Dr. Michael Osterman will be presenting at the Parts and Material Management Conference (PMMC) on March 7-10, 2022 at Aurora, Colorado on "Criteria for Solder Alloy Adoption for Defense Systems" with Carol Handwerker of Purdue University, and Sa’d Hamasha of Auburn University.
Abstract
Eutectic tin-lead solder alloy has been the default solder alloy used for defense electronic equipment. This solder alloy has a long service history and known limitations. However, by 2006, consumer electronics converted to tin-silver-copper solder based on regulations from the European Union (EU) banning the use to lead in most cases for select electronic equipment. In 2011, the EU expanded the ban on the use of lead for all electronics except for specifically exempt applications. While defense, aerospace, and automotive electronics were exempt, the use of lead was banned by the EU for automotive electronics in 2016. While defense manufacturers can choose to use tin-lead, the defense manufacturers must still address the lead-free terminations found in the majority of commercially available packaged electronics. Addressing the lead-free part terminations and continuing to seek tin-lead-based part termination presents both cost and security challenges.
The USPAE Solder Performance and Reliability Assurance Project has been created to provide defense manufacturers and program managers with the information needed to understand the risk associated with creating equipment with lead-free solder alloys as well as the risks of maintaining a tin-lead fabrication process. This project is taking an agnostic look at solder and providing both performance and reliability assurance metrics for determining if a particular solder meets a product's life requirement. The project is also working to clarify product life requirements by establishing product use cases. This presentation provides a review of the planned $40 million five-year projects.
For more information on USPAE Solder Performance and Reliability Assurance Project, contact Dr. Michael Osterman.
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