Rob Rowland of Axiom Electronics

PCB (printed circuit board) surface finishes provide several important functions, the most important being solderability protection. The ideal PCB surface finish does not exist today. Every surface finish has some concerns that keep it from being the ideal finish. Surface finish selection has become more challenging as PCBA (printed circuit board assembly) complexity has increased (e.g. fine pitch components, BGAs, use of less active fluxes, etc.).
 
A PCB surface finish must be compatible enough with the assembly processes and end-use application (i.e. product reliability) to achieve acceptable results. The end-user must select the best overall surface finish for compatibility with their assembly processes and end-use application (e.g. consumer products or space applications). This is not an easy task because there are so many variables. Each variable must be understood to achieve good soldering results and the desired level of reliability.
 
This presentation will provide users with a basic overview of the common surface finishes, their advantages, and disadvantages, and some key assembly and reliability attribute to keep in mind when selecting a surface finish. During the presentation, we will also go through a decision matrix that can be used to select the appropriate surface finish based on assembly and end-user requirements.

Biography:

Rob Rowland is the Operations Engineering Manager at Axiom Electronics in Hillsboro, Oregon. Rob has over 35 years of experience with surface mount manufacturing technology. Rob was the Technical Program Director of SMTA International for 20 years. He is a recipient of the SMTA Founders Award and the SMTA Member of Technical Distinction Award. Rob is also an active member of numerous IPC committees including IPC-7095, IPC-7093, and IPC-7530. He is a frequent speaker at industry trade events. He received a BS Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Weber State University.

Address:Hillsboro, Oregon, United States