Introduction Solder Paste

Prepared by : Selvakumar Natarjan

 Soldering Process……….

• Soldering is a process used for joining metal parts of the electronic component to pads of the PCB
form a mechanical joint & electrical connectivity in a circuit.
• Uses a low melting point metal alloy (solder) which is melted and applied to the metal parts to be
joined
 What is Solder paste….?

• Solder paste is a viscous fluid, whose viscosity is not

constant, and which exhibits shear thinning
property .
• This Shear thinning property is an essential
requirement for printing, as the paste must flow in and
out of the stencil apertures during the print stroke, but
afterwards remain in position without slumping.
 Why the Solder paste exhibits shear thinning property……….

• Solder pastes are thixotropic, and their

viscosity depends not just on the shear rate .
• A thixotropic fluid is one that takes a fixed
time to return to its equilibrium viscosity when
subjected to abrupt changes in shear rate.
• Other factors which alters the viscosity of the
solder paste.
• Room temperature.
• Shear stress history (stirring or movement on
stencil)
 Basic requirement of solder paste

• The paste has to flow in order to be applied through

printing method.
• Once deposited on the board, the paste must remain in
place without spreading( no Cold slump)
• The paste must be sufficiently ‘tacky’ to held the
component until it is soldered.
• The solder particles in the paste must fuse together when
heated to form a single solder mass (Coalescence).
• The paste must have sufficient fluxing action to enable
solder mass to wet the surfaces & form solder joint.
 Constituents of solder paste

• Solder paste is a suspension of solder

particles in a flux-containing printing vehicle.

• solder alloy powder is the only permanent part

of the metallurgical bond.

• At the end of the soldering cycle, all the

printing vehicle and flux components are
present only as residues.
The flux vehicle

• The flux vehicle contains both flux and other substances that give the solder
cream its ‘pasty’ nature.
• The purpose of the flux vehicle
• Keep the solder powder evenly spread.
• Maintain paste consistency during application
• Retain components placed on it ,until before soldering.
• Clean the surface of alloy powder and parts to be joined and protect them from re-oxidation.
 The flux vehicle

• The flux vehicle generally has four

constituents:
• The flux base-(Rosin, Resin & water
soluble base)
• A solvent mixture
• Activators
• Thickeners and lubricants that determine
the flow properties of the paste.
 Solder powder

• Solder powder is made up of alloy .

• Most frequently used materials are tin-silver-
copper ,tin-lead and tin-lead-silver eutectics.
Melting point of solder alloy

Metal Tin (Sn) Silver(Ag) Copper(Cu) • Melting point of Lead free solder with
Melting point 231.9 °C 961.8 °C 1,085 °C alloy of SAC is 217 °C………….?
Thank you