Re-tinning of heavily oxidised contacts
Retinning oxidised connection surfaces, also known as 'refreshing', is particularly important for costly or obsolete components that are no longer available. These components often show advanced oxidation due to long storage periods, which significantly impairs solderability.
To restore wettability, the pins or connections of the affected components are immersed in a solder bath. This process uses suitable fluxes to dissolve the oxide layers and enable uniform re-coating. Preheating the components before immersion prevents thermal stresses and protects them from damage.
Features:
- After tinning, the physical integrity of the housing and the geometry of the connections are inspected and corrected if necessary. This process can be carried out manually or fully automatically, in accordance with the GEIA-STD-0006 standard.
- Process reliability is verified by measuring dynamic wettability through random sampling. For this purpose, a specially developed high-precision scale is used. Additionally, electrical function tests can be performed to ensure the components are fully operational.
- This process provides an effective solution to component obsolescence. Reusing older components that were originally unsolderable reduces costs and avoids long development or qualification cycles.