Is there a drop-in replacement for the traditional SnPb solder?
A11. No, you will have to change your process to some degree. The choice is not necessarily straightforward, and will depend on the application, thermal and temperature factors, assembly technology, component thermal sensitivity, service life, volume, cost etc. However, there is an increasing consensus for using the SnAgCu family of alloys for many applications for both reflow and wave soldering. Many data are available on their performance, most research on lead-free alloys for mass soldering has focused on them, and we recommend their use. But there are certain implications mainly regarding the higher soldering temperatures required (245-260 deg C). At these higher temperatures there may be issues of component stability, assembly equipment robustness, materials stability etc.
