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Reasons for PCB Soldering Defects

The solderability of circuit board holes affects the soldering quality

Poor solderability of circuit board holes can result in virtual soldering defects, affecting the parameters of components in the circuit and causing unstable conductivity between multi-layer board components and inner layer wires, leading to the failure of the entire circuit function. The so-called solderability refers to the property of the metal surface being wetted by molten solder, that is, a relatively uniform and continuous smooth adhesive film is formed on the metal surface where the solder is located. The main factors affecting the solderability of printed circuit boards are:


SOLDER-PCB

The composition of solder and the properties of the solder

Solder is an important component in the chemical treatment process of welding, which is composed of chemical materials containing flux. The commonly used low melting point eutectic metals are Sn Pb or Sn Pb Ag. The impurity content should be controlled in a certain proportion to prevent the oxide generated by impurities from being dissolved by the flux. The function of solder is to help wet the surface of the circuit board by transferring heat and removing rust. Generally, white rosin and isopropanol solvents are used.


Welding temperature and cleanliness of metal plate surface

The welding temperature and the cleanliness of the metal plate surface can also affect weldability. If the temperature is too high, the diffusion speed of the solder will accelerate, and it will have high activity, which will quickly oxidize the surface of the circuit board and solder melting, resulting in welding defects. The surface of the circuit board will also be contaminated, which will affect the solderability and cause defects, including tin beads, tin balls, open circuits, poor glossiness, etc.


PCB-MAKING

Welding defects caused by warping

During the soldering process, circuit boards and components may warp, resulting in defects such as virtual soldering and short circuits due to stress deformation. Warping is often caused by temperature imbalance between the upper and lower parts of the circuit board. For large PCBs, warping can also occur due to the weight of the board itself falling. Related article recommendation: Ordinary PBGA devices are about 0.5mm away from printed circuit boards. If the devices on the circuit board are large, as the board cools down and returns to its normal shape, the solder joints will be under stress for a long time. If the device is raised by 0.1mm, it is enough to cause virtual soldering and open circuit.


The design of circuit boards affects the quality of soldering

In terms of layout, when the size of the circuit board is too large, although soldering is easier to control, the printed lines are long, impedance increases, noise resistance decreases, and costs increase; If it is too small, heat dissipation will decrease, welding will be difficult to control, and adjacent lines may interfere with each other, such as electromagnetic interference from circuit boards. Related recommendations:. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the PCB board design:


1) Shorten the wiring between high-frequency components and reduce EMI interference.

2) Heavy components (such as those exceeding 20g) should be fixed with brackets and then welded.

3) Heating elements should consider heat dissipation issues to prevent defects and rework caused by large Δ T on the surface of the element. Thermal sensitive elements should be kept away from the heat source.

4) The arrangement of components should be as parallel as possible, which is not only aesthetically pleasing but also easy to weld, making it suitable for large-scale production. The optimal design for the circuit board is a 4:3 rectangular shape. Do not have sudden changes in wire width to avoid discontinuity in wiring. When the circuit board is heated for a long time, the copper foil is prone to expansion and detachment, therefore, the use of large-area copper foil should be avoided.


Based on the above, in order to ensure the overall quality of the PCB board, it is necessary to use excellent solder, improve the solderability of the PCB board, and prevent warping and defects during the manufacturing process.

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