For many in the electronics assembly world solder paste is often treated as a near commodity item. However, from within the walls of a solder paste manufacturer it becomes quite obvious that it is a highly engineered and intricate material.
The simplest answer to the question “What is solder paste?” is “It is a mixture of powdered solder alloy suspended in a flux (vehicle).” But the real answer is deeper than that very cursory response.
Later, we will discuss these topics in detail:
- Alloy
- Powder
- Flux
- Mixing and Metal Loading
That grey “sludge” that you use for soldering did not come out of a tar pit deep in a jungle somewhere. It is a sophisticated material that requires intelligent engineering and chemistry, equipment and proper handling at all levels of manufacture
