Selecting the Right Final Finish for ROHS COMPLIANT PCBs

In order to meet the requirements of RoHS, including the elimination of lead from electronic components, the printed circuit board industry is moving away from lead bearing hot air solder leveled (HASL) final finishes to alternative materials. To date, the electronics industry has yet to adopt a uni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Printed circuit design & manufacture 2007-03, Vol.24 (3), p.40
Main Authors: Frando Van Der Pas, Yung-Herng Yau, Wengenroth, Karl, Kenny, Jim
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Compliance
Electronics industry
Environmental regulations
Hazardous materials
Lead free solders
Printed circuit boards
Process engineering
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In order to meet the requirements of RoHS, including the elimination of lead from electronic components, the printed circuit board industry is moving away from lead bearing hot air solder leveled (HASL) final finishes to alternative materials. To date, the electronics industry has yet to adopt a universal HASL alternative. There are a number of likely contenders, including organic solderability preservatives (OSPs), electroless nickel/immersion gold, and other metallic immersion technologies such as silver and tin. The three main drivers that push the electronics industry to consider HASL alternatives are cost, technology and the need for a new lead-free material to meet RoHS requirements. The use of most well known HASL alternatives seems to be different in each of the world regions. Both alternatives, OSPs and immersion silver, provide an optimum surface for printing with all types of solder paste. The use of alternatives will not only increase, but will replace HASL as the final finish of choice.
ISSN:1939-5442
2153-0912