OWEGO, NY – More than 75 attendees from 29 member companies descended upon Universal Instruments’ Advanced Process Lab last week for its annual Advanced Research in Electronics Assembly consortium.

Topics during the Oct. 28-29 event ranged from Pb-free solder microstructure and reliability to environmental stress screening procedures.

The opening session reviewed systematic results of thermal cycling of Pb-free soldered assemblies and discussed network analysis of this and previous thermal cycling data. Other topics included pad cratering research and new thermal interface materials, reliability testing of various TIMs, as well as a discussion on insights into Pb-free metallurgy. Also examined was the evolution of Pb-free solder microstructure.

The event included updates on edge and corner bonding and efforts to define a practical, safe screening test for the identification of inferior electrolytic nickel; i.e., NiAu coatings that may give “missing balls” or brittle failure of the intermetallic bond subsequent to reflow.

Other topics included flux dipping of flip chips, reballing, ENEPIG coatings, and an overview of all past consortium reports and how to effectively use them for reference.