Solder Fortification® Preforms

Obtaining the correct amount of solder to ensure a strong solder joint is critical in electronics manufacturing. However, miniaturization trends, such as the reduction of stencil thickness and more tightly fitted components, make this increasingly difficult. Indium Solder Fortification preforms can provide the solution for these challenging issues. The preforms are generally rectangle- or disc-shaped pieces of alloyed metal that do not contain any flux. The preform is added to a deposit of solder paste using standard pick and place equipment. Since the alloy for both the preform and the solder paste are the same, the preform will reflow at the same temperature as the solder paste, with the solder paste providing the necessary flux. The preform increases the volume of solder above what could be achieved with just solder paste, especially for stencils with a pitch of 0.3 mm or less.