Today we review the new IPC J-STD-006 Revision C, “Requirements for Electronic Grade Solder Alloys and Fluxed and Non-Fluxed Solid Solders for Electronic Soldering Applications.” J-STD-006C covers definitions, requirements and test methods for electronic grade solder and solder alloys. The solder may be fluxed and non-fluxed bar, ribbon, wire and powder solders or “special form” electronic grade solder.
IPC J-STD-006 is a quality control standard. It is used with J-STD-004, “Requirements for Soldering Fluxes,” and J-STD-005, “Requirements for Soldering Pastes.” It replaces the J-STD-006B from 2006, which is now obsolete. You can purchase your copy of the new standard from Document Center Inc. now.
This particular standard, along with J-STD-004 and J-STD-005, also replaced the old Federal Specification QQ-S-571 on electronic solder back in 1995. That was at the height of Mil Spec reform, so the 3 joint standards migrated the information from the domain of the federal government into industry oversight.
Of course you’ll want to know what the changes are to this new 22-page revision. IPC notes that the document has been modified to address “intentional additions to a solder alloy and impurities in the alloy.” And the changes have been made not only to the text, but also to the tables and appendices.
The standard was originally authored by 3 organizations: IPC, JEDEC, and ECA. It was numbered IPC/EIA J-STD-006. The J-STD designation meant that it was a Joint Standard, with JEDEC and ECA covered under the umbrella organization EIA (now disbanded). However, on this particular document, the past couple of revisions have been made by IPC alone.
And if you’re looking for a soldering spec that’s not used for electronics applications, why don’t you try the ASTM B32, “Standard Specification for Solder Metal”? It’s widely used as well, having replaced MIL-S-12204, AMS 4755 and AMS 4756.
The J-STD series is a mainstay of the Electronic Assemblies Industry. These publications have been modified in recent years to provide guidance for the use of materials impacted by the RoHs legislation in Europe and the move to lead-free electronics world-wide.
You can purchase your copies at the Document Center Inc. webstore, www.document-center.com. Or contact us for more information by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).
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