Message: 3
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 11:39:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: David Griffith <dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu>
Subject: trace wrinkles
I haven't heard anyone discuss this yet: what causes traces on some old
PCBs to wrinkle and not others? My guess is a combination of suboptimal
glue and wide temperature swings.
Caused by the hot air solder levelling process when a manufacturer skips a
process or has the process order slightly out.
The solder should only be deposited on the component pads, but some
manufacturers used to put the solder on before the silk screen, then level
the board. The solder melts during levelling and aggregates under the mask
forming the "wrinkles".
It should be - silk screen, apply tin/lead to pads, level.
It can be - tin/lead, silk screen, mask, level.
but if its - apply tin/lead, silk screen, level - you get wrinkles.
Wrinkles became less prevalent as tin/lead material costs went up, does not
happen now as tin/lead here (UK) is banned except for special applications.