The Challenge
Lead frames used in various electronic packages, such as capacitors, resistors, and integrated circuits (IC), are used to provide electrical interconnection between the die and the substrate. Some components may have one or two leads, while other packages such as IC chips can have hundreds. These lead frames are bonded using solder paste materials. As part of reliability testing, it is critical to test the bond strength of the lead at the solder joint, allowing you to better understand where failure occurs. Tensile testing can reveal the benefits of using various materials, such as gold, copper, etc., when developing new lead frames and final assemblies. Some of the most common challenges in tensile testing of lead frames include accurate gripping, alignment of the package or components, gripping of printed circuit boards (PCBs), and determining the failure location with real-time data.