Report on increased costs of lead-free solder materials

20 September 2006 News

Global trade association IPC has released a white paper report entitled the 'Cost of Lead Free Solder Materials', which discusses metals costs, density versus volume of leadfree and tin lead solders, and manufacturing challenges and then applies these issues to solder paste, solder bar and ingot, and cored solder wire.

According to the white paper: 'A better understanding of the integral parts involved in supplying lead-free solders has to be realised by users and not by a direct comparison of lead-free to lead-containing alloys'.

As one example, the paper points out that for cored solder wires, the increased hardness of the lead-free alloy often involves smaller increments of diameter reduction in the manufacturing process. Diameter reduction then increases the number of drawing steps which increases manufacturing times.

The report was developed by IPC's Solder Products Value Council. Authors include Bruce Moloznik, Cookson Electronics; Gordon Clark, Koki Company, and Ross Berntson, Indium.

The white paper is available to IPC members for free download at www.ipc.org/membersonly

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