They are robust - from shock because of their toughness and low mass, but I think Gary actually ended up having them physically touch the insides of the reel pouches, so all bets are off with respect to robustness I believe. Bev RIM -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joyce Koo Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 5:00 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Tin whiskers on 0402's in the reel. "Sn whiskers are SO robust that it is almost impossible to break them off the substrate during deliberately severe vibration/shaking." May be true. But if you got a fan blow on it (like in the computer with 90W processor), you will get them off rather easy...and redeposite to what ever the place you do not want it go...That is why so many parts pass the reliability qual and fail in the field... the qual parts do not use fan!!! (may be they do not have fan in europe).. my 1.68 cents... jk -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Vladimir Igoshev Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 4:09 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Tin whiskers on 0402's in the reel. Gary, what is the part finish? It is interesting that you were able to get rid of the problem by "shaking" the parts. Recent data showed that Sn whiskers are SO robust that it is almost impossible to break them off the substrate during deliberately severe vibration/shaking. Regards, Vladimir Vladimir Igoshev, Ph. D. Senior Materials Researcher Research in Motion 451 Phillip St. Waterloo, ON, N2L 3X2 Voice: (+1) 519-888-7465, ext. 5283 Fax: (+1) 519-886-0863 E-mail: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Gary Camac Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 3:57 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Tin whiskers on 0402's in the reel. Good afternoon, We have had a problem today with a reel of 0402 resistors where the placement machine would not pick some of the parts out of the tape (paper). A part I examined would not fall out of the pocket when the feeder was turned upside down. I examine the part sitting in the pocket and it appeared to be jammed into one corner. After some tapping on the feeder the part dislodged. When I examined the part under a microscope, I noticed a filament attached to the bottom of the part starting at the corner of the electrode. The following part in the tape would, likewise, not fall out until persuaded. This part fell into my hand and when I examined it under the scope I could see a filament lying beside it in my palm. These parts are a 2002 date code. Tin whisker? Anyone seen this before? I took the reel on components to our environmental test lab, bolted it to the sinusoidal vibration table and shook for about a minute. We then reinstalled the reel on the placement machine and the picking problem went away. Interesting stuff for a Friday afternoon. Gary Camac Senior Mfg. Eng. 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