Electronic Components & Products [ Return towards Applications]

After a certain amount of anxiety caused by legislation before the US Congress and Senate in 1995, the question of lead-free soldering had become a non-issue until a push by the Scandinavian Countries introduced a series of drafts on lead waste in the EU. This proposal would effectively ban the use of lead (and some other materials) for European companies by January 1, 2006. With heavy support from Japan and some cautious reactions in the US, lead has become once more a major point of concern and discussion.

"... I wouldn’t solder without nitrogen in the wave area ..."- Phil Zarrow (Industry Expert / Soldering Guru)

Semiconductor & Integrated Circuits Packaging Electronic Packaging is the technology of taking an integrated circuit (IC) and creating the interface with which it connects to a printed circuit board (PCB) and thus to other IC’s.

Dry cabinets are used for both long and short term storage of electronics components. The main advantages of a dry, inert storage are to prevent moisture pick-up and metal oxidation.

Reflow soldering is the main soldering method to connect surface mount devices (SMDs), Multi-Chip modules and hybrid components to circuit boards.

Despite the predicted demise of the wave soldering process due to the predominance of Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) over Pin-Through-Hole (PTHs) components, this soldering technique continues to be widely used. The necessary use of connectors in many products today and the overall cost effectiveness of the process maintain its viability.

A plasma is a gas that becomes activated by flowing it through an area of high electrical energy. The energy will disassociate or accelerate the molecules and atoms and cause them to exist at a high energy state.

Forming gas is a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen that is used for various high temperature applications as a reducing atmosphere. The mixture can be of various compositions, but usually it is a high nitrogen content mixture with the balance as hydrogen.