Mechanical reliability of solder joints in PCBs assembled in surface mount technology

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the dependence of mechanical strength of solder joints on printed circuit boards from the soldering process parameters and operating conditions of the electronic device. Design/methodology/approach – The research was performed using the Taguchi method of planning of experiments. Evaluation of the quality of solder joints was made on the basis of microscopic observations, X-ray analysis and measurements of shear force of solder joints. Findings – The carried out research has shown the influence of the individual parameters of the soldering process on the mechanical strength of solder joints and the mechanism of damage of solder joints under the influence of shear force. Originality/value – The authors present results of their research using advanced techniques of experimental design and analysis of results. In this study, original approach was used to simulate the operational conditions of electronic devices including thermal imaging technology.