Quality Assessment

In the assembly of printed circuit boards, great emphasis is placed on good solderability of the printed circuit board and on the preservation of this. Equally important, and frequently overlooked, is the consideration of the component lead solderability. PCBs are filled with many components with a multitude of functions and as wide a variety of constructions. Component lead construction and materials vary somewhat, creating a diversity of situations on the same PCB during the soldering operation. These varied soldering conditions are the result of the different fluxing requirements needed to give an adequate guarantee of reliable solder joints at all component lead locations on the PCB. All component lead materials accept solder with varying degrees of ease depending on their composition and surface condition, thereby necessitating changes in fluxing conditions, if possible, to ensure overall good soldering.