• Which coating strengths can APL apply?
• How is the coating measured?
• How fast can APL work on orders?
• How do you send the goods?
• How will the PCB's be packed by APL after the tinning process?
• Is APL able to tin strip already tin-coated PCB's?
• Which reasons speak for the refresh – process?
• Which solder resist is compatibly with the smarrtin® - process?
• Can PCB's with carbon print or peal able masking be tin-coated?
• Is smarttin® whisker free?
• Which processing time guarantees APL for smarttin®?
• Which surface quality must the copper have by delivery?
• Which surface contamination is measured after the smarttin® process?
• Is smarttin® due to durability and processing quality comparable with H.A.L.?
• How high are the cost comparison compared to chem. nickel/gold?

According to customer request and requirement we can raise 0.8 µm, 0.9 µm and 1.0 µm with cpk – value of 1,333. Coatings of 1.1 µm, 1.2 µm as well as 1.3 µm are also possible, here the smallest coating value is in each case the ordered coating. 

The coating is measured with a X-Ray – measuring instrument (Fisher XULM) without destruction and without comparison factors (Siemensconform).

APL sends as desired by the customer with all current services (UPS, DHL, DPD, FedEx, etc.). Our house service company is the company DPD if it is welcome, the special conditions valid for APL can be used.

How will the PCB's be packed by APL after the tinning process?

PCB's up to a size of approx. 400 mm x 400 mm are packed in an ecologically friendly PP- shrinking foil. Bigger formats are delivered for usual already in special transport racks or transport tubs. In general APL uses the same packing like with the delivery. With pleasure we consider special packaging wishes (neutral packing, labelling, etc.)

APL sends as desired by the customer with all current services (UPS, DHL, DPD, FedEx, etc.). Our house service company is the company DPD if it is welcome, the special conditions valid for APL can be used.

PCB's up to a size of approx. 400 mm x 400 mm are packed in an ecologically friendly PP- shrinking foil. Bigger formats are delivered for usual already in special transport racks or transport tubs. In general APL uses the same packing like with the delivery. With pleasure we consider special packaging wishes (neutral packing, labelling, etc.)

APL can't strip tin. Nevertheless, in most cases, to refresh an already tin-coated PCB, a tin strip process is not necessary at all. Refresh – process functions can be proved by the renewed separation from immersion tin on the already available tin („tin on tin – procedure“). However, basic mistakes in the tin coating cannot be eliminated to 100%. Should a strip process of miseries be necessary, we use our external service companies.

By refreshing, e. g. an overlaid, unsolder able PCB is transferred into a functioning state again. Light drying stains and discolorations are mainly removed. General mistakes in the tin coating as for example contamination or tin – Whisker require  a tin– striping of the first tin – coating if necessary. Then a new tinning is possible again, nevertheless, there is the danger by the stress of the solder resist mask. In such cases we always recommend a pretesting at our house.

According to experience all current solder resist of the companies Huntsman, Peter as well as Coates are continual, as long as these are applied manufacturer-compliant. With pleasure we also check the resistance of your product for you, within the process.

Carbon prints or masking lacquers can be processed easily. Maybe, according it lacquers must be processed default-defiantly (curing time). Here we recommend a small pre-order quantity.

By the application of a certain additive addition in the immersion tin – bath a whisker building is suppressed. The proof for this was already produced in 2003 by our Partner Atotech Deutschland GmbH in cooperation with well-known German industrial companies.

We guarantee with a coating strength of 1.0 µm (cpk = 1,333) a processing time of 12 months (warehouse conditions >15 °C to 30 °C with 75 % rel. humidity, bedewing of the printed circuit boards impossible).

The copper surfaces must be free of lacquer and solder mask as well as developer remains, oil, fat and condensate from the solder mask curing process. Very strong copper oxide shifts (violet-black discoloration) cannot be cleaned to 100 % and therefore are also to be avoided. Artificially generated copper oxide for the improvement of the solder resist mask adhesion (FerroEtch, MEC Etch Bond, etc.) can easily be removed in the two-stage pre-cleaning.

Depending on the used solder mask as well as their processing values from < 0.25 µg/cm² NaCl - recompense are measured. As a upper limit 1.56 µg/cm² NaCl – recompense is valid.

smarttin^® superior to the H.A.L. – surface in many points, in particular concerning the planarity of the surface. The heat stress on basis material as well as solder mask and a perhaps raised copper abrasion cannot appear process-conditional with smarttin^®.

By the extremely risen gold expenses the smarttin^® - surface is clearly inexpensive and therefore is able to substitute chem. nickel/gold surfaces, if no contact or bond applications are demanded.