Tin Whiskers 101: 2019

Tin whiskers continue to be a major concern in electronics assembly. This paper will firstly give an explanation of tin whiskers and their formation. Secondly, it will summarize their potential risks and mitigation techniques. A description of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as a technique to assess tin whisker risk, for a given technology, will be then be discussed. This paper will conclude with a discussion of tin whisker reliability strategies for consumer and mission critical products. At the end of the presentation, attendees will have all of the basic relevant information to develop an effective tin whisker strategy.