In using solder paste for circuit assemblies, one needs to test and understand the various rheological properties of a solder paste.ViscosityThe degree to which the material resists the tendency to flow. In-house testing is sometimes needed to judge the remaining usability of solder paste after a period of use.
Thixotropic index
Solder paste is thixotropic, meaning that its viscosity changes with applied shear force (such as stirring or spreading). The thixotropic index is a measure of the viscosity of the solder paste at rest, compared to the viscosity of "worked" paste. Depending upon the formulation of the paste, it may be very important to stir the paste before use, to ensure that the viscosity is appropriate for proper application. When solder paste is moved by the squeegee on the stencil, the physical stress applied to the paste causes the viscosity to drop, allowing the paste to flow easily through the apertures on the stencil. When the stress on the paste is removed, it regains its viscosity, preventing it from flowing on the circuit board.
Slump
The characteristic of a material's tendency to spread after application. Theoretically, the paste's sidewalls are perfectly straight after the paste is deposited on the circuit board, and it will remain like that until the part placement. If the paste has a high slump value, it might deviate from the expected behavior, as now the paste's sidewalls are not perfectly straight. A paste's slump should be minimized, as slump creates the risk of forming solder bridges between two adjacent lands, creating a short circuit.
Working life
The amount of time solder paste can stay on a stencil without affecting its printing properties.
Tack
Tack is the property of a solder paste to hold a component after the component had been placed by the placement machine. Hence, tack life is the critical property of solder pastes. It is defined as the length of time
that solder paste can remain exposed to the atmosphere without a significant change in tack properties. A solder paste with long tack life is more likely to provide the user with a consistent and robust printing process.Response-to-pause
Response-to-pause
(RTP) is measured by the difference in volume of solder paste deposition as a function of number of prints and pause time. A large variation in the print volume after a pause is unacceptable as this causes end of line defects such as shorts or opens. A good solder paste shows less variation in the volume of the prints after pause. However, another may show large variations and also an overall decreasing trend in volume.