An analysis of copper shorting caused by moisture and various residues.

Moisture reacts with high levels of weak organic acids, chloride and sulfate residues, leading to copper shorting. Poor adhesion from a low-pressure overmold exacerbates the issue.

The corrosive residues then dissolve the copper at the edges of the solder pads, and voltage bias drives the formation of dendrites. This creates a small gap at the board surface interface that permits moisture to ingress. The resulting colorful metal short exhibits is a result of the different states of the copper, voltage influences and organic materials from the substrate surface, which has titanium and silica in the white solder mask.

The market for recycled electronics, and what companies can do with excess stock.

Circularity and inventory management intersect two key areas for electronics manufacturers. They are problems as old as the industry. In the early 1990s, for instance, an entrepreneur named Jerry Haller had an idea for a component exchange system set up much like trading financial stocks on Wall Street. He called the operation Fast Parts. It never caught on, however, nor did the many attempts others made to emulate it.

A few decades later, however, the industry might finally be ready for sustainable resource management.

The time is now for serial inventor Joe Fjelstad’s answer to simplifying component assembly.

Joe Fjelstad is a renowned innovator, environmental advocate and the visionary mind behind the Occam Process, a groundbreaking advancement in electronics manufacturing. In this in-depth conversation, Fjelstad shares the journey of Occam, its transformative potential, and the wisdom gathered over his illustrious career.

Introducing nitrogen to the solder process can enhance reliability and yields.

Inert gas soldering systems, which use a controlled nitrogen blanket atmosphere and an entry vacuum oxygen/nitrogen exchange chamber, offer several key benefits: