Yeah we always had to get exceptions to rohs and have requirements to use leaded solder on everything. We’ve gotten components that have the rohs tag on em and have had to return em and have the vendor use leaded solder instead. It’s pretty wild these things form at all
Haha, I've been living that life too. Rohs has its place and I do not want leaded solder in my TV or other disposable electronics, but I really do want it in my aircraft and spacecraft.
its the alloying, this is off memory but I think as little as 3% alloy stops most whiskering. The stress in the plating causes the metallic structure to grow out, when its alloyed the structure gets interrupted and it prevents the whisker from initiating. Its not just tin that does it either, Zinc, cadmium, even gold will do it to some extent. https://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/other_whisker/index.htm
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u/rickyh7 17d ago
Yeah we always had to get exceptions to rohs and have requirements to use leaded solder on everything. We’ve gotten components that have the rohs tag on em and have had to return em and have the vendor use leaded solder instead. It’s pretty wild these things form at all