This ball bond in an integrated circuit has suffered catastrophic heat damage. The gold bond (A) reacts with the pad (D) forming an intermetallic (B) called "purple plague" because of its color. The reaction creates voids under the bond and at the edges, causing failure. At soldering temperatures above 450°F, this reaction happens very rapidly and the component can be ruined in just a few seconds.
Heat Damage — Why Traditional Solder Training No Longer Works
Traditional soldering training was developed in the vacuum tube era to join solid metal vacuum tube sockets and wires that couldn't be hurt by overheating. In fact, the primary heat concern was underheating because:
- Soldering irons were inefficient and did not turn electricity into heat very effectively, and
- The heavy metal components absorbed great amounts of the heat needed to melt solder.
So, the technique developed in the vacuum tube era was designed to inject the maximum amount of heat in the shortest possible time.
But the solid state components such as I.C.s that replaced vacuum tubes were soldered rather than socketed. They were subjected to the soldering heat — and their internal bonds degraded when heated.
What Happened to Heat Sinks?
The dangers of overheating were well known and work instructions required mechanical heat sinks to absorb heat that would otherwise flow into the component.
Then surface mount parts arrived. Heat sinks would not fit on these small components. Work instructions simply dropped the heat sink requirement even though these components were more easily damaged by overheating. And training programs continued to use the technique developed for attaching wires to vacuum tube sockets — the same technique that kills components.
The Only Technique That Prevents Heat Damage
We developed a simple technique that ensures components never get above 450°F, even when using an 800° soldering iron. A U.S. Navy laboratory study has proved the effectiveness of our technique. (To obtain a free copy of that study, use this request form.)
The technique only available in Science of Soldering©; it is not available from any other course.
Science of Soldering© —The Only Soldering Course That Meets Modern Component Reliability Requirements
Science of Soldering© from Electronics Manufacturing Sciences is the only soldering program that meets the reliability requirements of modern electronic components. Science of Soldering© eliminates the defects, failures and warranty claims caused by traditional training.
The soldering training on which the electronics industry has relied for more than 60 years no longer meets the reliability and efficiency requirements of modern electronics. Many training courses — including A-610 and J-STD-001 — do not even teach process; they just focus on memorization of pictures and rules.
The procedures shown in courses that do include actual soldering instruction were developed in the 1950’s for attaching tin and tin/lead plated wires to vacuum tube sockets. They overheat modern components such as integrated circuits, causing test failures and warranty claims.
Any component that is ESD sensitive is also heat sensitive. Almost all failures of modern components are caused by overheating using the techniques of soldering training. Also, training does not teach the techniques required to overcome the special solderability problems associated with newer lead–free components.
The Science of Soldering© Advantages
Science of Soldering© is different. Science of Soldering© educates; it does not train. There is no memorization — everything is taught with demonstrations, experiments, hands–on troubleshooting, comprehensive video and a detailed 68–page workbook/reference book. Science of Soldering© develops thorough understanding of soldering as a 7-step scientific process. Science of Soldering© graduates fully comprehend that every defect is the result of a defective process — and use the appropriate corrective action that ensures the defect will not be seen again. Of course, Science of Soldering© also develops the manual skills necessary to apply the knowledge.
Science of Soldering©:
- Teaches a proprietary hand soldering technique that prevents all heat damage
- Provides the thorough process knowledge and skills that ensure perfect soldering without touchup or rework
- Eliminates the confusion about reliability criteria that causes rejection of reliable connections
- Provides the ability and creates the desire to prevent repeated defects by correcting the process the first time a defect occurs
- Increases employee efficiency by eliminating common activities that do not add value
The Science of Soldering© Recipe
In a sense, soldering is like baking a cake. Following the recipe precisely guarantees perfect output. Failure to follow the recipe produces defects. Science of Soldering© teaches a 7–step soldering “recipe” defined by chemistry, metallurgy and physics. The recipe ensures defect–free soldering without touchup or rework. If a defect does occur, corrective action is easily accomplished by comparing what was done to what the recipe dictates. Graduates of training classes focus on inspecting to find and touchup defects but Science of Soldering© graduates focus on correcting the process to prevent the defects.
We often hear suggestions that the technical content of Science of Soldering© is beyond the abilities of individuals who have not graduated from secondary school. But everyone can and does easily master the content. The secret is the “Recipe.” After all, everyone has used a cookbook at some time and become comfortable working with recipes. Chemistry, metallurgy and physics may seem formidable but there is nothing intimidating about a recipe. And no one finds Science of Soldering© intimidating.
The Human Factor
Humans learn most effectively from mistakes. However, soldering training typically provides materials that are easily processed. On the job, however, conditions tend to be less perfect and the training graduate is not equipped to handle less those challenges. Science of Soldering©, on the other hand, contains difficult exercises with materials that do not process well and cause defects. Knowledge is gained by troubleshooting the process, determining the causes of the defects and correcting the process to prevent the defects from repeating.
Science of Soldering© is true, comprehensive education and the only course that provides the knowledge and techniques required for product reliability and production efficiency. Much of the content is proprietary, based on more than 30 years of research into the chemistry, metallurgy and physics of soldering. Just as important, we have spent those years developing unique exercises, demonstrations and experiments that allow everyone to easily grasp and remember the lessons.
But will the graduates use these lessons on the job? After all, there is no value if the lessons are ignored when the student leaves the classroom. This is where the distinction between education and training takes over. Training demands that the student accept and remember what (s)he is told even if the student doesn’t understand the reasons. In Science of Soldering©, students make up their own minds on the basis of what the hands–on experiences of the class tell them. They are not forced to accept: they do so willingly and knowingly. On the job, they use the new techniques because they want to, not because the supervisor demands it.
The effectiveness of Science of Soldering© has been proven over and over in many of the most respected American and European electronics plants to make huge (up to 80%) reductions in component failures and increase efficiency by at least 10%.
Normal soldering training is pure expense. Science of Soldering© is profitable investment that pays for itself over and over. Science of Soldering© guarantees more reliable product, greater efficiency and happier employees.
For more information about how Science of Soldering© will help your reliability and efficiency, please use this form or contact:
James Allen (Jim) Smith, PhD ABD
Managing Director
Electronics Manufacturing Sciences, Inc.
Saint Petersburg, FL USA
Telephone: (727)866–6502 ext. 21
Other “Solder” Training Doesn't Teach Soldering
Until recently, leads of most parts have been plated with tin or tin/lead. These were easily soldered because the surfaces melted during the heating and flowed together with the liquid solder. When surfaces melt, the process is not soldering — it is welding. Soldering is the process that works with surfaces that do not melt.
Because of RoHS legislation and concerns about tin whiskers, tin and tin/lead component surfaces are disappearing. And the new lead–free surfaces do not melt at soldering temperatures. This means they must be soldered rather than welded and the traditional "soldering" process doesn't work.
The Necessity of Added Flux
In soldering, surfaces must be deoxidized before solder flows. Timely deoxidation will happen consistently only if flux is applied before soldering. However, training courses continue to discourage the use of flux except what is contained in the wire solder.
Moreover, many lead–free surfaces are not solderable with fluxes safe for use with electronics. (Science of Soldering© teaches how to identify those unsolderable parts and the techniques for overcoming the problems they present.)
An Epidemic of Wetting Defects
The arrival of lead–free components has produced an epidemic of wetting defects that technicians disguise by using the iron to push the solder into an acceptable shape, using higher temperatures, and leaving the iron on the connection longer. (At soldering iron temperatures, solder will stick to an oxidized surface and give the false impression of reliable work.)
Lead–free parts make solderability, solderability management and flux selection critically important. As with heat control, few people have meaningful operational understanding of this essential topic.
Science of Soldering© is the only course that teaches flux selection and use, solderability and solderability management in detail.