520°F (271°C) appears to be an appropriate solder
pot temperature for these alloys when the flux used
is a low solids, no-clean type.
• 500°F (260°C) appears to be an appropriate solder
pot temperature for these alloys with high solids
content, non-activated rosin flux (Control Flux).
– DATA NOT SHOWN

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 Alloy Run Order – Pot Temp.

• Sn63-Pb37 (Sn-Pb) 500º F / 260º C

• Sn99.3-Cu0.7 (Sn-Cu) 530º F / 276º C
• Sn96.5-Ag3.0-Cu0.5 (SAC305) 520º F / 270º C
• Sn95.5-Ag4.0-Cu0.5 (SAC405) 530º F / 276º C
• Sn96.5-Ag3.5 (Sn-Ag) 530º F / 276º C

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CPS L-F Study Bottom of Test Vehicle

“Designed
for
Defects”

Note that TH
Components are
for position
reference only
and board is
prior to solder.

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 Wave Machine Configuration

• Air Environment
• Spray Fluxer (“Accuspray”)
• Three bottom forced convection heaters (for water-based fluxes)
• Two bottom forced convection heaters (for alcohol-based fluxes)
• Dual wave with Air Knife
– Rotary Chip Wave
– Lambda Wave
– Hot air knife (“Accuknife”)
• Finger conveyor
Electrovert Vectra Oven

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 Processing Parameters
Parameter NR330 RF800 SLS65C 5280E 615-25
Solvent Water Alc. (Rosin) Alcohol Water Alc. (RMA)
Solids content % 4.0% 4.1% 2.2% 11.0% 25.0%
Top preheat (rec.) 0
F 210 - 235 190 - 230 210 - 250 220 - 240 180-200
∆T (B-T) (rec.) 0
F 0 to +40 0 to +65 0 to +65 0 to +65 not spec.
Speed (rec) ft/min 3.5 - 6.5 4.0 - 6.0 3.5 - 6.5 4.5 - 6.0 not spec.
Top preheat (actual) 0
F 218 - 230 216 - 235 207 - 229 230 - 256 241 - 258
∆T (B-T) (actual) 0
F 7 - 19 9 - 27 9 - 25 7 - 16 9 - 24
Speed (actual) ft/min 5.0 - 6.0 5.0 - 6.5 5.0 - 6.5 5.0 - 6.0 3.0 - 6.0

For statistical data: Once a set of processing parameters was set

for a given flux/alloy, all the boards in the experiment were run
without further changes.
• This gives a “first-level” of optimization only.

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 Thermal Profiles
T top-side (ave) = 251 °C
500 Alloy: SAC405 T bottom-side = 266 °C
∆ T = 15 F
Flux: 615-25
Size: 0.062"
400 Environment: Air
Temperature (°F)

300

200

top-side TC #3

100 top-side TC #2
top-side TC #1
bottom-side TC
0
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
Time (seconds)

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Thermal Impact on Chemistry
• Lead-Free processing will require higher preheats to
thermally pre-condition the boards prior to their contact
with the higher pot temperatures.
– Higher pre-heats, ambient temp over the pot and pot
temperatures, volatize off more of the flux material prior to the
wave.
– Fluxes need to be engineered to handle these higher
temperatures.

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 Flux Solids Comparison – Sn/Ag with OSP

2.2% solids 4.1% solids 25% solids 4% solids 11% solids

Rosin RMA
(SLS65C- (RF800 - ( NR330 Water (5280E Water
(615-25 Alcohol
Alcohol Based) Alcohol Based) Based) Based)
Based)

Indicates High Solids not absolutely necessary for Lead-Free.

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 Alloy Comparison – OSP Finish/RF800 Flux

530 ºF 530 ºF
(276 ºC) (276 ºC)
Indications are
that Lower Temp
Sn-Ag Alloy SAC405 Alloy
yielded higher
defects for SAC.
530 ºF 520 ºF
(276 ºC) (270 ºC)

Sn-Cu Alloy SAC305 Alloy

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Environment Comparison with Sn Cu Alloy
NR330 VOC Free Flux
530 ºF (276 ºC)

For Air Environment

certain Sn/Cu applicationsInert (N2) Environment
N2 may be required!
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 Loss of Solder Yield - Dross Removal
Loss of Solder Mass due to Dross Removal Estimated
Lead-Free Wave Study Sn/Pb
30
mass loss
25 rate
Mass 20
Lost 15
(g/min1) 10
5
0
0 Sn/Cu
1 SAC
2 SAC
3 Sn/Ag
4 Sn/Ag/Bi/Cu
5

305 405
1. Grams/minute of mass removed during typical dross removal per minute of wave run time.
Data based on min of 4 separate 2 to 4 hour run experiments.

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 Initial Conclusions - Drossing Rates
• Lead-Free alloys produce a continuous, thin
layer of dross across the surface of the lambda
wave under an air environment
• Dross rates were lowest for Sn-Cu followed by
the SAC alloys

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 Initial Qualitative Conclusions
LF Wave Study
• 0.062 in /1.6 mm boards flexed significantly as
they passed through the waves. Warpage of
boards was significant.
– The Delta T between top and bottom side of the
board never exceeded 30 °F
• OSP finish was the most difficult to solder and all
of the metalized finishes performed better and
approximately the same

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 Initial Qualitative Conclusions - cont
LF Wave Study
• Overall the 615-25 & NR330 showed the best
performance with 5280E a close third
– High-solids fluxes: 615-25 was the best
– Low-solids fluxes: the water-based VOC Free NR330
was the best
• Qualitative inspection indicated SAC405 alloy
performed the best in our study
– It should be stressed that the SAC305 was run at 10
C lower Solder Pot Temperature and that may explain
the increase in defects over the SAC405

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Lead-Free Wave Processing Observations

• Pot temperatures of 270º -277º C (520º -530º F)

needed.
– Nitrogen inerted wave may be needed for certain applications
using Sn-Cu system.
• Contamination Issues during the transition to Lead-Free
– Solder baths prone to lead contamination if substrates and
components are Sn/Pb coated

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What’s Next for the Wave Solder Project?

• Visual inspection of solder joints to J-standard-001B

• Extensive stress-testing program utilizing Thermal Cycling
& Thermal Shock (-55 °C - 125 °C)
• Scanning Acoustic Microscopy and X-ray imaging for
solder defects for cycled/shocked and control boards
(voids, etc.)
• Lead-pull testing for each device type on the test vehicle
• Cross sectioning (fillet/joint quality, Intermetallic layer
growth)

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