Testing Protocol
Industry standard defining the thermal cycling requirements for qualifying the reliability of surface mount solder joints on printed circuit boards. Qualification under ipc-9701 requires subjecting test vehicles to specific temperature ranges such as zero to one hundred degrees Celsius for thousands of cycles. Continuity monitoring during the test detects the exact moment of solder joint fatigue.
The standard provides several different test conditions based on the intended end use environment.
Cycle Parameter
Temperature ramp rates and dwell times are strictly controlled to ensure the repeatability of the experiment. Following the ipc-9701 guidelines ensures that the mechanical strain on the solder bumps is consistent across different test laboratories. Solder alloy composition determines the resistance of the joint to cyclic fatigue.
Sample Construction
Boards used for testing according to ipc-9701 must follow specific design rules regarding pad size and dielectric material. Daisy-chained components allow the test equipment to monitor hundreds of individual connections simultaneously. Failure is defined as a specific increase in electrical resistance.
Data Interpretation
Weibull distribution plots help engineers interpret the results of the ipc-9701 testing to predict the life expectancy of the product. Slope and characteristic life parameters indicate whether the failure mechanism is consistent across the sample set. Such analysis informs the choice of solder alloys for demanding applications.