Testing the Impact of Pb-free Soldering on Reliability

The electronics industry is in the transition to lead-free technology, and it is very important for all industrial performers, to keep pace with this process. In order to produce the electronics module of required quality and reliability, the application of lead-free soldering alloys requires new design, materials, processing, inspection and rework considerations. It is also a new challenge to test and predict the reliability and the life-time of the lead-free solder joints fabricated with new materials combinations and process parameters. In the paper, the general requirements of solder joints, the theoretical considerations of the applicability of combined accelerated life-time test methods and the results of some experimental work regarding lead-free solder joints are discussed