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Focusing on Lead-free Cleaning
November 11, 2005 |Estimated reading time: 1 minute
By Michelle M. Boisvert, SMT Managing Editor
There are several issues weighing on the minds of those in the industry regarding lead-free: higher reflow temperatures, poor wetting, less component self-correction, running two lines concurrently in one facility and others. Cleaning is another factor that presents itself in discussions. ZESTRON has conducted several experiments concluding that silver-containing alloys have a tendency to form dendrites, affecting the long-term climatic reliability of electronic assemblies. "The use of alternative solvents with higher boiling points, increased rosin content, as well as more aggressive activators will change the particular application needs in the context of cleaning," said Umut Tosun, application technology manager for Zestron America.
To help the industry understand the importance of cleaning in the lead-free environment, the company, in collaboration with other sponsors, gives lead-free workshops throughout the U.S. I had a chance to sit-in on the most recent "PCB Cleaning Seminar" in Westford, MA. The seminar covered all aspects of lead-free cleaning challenges, including AlphaMetals' Tim Luke presenting "Implementing Lead-free Solder Paste," which focused on stencil designs, reflow profile for optimal cleaning and lead-free hand soldering challenges. Zestron's Tosun presented "Is Climatic Reliability Endangered by Lead-free Assemblies?" as well as a later session titled, "PCB and Stencil Cleaning Processes," which aimed to help attendees differentiate between available process options. Other presentations included: "Effective In-line Cleaning Solutions," by Dirk Ellis of Speedline; "Water Treatment and Recycling," presented by Brian Maheu of REsys, a company specializing in water management equipment and ion-exchange tank services for the PCB manufacturing industry; and "Challenges of Lead-free Conformal Coating," presented by Rakesh Kumar, Ph.D., of Specialty Coating Systems.
Zestron will also sponsor an International Cleaning Workshop at its European Applications Technology Center in Ingolstadt, Germany, following Productronica on November 14, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The workshop will cover PCB and stencil cleaning issues, as well as lead-free conversion and its future cleaning implications. Attendees also will participate in hands-on cleaning trials and evaluations. For more information on this workshop, please contact Mark Cherubin, product manager, at M.Cherubin@zestron.com.