Reliability of Soldered Joints: A Description of the State of the Art: Part 3

Abstract

In Part 1, background information on mechanical properties and metallurgy of solder alloys and soldered joints has been presented. In Part 2, mechanisms of damage and degradation of components and soldered joints during soldering, transport and field life have been discussed, the most important mechanism being low cycle fatigue of the solder metal. In this third part, the determination of the fatigue life expectancy of soldered joints is discussed. Accelerated testing of fatigue is needed, as the possibilities of calculations are strongly limited. A temperature cycle test under specified conditions is proposed as a standard. A model is worked out for the determination of the acceleration factor of this test. A compilation of a number of solder fatigue test results, generated in the author's company, is presented.

Citation

de Kluizenaar, E.E. (1990), "Reliability of Soldered Joints: A Description of the State of the Art: Part 3", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 18-27. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb037730