IEC 62137-1-5-2009 PDF

Full title and description

Surface mounting technology — Environmental and endurance test methods for surface mount solder joints — Part 1-5: Mechanical shear fatigue test. This International Standard defines a mechanical shear-fatigue test method intended to evaluate the fatigue life and reliability of solder joints for area-array and similar surface-mount packages (for example BGA) by imposing cyclic shear deformation mechanically instead of relying on thermal cycling.

Abstract

The standard specifies test equipment, substrate and solder material requirements, mounting and reflow procedures, detailed test conditions (including pre-treatment and cyclic shear procedures), judging criteria for failure, and required test-report items. The method accelerates evaluation of solder-joint fatigue by mechanically cycling shear deformation on mounted components until solder-joint fracture, providing a surrogate for repeated temperature-change-induced strain.

General information

• Status: Published — International Standard (current / definitive as published by IEC).
• Publication date: 11 February 2009.
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 31.190 (Electronic component assemblies).
• Edition / version: Edition 1.0 (2009).
• Number of pages: 41 (IEC base publication).

Scope

Applies to surface-mount components with area-array or similar footprint arrangements (notably BGA-type packages) and to test assemblies mounted by normal reflow procedures. The method is intended to evaluate the endurance/fatigue life of the solder joint between component terminations and substrate lands by applying cyclic mechanical shear displacement to the joints until failure. It is presented as an alternative/accelerated method to temperature-cycling tests for assessing solder-joint reliability. The document defines required equipment, specimen preparation, test sequences, failure/judging criteria and reporting items.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of test equipment for mechanical shear fatigue (fixtures, actuators and displacement control) and a normative annex describing the required apparatus.
• Specification of test substrates and land geometries for representative mounting and fastening during test.
• Requirements for solder alloy, solder paste and reflow soldering process (mounting by reflow prior to mechanical cycling).
• Pre-treatment, cyclic test procedures (shear amplitude, frequency and number of cycles), and judging criteria for solder-joint fracture or functional failure.
• Reporting requirements: items to include in the test report (test conditions, specimen details, failure modes, cycle counts to failure, and any deviations).
• Items recommended for inclusion in product specifications to ensure reproducible and comparable testing across vendors and laboratories.

Typical use and users

Used by electronics manufacturers, reliability engineers, test laboratories, PCB and component suppliers, and quality/qualification teams to evaluate solder-joint endurance and to qualify materials, assembly processes and package designs (especially area-array/BGA). National and regional standards bodies have also adopted identical or equivalent texts (EN/UNE/BS adoptions), so the method is commonly used for compliance testing in procurement and qualification programs.

Related standards

This part (IEC 62137-1-5) is one element of the IEC 62137 series on environmental and endurance test methods for surface-mount solder joints; other related parts include pull strength (Part 1-1), shear strength (Part 1-2) and cyclic bending (Part 1-4), among others. The series also references common test-method and materials standards used in electronic assembly testing. Consult the IEC 62137 family listing and the individual part documents for cross-references and normative references.

Keywords

Surface mounting technology; solder joint; mechanical shear fatigue; BGA; area array; reliability testing; reflow soldering; endurance test; thermal-cycling surrogate; solder-joint fatigue.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 62137-1-5:2009 is an international test-method standard that specifies a mechanical shear-fatigue test to evaluate the fatigue life of surface-mount solder joints (especially for area-array packages such as BGA).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers required test equipment and materials, specimen mounting by reflow soldering, detailed test conditions and procedures for cyclic mechanical shear, judging criteria for failure, required items in test reports, and items to include in product specifications; a normative annex describes the mechanical shear fatigue test equipment.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Reliability engineers, assembly/test laboratories, component and board manufacturers, procurement/qualification teams, and standards bodies that adopt or reference IEC test methods. It is used during R&D, process qualification and failure-analysis activities.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The IEC base publication date is 11 February 2009 (Edition 1.0). The IEC entry lists a stability/maintenance date indicating the publication was to remain unchanged until its maintenance date (stability date shown in IEC catalogue data). Users should check with the IEC catalogue or their national standards body for any amendments or revisions beyond the 2009 edition.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it forms part of the IEC 62137 series (Surface mounting technology — Environmental and endurance test methods for surface mount solder joints), which includes other mechanical and environmental test parts such as pull strength (1-1), shear strength (1-2) and cyclic bending (1-4).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Surface mounting technology; mechanical shear fatigue; solder joint reliability; BGA; area array; reflow; endurance testing; test equipment; failure criteria.