AWS SHB PDF

Preface

The perception of soldering as a mature technology has been replaced over the past several years with an increased appreciation for the science and engineering principles that underlie the successful implementation of this joining technique. Recent efforts to understand soldering technology have come about largely on the heels of the electronics revolution, since soldering remains as the primary assembly technique for electronic component packaging and printed circuit board products. However, the narrow spotlight on electronics applications has expanded as technologists consider soldering processes for a wider range of structural applications.

At present, several excellent textbooks are available on the topic of soldering. However, those references have targeted primarily electronics applications. It became apparent to the American Welding Society and, in particular, the AWS C3 Committee on Brazing and Soldering, that there is a growing need for a more generalized resource on soldering technology. It was also recognized that such a text should be written so as to be readily understood by individuals having a wide range of backgrounds; from the field assemblers and furnace operators to the engineering staff and technical managers. The opportunity to create such a text coincided with plans to revise the AWS Soldering Manual. The result of this effort is the Soldering Handbook.

The Soldering Handbook is constructed with the following eight general topics:

1. Fundamentals of Soldering Technology; 2. Solder Materials; 3. Substrate Materials; 4. Fluxes; 5. Solder Pastes; 6. Assembly Processes; 7. Inspection Techniques for Product Acceptance and Process Optimization; and 8. Environmental, Safety, and Health. Thorough discussions are provided in each of the major topical areas, including important principles on materials and processing as well as handy access to tabulated properties data. The text is formatted to serve as a reference book; therefore, some information is duplicated in order to assure a clarity of discussion within each section. The handbook also provides a substantial reference section at the end of the text which lists sources of information for those individuals wishing additional details on specific topics.

It is the author’s goal that the information provided in this handbook will allow soldering technology to be more fully utilized in advanced structural joining applications, as well as to enhance its continued use as a critical assembly technology for the electronics industry.