Polyclad laminates publishes lead-free material selection guide

Citation

(2006), "Polyclad laminates publishes lead-free material selection guide", Circuit World, Vol. 32 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2006.21732aab.005

Polyclad laminates publishes lead-free material selection guide

Polyclad laminates publishes lead-free material selection guide

Keywords: Laminates, Electronics industry

Polyclad Laminates, Inc has published the Polyclad^® Lead-free Material Selection Guide. The guide provides comprehensive solutions for selecting lead-free capable laminate base materials, while also defining a “best practice” methodology to be employed in determining selection criteria for lead-free or Pb/Sn assembly applications.

Available for all major Polyclad products, the guide thoroughly reviews a diversity of PWB design and assembly variables in making recommendations to use specific Polyclad laminate and prepreg materials. The guide is regularly updated and enhanced as more and better data becomes available. Polyclad actively solicits comments from users of the guide so that the guide is revised regularly to optimise the user's experience.

Polyclad's global team of lead-free experts that encompass extensive technical support, research and development, sales and marketing base material knowledge developed the guide. Combined, the team possesses over 200 years of PWB laminate, assembly and fabrication process engineering and technical knowledge. Contents of the guide also reflect intensive review with Polyclad customers and leading OEMs, as well as collaboration with Cookson Electronics sister companies Enthone Inc and Alpha to ensure that the impact of the types of process chemistry and soldering materials employed by the user were fully considered in the guide's development.

Erik Bergum, Vice President of Sales, Polyclad Europe, states, “The impending European RoHS legislation restricting the use of lead containing solders, has generated tremendous concern and confusion throughout the electronics industry supply chain. One key area of concern is the viability of existing PWB substrate materials to withstand the elevated assembly temperatures required for soldering lead-free alloys. Although volumes of information have been published as to why PWBs fail under lead-free assembly conditions, and how specific laminate base materials affect this, other laminate suppliers have offered only `possible solutions'. As witnessed by the selection guide, only Polyclad provides comprehensive, production-proven solutions that are clearly detailed throughout the publication”.

An electronic copy of the Polyclad^® Lead-free Material Selection Guide may be requested by e-mailing polyclad@cooksonelectronics.com