Michelle,
there are ways, some of which have to be performed when all have gone home.
All depends on what components you point at.

If  it is a bad nickel you can test ultrasonic solder dip, use to fix most 
problems without causing damage to the parts.
If it is a bad nickel/exposed copper I recommend use of RA soldering.
If it is a bad nickel/exposed Kovar you can normally get a acceptable 
soldering by dipping the leads in Zinc Chloride one minute or two.

The last one deseves a warning, because you need a real good cleaning 
afterwards. Furthermore, the component can be damaged. And your QA will kill 
you.

Finally, you can strip the leads and dip the leads in chemical 
nickel/chemical gold baths. Expensive and time consuming,but if you have to 
do with extremly expensive components or obsolete parts, it can be a way to 
solve the problem.

You need a old chemo dog with stick and thick glasses to do the last one.

Inge


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michelle Masaitis" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 4:41 PM
Subject: [TN] Old obsolete parts failing test


Does anyone have any recommendations on parts that are more than 5 years
old for getting them to solder.  You can see that parts reflow around the 
lead,
but when you take the part off of the pads there is no solder on the bottom
of the lead.  These parts fail test, but then we add stronger flux and use 
hot
air to re reflow and the part passes.  The leads are not bent, they are 
flush to
the board.  We changed solder paste, which did help some, but not
completely.  I would like to use the parts without having to send them out 
to
get the leads tinned before placement.  These parts are obsolete so they are
hard to find parts.  Any recommendations?  Thanks for your input.

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