Tin Whisker Mitigation on New and Stored Parts

摘要

When mitigating and managing tin whisker risk, consider two distinct points in the product cycle. One is a new system with zero-storage life. Another (often overlooked) point is the time spent in storage before active service begins. There can be a loss of service life and an increase in system failures caused by tin whiskers that grow while a system is in storage prior to activation. This affects spare parts, backup systems and repair parts. The risk of failure with tin whiskers is usually associated with Sn-coated parts, Pb-free solders and components. If the assembly does not have pure tin component finishes and uses eutectic SnPb solder, tin whiskers are not usually a concern.