Hi All, I just got a look at the pics and I concur. I would discount "black pad" but the comments on nickels' brittle nature and the ductility of copper are right on the money. Here is what I can add. The nickel appears thicker than usual unless the copper is very thin. The thickness suggests electrolytic nickel. I have plated with nickel sulfate, nickel sulfamate, nickel bromide and nickel chloride. Some nickels will electrodeposit with stress at certain current densities. The surface finish is rougher than I would expect. So I wonder if this is really ENiG. My vote is for brittle nickel. Paul Reid -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bob Willis Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:18 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Looking at the proportions in the photos I would ask to confirm that the nickel is what you think it is? It looks to thick in the first place suggesting a different nickel? Bob Willis 2 Fourth Ave, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 4HA England Tel: (44) 1245 351502 Fax: (44) 1245 496123 Mobile: 07860 775858 www.ASKbobwillis.com New Bob Willis "Printed Board Inspection & Quality Control Workshop" 24th March www.ASKbobwillis.com/faworkshops.pdf "Troubleshooting Your Assembly Yields Workshop" 25th March www.ASKbobwillis.com/faworkshops.pdf Book Bob's "Step by Step Failure Analysis Workshop" 22nd April www.ASKbobwillis.com/faworkshops.pdf -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Edwards Sent: 11 February 2009 20:05 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Lee, Without seeing into the barrel farther it looks as though something actually deformed the hole and caused the pad metallization to crack... But anyway you cut it good Au-Ni metallization should not crack...Has someone checked the morphology of the plating??? Paul Paul Edwards Surface Art Engineering -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lee Whiteman Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:42 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Victor, George, Vladimir, and Company Steve should be attaching the cross-section photograph. Since I did not supervise the cross-sectioning activity, I will not vouch on the quality of the cross-section. I do see a layer (crack?) between the ENIG plating and the copper surface, but the report that I received indicated that there was "no evidence of a lack of bonding" - the lab reports words. That layer (crack?) seems more pronounced than similar ENIG cross-sections I have seen. Lee Whiteman, PMP Senior Member Engineering Staff L-3 Communications East Telephone: (856) 338-3508 FAX: (856) 338-2906 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Victor Hernandez Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 2:23 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Can you share the photos of the cross section? -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wenger, George M. Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:51 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Lee, When you say "Evidently" that you have done cro Lee, When you say "Evidently" that you have done cross sectioning and see that the cracks are only in the Ni and Au and not in the Cu? Since you said "There was no evidence of a lack of bonding between the copper and the ENIG finish" that implies to me that you did cross section but since I wasn't sure I thought I'd ask. Regards, George George M. Wenger Andrew Wireless Solutions Senior Principal FMA/Reliability Engineer 40 Technology Drive, Warren, NJ 07059 (908) 546-4531 (Office) (732) 309-8964 (cell) [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:42 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS Hi Lee! Have your pictures posted. They are here: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/files/THROUGH_HOLE_CRACKS-1.jpg http://stevezeva.homestead.com/files/THROUGH_HOLE_CRACKS-2.jpg I have to let those that know more about plating than I do answer this one... Steve -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lee Whiteman Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:20 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] CRACKED ENIG PADS I have asked Steve to put up a pair of pictures I received. They are of cracks within the ENIG finish of a PWB. I know that the board failed, based on IPC-6011 and IPC-6012. My question is what would cause the cracking? Evidently, it is in the Nickel layer and the copper layer was not compromised. There was no evidence of a lack of bonding between the copper and the ENIG finish. These boards are fresh from the supplier. Just curious... Thanks in advance. Lee Whiteman, PMP Senior Member Engineering Staff L-3 Communications East Telephone: (856) 338-3508 FAX: (856) 338-2906 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------ This message is for the designated recipient only and may contain privileged, proprietary, or otherwise private information. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original. Any unauthorized use of this email is prohibited. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------ [mf2] --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== ==== == This email and any attachments thereto may contain private, confidential, and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, copying, or distribution of this email (or any attachments thereto) by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact [log in to unmask] immediately and permanently delete the original and any copies of this email and any attachments thereto. ======================================================================== ==== == --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------