As industry moves to lead-free soldering, tin has replaced lead in a majority of the new solder formulas and also in component coatings and leads. A major concern is the propensity of tin to produce filament growth, or ‘tin whiskers.’ This growth greatly affects the integrity of electronic assemblies. For years, tin coatings have been dipped or plated with lead-formulated coatings to reduce this risk. That is no longer viable. Therefore, many manufacturers are turning to conformal coatings as a method to reduce whisker growth, both from tin-plated components and tin-based solders, to acceptable minimums. However, this can add process steps, including intricate masking and attention to ensuring that all points both above and beneath soldered devices are completely coated.

This paper addresses the basics of the tin whisker problem, reviews how conformal coatings offer a viable solution, and presents the latest in system technologies designed to apply coatings. Read the full article (PDF)...

This article was taken from Global SMT & Packaging Vol. 7 No. 6 - June 2007