My understanding from the standards is that it is only if it is inside the mating area of the gold tab.

You can prevent it by using a low-residue ESD-safe kapton tape or custom-fit connector cover through the process. If you have to mask for conformal coat anyway, the cost is redundant but consider the test requirements.

You can REPAIR it by replating with a Hunter plating system, and no, it is not REWORK. It is defined as a repair per IPC 7711/21 so you may need customer buy-in or approval depending on your contract requirements.



-----Original Message-----

From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Krug

Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 12:36 PM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: [TN] Solder "Splash" on ENIG Gold - Is this a defect?



We occasionally get solder "splash" on exposed ground plane areas with an ENIG finish.  The "splash" is occasionally really splash from a selective wave process.  More frequently solder fines from solder paste, either from reflow spatter or from tooling / gloved hand transfer is the source of "splash".   "Splash" sites are typically no larger than ~0.5mm diameter.  



Are these defects per J-STD-001, class 3,  or IPC-A-610, class 3?  



Dick Krug, CSSBB, CSMTPE

Lead Process Engineer

Sparton Brooksville, LLC

30167 Power Line Road

Brooksville, FL  34602-8299

(352) 540-4012

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