Hi TechNet!
     
     Does anyone have any knowledge regarding solder dross contamination in 
     otherwise properly formed solder joints?  The joints were formed in a 
     wave solderer and exhibit dross contamination roughly .005" - .010" in 
     diameter.
     
     **Solder dross typically ends up in solder joints when the wave solder 
     pot maintenance is poorly done or you have a solder wave motor 
     problem. Check out those areas first as a corrective action.
     
     The joints seem to have proper "meniscus" and are mostly "shiny", but 
     are dull around the entrapped dross.
     
     **Solder dross trapped in a solder joint may not be a bad thing 
     depending on what the use environment of your assembly is. However, 
     solder dross should not be ending up in your solder joints - this 
     condition is an indication that the soldering process is out of 
     control and needs corrected.
     
     Is this purely cosmetic or does it present a potential solder joint 
problem?

        **Solder dross in the solder joint will definitely change the 
solder joint/stress interactions and could lead to solder joint failure 
depending on the use environment.

Good Luck


Dave Hillman
Rockwell Collins
[log in to unmask]


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: FW: FAB: Dross in Solder Joints
Author:  [log in to unmask] at ccmgw1
Date:    5/15/97 12:50 PM




Hello Technet:

Does anyone have any knowledge regarding solder dross contamination in 
otherwise properly formed solder joints?  The joints were formed in a wave 
solderer and exhibit dross contamination roughly .005" - .010" in diameter.
     
The joints seem to have proper "meniscus" and are mostly "shiny", but are 
dull around the entrapped dross.
     
Is this purely cosmetic or does it present a potential solder joint problem?
     
Thank you for your help
     
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