Electroless tin

Elprint's standard surface finish is electroless tin.
After participating over the past decade in the development of alternatives to the traditional HAL finish, we see numerous benefits of replacing that process with electroless tin, including:

• Planar surface improves assembly of surface mount components
• Compliance with national and international requirements for lead-free electronics
• Elimination of environmental hazards due to lead in the factory and process wastewater
• Established soldering methods (for HAL and Ni/Au) can be used with electroless tin without change
• No need for new joint reliability analysis, since no new elements are introduced to the solder joint
• No reduction in surface insulation resistance
• Boards are no longer subjected to the thermal stresses incurred in the HAL process
• Elimination of short circuits and uneven solder distribution inherent in the HAL process

In general, electroless tin should be treated in the same manner as for electroless nickel/immersion gold finish.