Are lead-free solder alternatives going to be a “realtime” test of their abilities in the semiconductor industry?
The lead-free alternatives currently being proposed are not “tried and true,” and it looks like their use will be a realtime test. While the opportunity to go about employing lead-free alternatives in a systematic manner still exists, I do not see people doing this; many people seem to be waiting for somebody else to develop the solutions so that they can then implement them. This “wait-and-see” attitude is going to result in a lot of companies ending up doing realtime testing of alternative solders. Will the elimination of lead-free materials, such as solder, result in higher prices? I do not think the elimination of lead will result in price increases. The adoption of past initiatives-such as the elimination of ozone-depleting chemicals-has not resulted in price increases. If price increases, as a result of the adoption of lead-free alternatives do take place, this will be due to the lack of a proper development program with the resulting reduction in reliability. What industry segme
