Solderability Testing

Solderability Testing is an important test for the electronics industry and simulates the contact between a solder and the material the solder should wet to.

Solderability testing is carried out on a wetting balance that measures the wetting force and time from contact to wetting force generation.

The Solderability Testing service is usually performed to the guidelines set out by the IPC-J-STD-002, however, by custom changing the test conditions, (e.g., temperature, duration, solder alloy), it is possible to develop a solderability testing programme that more closely simulates processes in a particular applications. To this end, the wetting balance has been used to benchmark component terminations, PCB pad finishes, alternative lead-free solders etc.

Ideally, a sample that is destined to be soldered should show great affinity to the solder within a short time. The result of this immediate interaction is characterised by a wetting curve that resembles a square-root sign, however, delayed wetting or slow wetting is also very common, and these usually indicate the presence of surface contamination or oxidation, or the need for a stronger flux. The UK laboratory can measure the soldered joint wetting angle and wetting force to characterize the solderability of the material.

ITA Labs’ Solderability Testing service is experienced at providing test results, with a fast turnaround, at very competitive rates.

To discuss your potential requirements, contact Tony at tony.wallace@internationaltin.org