Ken

The electrolytic NI/PD/AU works great and is not subject to black pad.  The
downhole industry (oil well drilling tools) has used it for years with good
success with those higher melting temperature high lead solders.  It also
works with Sn96, Sn99, 80Au20Sn as well as Sn63.  It is used mostly where the
operating temperatures are 150-200deg C.  A disadvantge is that the
electrolytic nickel does not have great thowing power and for high aspect
ratio holes it may not build up in enough thickness to increase hole wall
plating strenth as does ENIG.  Other than that the solderability after
thermal aging is good and better than ENIG after steam or condensing
temperature cycling.  In todays market, setting up an electrolytic Pd plating
tank may cause an early cash flow problem and few board fabricators offer
this combination.

Phil Hinton

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