If you desire to tin lead plate the fingers, probally the whole board would be tin/lead plated. The problem with tin/lead plate for an SMT board is the soldermask. One of the main advantages of HASL is you can use soldermask in conjuction with it much easier. This is because with HASL the soldermask is put on prior to HASL. For a Tin/Lead plated board the soldermask is put on after tin/lead plate. Thus normally on a Tin/Lead plated board if you use soldermask the soldermask will be over tin lead. This is usually considered a problem for several reasons, the main of which is that soldermask doesn't like to stick to tin lead during reflow at the assy house. To put soldermask on a tin/lead plated board properly you need to first strip the tin lead from the circuitry you want covered with soldermask. This selective strip process can be done by many PCB suppliers, but at a premium, usually about 5% of board cost. The plus side of a tin/lead plated surface is much more consistant and level than HASL. A example of when it is used is board for TAB components. TAB devices require a very controlled amount of tin/lead on the TAB footprint. Most assembly houses needing to bond TAB components to boards require tin/lead plated boards with selective striping of tin/lead where the soldermask is. Another disadvantage of tin/lead plated board is it is slightly more difficult to etch a tin/lead plated board. For tin/lead plated boards the tin/lead serves as a etch resist. The tin/lead is typically about a half a mil thick. This leads to a shadow effect at etch. HASL boards usually use a much thinner tin plating as a etch resist with less shadow. Surface finish for contact fingers and for component mounting is such a critical part of a PCB I wonder if the IPC would consider (if they haven't already) making a Surface Finish specifation listing all of the available types of finishes with their advantanges and disadvantages. Hope this helps, [log in to unmask] Dell Computer ----------------------------------------------------------------- FROM: BRUCE HOUGHTON 27/552/844/TOR *** Resending note of 05/11/95 11:12 Phone (416) 448-5701 Tie 778-5701 Subject: Tin/lead plating vs HAL Doug, Tin/lead plated (and reflowed) tabs over nickel will give a very consistent and controlled thickness of solder over the tabs. HASL is difficult to control for both thickness and uniformity. Tin/lead plate and reflow tabs may cost a little more. Bruce Houghton Celestica, Inc