IPC WP-012:2014-05-02

Lead-free electronics continues to be a concern of the aerospace, defense, and high performance products (ADHP) industries. This is primarily due to the lack of data and knowledge to: thoroughly categorize performance under harsh service conditions and provide a level of confidence in reliability assessments of Pb-free electronics equal to those for traditional tin-lead electronics. To help close the knowledge gap regarding the impact and risks associated with the implementation of Pb-free materials in electronics, this white paper explores key priority research areas: tin whisker failure modes, tin whisker risk mitigation, complex system logistics, and Pb-free interconnections. Each of the four research areas is further addressed across five product platforms: avionics, ground-based systems, missiles, space, and sea-based systems.