ASTM B678-86(1993)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: B 678 – 86 (Reapproved 1993)
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
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Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Test Method for
Solderability of Metallic-Coated Products
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 678; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 4. Significance and Use
1.1 This test method provides a procedure for evaluating the 4.1 In order that a sound solder joint be formed simply and
solderability of metallic-coated products and test specimens to quickly in a production operation, the molten solder must
assure satisfactory performance in manufacturing processes readily wet and spread over the surfaces of the products being
requiring soldering with soft (tin-lead) solder and rosin flux. joined. For this to happen, the surfaces must be clean or be
This test method is applicable only for testing coatings that are soiled only with contaminants that are easily removed by an
normally readily solderable such as: tin, tin-lead alloy, silver, appropriate flux. It often is necessary that the flux be only
and gold. strong enough to remove the normally occurring soils. A more
1.2 This test method is qualitative and broadly applicable. It aggressive flux may corrode the product and have other
is easy to perform and requires only simple equipment. There harmful effects. Nonactivated rosin in alcohol is the standard
are other solderability tests not covered by this test method that flux used in this test method; however, provision is made for
are more applicable to specific situations, yield quantitative the use of other fluxes. Since rosin is a mild flux, it provides
results, or both. Several are described in the literature. This is better discrimination between acceptable and unacceptable
a “go-no-go” test and does not grade solderability as excellent, solderability in marginal cases than do more active fluxes.
good, fair, etc. 4.2 Metallic coatings are frequently used to provide solder-
1.3 This standard may involve hazardous materials, opera- able surfaces. But, an improperly produced coating may not
tions, and equipment. This standard does not purport to yield the required solderability. There are many coating defects
address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is that cause poor solderability including porosity, codeposited
the responsibility of whoever uses this standard to consult and impurities, incorrect thickness, and surface contamination. It
establish appropriate safety and health practices and deter- may be difficult or impractical to test a coating directly for each
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. of the undesirable conditions. In these instances solderability is
tested. Products that pass the solderability test can be expected
2. Referenced Documents
to solder satisfactorily in production. In the case of failure to
2.1 ASTM Standards:
pass the test, the test results will not reveal the cause of the
B 32 Specification for Solder Metal inadequate solderability, though, with experience, an operator
D 509 Test Methods of Sampling and Grading Rosin
may be able to identify the cause.
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water 4.3 This test method measures the ability of a coated
product to be soldered with 60/40 tin/lead solder using a
3. Summary of Test Method
nonactivated rosin flux. This solder and this flux, or an
3.1 The specimen to be tested is coated with rosin flux,
activated form of it, are generally used in the assembly of
dipped briefly into molten tin-lead solder, and examined for
electronic products.
complete and uniform coverage by the solder. When specifi-
4.4 It is intended that the tested specimens be components
cally required, the specimens are artificially aged before testing
of electronic products or articles with the same general shape
by exposure to hot, humid air.
and mass. Articles that are much more massive than this will
heat up too slowly during the solder immersion. If more
massive specimens are to be tested, a longer immersion time
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B-8 on Metallic
will have to be used, the time to be determined by experiment.
and Inorganic Coatingsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B08.10on
4.5 If the specimen tested is longer than 25 mm, its bottom
General Test Methods.
Current edition approved January 31, 1986. Published March 1986. end will be in the solder for significantly longer than the
Long, J. B., “A Critical Review of Solderability Testing,” in Properties of
specified time. Therefore, if the specimen is longer than 25
Electrodeposits, Their Measurement and Significance, edited by Richard Sard,
mm, the results obtained at the bottom end of the specimen are
Henry Leidheiser, Jr., and Fielding Ogburn, The Electrochemical Society, 1975.
invalid. This part of the specimen shall be discounted in the
Harding, W. B., “Solderability Testing,” Plating, Vol 52, No. 10, October 1965,
pp. 971–981.
evaluation of the results. A second set of tests can be run on
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.04.
additional specimens in which the specimens are only partly
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.03.
immersed. These would be used to evaluate the bottom ends.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
B 678
5. Flux specimens are from 50 to 100 mm above the surface of the
boiling water. Arrange the cover of the vessel and the con-
5.1 The flux shall be a 25 6 5 mass % solution of
denser, if used, so that the condensed water does not drip onto
water-white rosin, as defined by Methods D 509, Grade WW,
the specimens.
dissolved in isopropyl alcohol of a minimum purity of 99
8.4 Remove the aged specime
...