This evaluation procedure is written to provide USER's of ICs of small surface mount packages with a method to evaluate the capability of a component to withstand full wave solder immersion.

Typically packages capable of full body solder immersion (wave solder immersion) board attach have pitch greater than 0.5 mm. There is only limited demonstrated capability to survive full body (wave solder) immersion attach for QFP and/or packages with bodies larger than 5.5 mm x 12.5 mm (or die paddle size greater than 2.5 mm x 3.5 mm). Packages with limited or no data for capability demonstration should not be wave soldered.

The capability of a package for full body immersion is strongly affected by structure. Large body packages may have reliability and quality problems induced by such a board attach method. Die and paddle sizes, as well as wavesolder conditions (board size, package profile, speed, part density, etc.), are some of the factors that modulate quality and reliability problems.

If wave solder immersion results in a different Moisture Sensitivity Level than the J-STD-020 solder reflow level specified by the supplier, the user must take appropriate precautions to ensure that new floor life is not exceeded during the user's manufacturing processes.

The purpose of this test method is to identify the potential wave solder classification level of small plastic Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) that are sensitive to moisture-induced stress so that they can be properly packaged, stored, and handled to avoid subsequent mechanical damage during the assembly wave solder attachment and/or repair operations. This test method also provides a reliability preconditioning sequence for small SMDs that are wave soldered using full body immersion.

This test method, may be used by users to determine what classification level should be used for initial board level reliability qualification.