IPC J-STD-006B with Amendments 1 & 2

Requirements for Electronic

Grade Solder Alloys and
Fluxed and Non-Fluxed
Solid Solders for Electronic
Soldering Applications

Developed by the Solder Alloy Task Group (5-24c) of the Assembly

and Joining Processes Committee (5-20) of IPC

Supersedes:
J-STD-006B w/Amendment 1 October 2008
J-STD-006B - January 2006
Amendment 1 - June 2008
J-STD-006A - May 2001
J-STD-006 - January 1995
Amendment 1 - July 1996

Users of this standard are encouraged to participate in the

development of future revisions.
Contact:
IPC
3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309S
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1249
Phone (847) 615-7100
Fax (847) 615-7105

October 2009

IPC J-STD-006B with Amendments 1 & 2

Table of Contents
1

SCOPE AND CLASSIFICATION .............................. 1

1.1
1.2

Scope ................................................................... 1
Classification ....................................................... 1

1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
1.2.4
1.2.5
1.2.6

Alloy Composition .............................................

Alloy Impurity Level ..........................................
Solder Form ........................................................
Dimensional Characteristics ...............................
Flux Percentage and Metal Content ..................
Flux Classification ..............................................

1
1
1
1
1
1

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS .................................... 1

2.1
2.2

Joint Industry Standards ..................................... 1

International Standards Organization (ISO) ...... 2

2.3
2.4

IPC ...................................................................... 2
American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) ............................................................... 2

2.5
2.6
2.6.1*

Order of Precedence ........................................... 2

Terms and Definitions ........................................ 2
Acceptance Tests ................................................ 2

2.6.2
2.6.3
2.6.4
2.6.5*
2.6.6

Base Metal ..........................................................

Corrosion ............................................................
Density ................................................................
Dewetting ............................................................
Eutectic ...............................................................

2.6.7*
2.6.8

Flux ..................................................................... 2
Flux Characterization ......................................... 2

2.6.9
2.6.10
2.6.11
2.6.12
2.6.13
2.6.14*

Flux Residue .......................................................

Liquidus ..............................................................
Nonwetting ..........................................................
Solder ..................................................................
Solidus ................................................................
Wetting, Solder

2
2
2
2
2

2
2
2
3
3

3.4.6

Special Form Solder ........................................... 4

3.5
3.5.1
3.5.1.1
3.5.2
3.6
3.6.1
3.6.2

Fluxed Solder Characteristics ............................

Flux Cored Solder ..............................................
Spitting ................................................................
Flux Coated Solder .............................................
Flux Characteristics ............................................
Flux Percentage ..................................................
Flux Classification ..............................................

4
4
4
4
4
4
4

3.6.3
3.6.4
3.7
3.8

Solder Pool .........................................................

Flux Residue Dryness ........................................
Labeling for Product Identification ....................
Workmanship ......................................................

4
5
5
5

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS .................... 5

4.1

Responsibility for Inspection ............................. 5

4.2

Responsibility for Compliance ........................... 5

4.3

Quality Assurance Program ................................ 5

4.4

Categories of Inspections ................................... 5

4.4.1

Materials Inspection ........................................... 5

4.4.2

Qualification Inspections .................................... 5

4.4.3

Quality Conformance Inspections ...................... 5

4.5

Test Equipment and Inspection Facilities .......... 6

4.6

Inspection Conditions ......................................... 6

4.7

Inspection Routine .............................................. 6

4.8

Inspection Sampling ........................................... 6

4.9

Preparation of Solder Alloy for Test ................. 6

4.9.1

Flux Cored Solder .............................................. 6

4.9.2

Wire Solder Up to Approximately 6 mm

Diameter .............................................................. 6

4.9.3

Ribbon Solder and Other Wire Solder .............. 6

4.10

Failure ................................................................. 7

4.11

Inspection Reporting .......................................... 7

REQUIREMENTS ...................................................... 3
5

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY .............................. 7

3.1
3.2
3.3

Materials ............................................................. 3
Alloy Composition ............................................. 3
Alloy Impurities .................................................. 3

3.3.1

Variation D Alloys .............................................. 3

6.1

Selection .............................................................. 7

3.4

Solder Forms and Dimensional

Characteristics ................................................... 4

6.1.1

Alloys .................................................................. 7

3.4.1

Bar Solder ........................................................... 4

3.4.2

Wire Solder ......................................................... 4

6.1.1.2 Bismuth-Containing and BismuthBased Alloys ....................................................... 7

3.4.3

Ribbon Solder ..................................................... 4

6.1.1.3 Cadmium-Containing Alloys .............................. 7

3.4.4

Solder Powder

................................................. 4

6.1.1.4 Copper-Containing Alloys .................................. 7

3.4.5

Spheres ................................................................ 4

6.1.1.5 Gold Alloys ......................................................... 7

5.1
6

Preservation, Packing, and Packaging ............... 7

NOTES ....................................................................... 7

6.1.1.1 Antimony-Containing Alloys ............................. 7

IPC J-STD-006B with Amendments 1 & 2

6.1.1.6 Indium-Containing and IndiumBased Alloys .......................................................

6.1.1.7 Lead-Free Alloys ................................................
6.1.1.8 Silver-Containing Alloys ....................................
6.1.1.9 Tin-Silver-Copper Alloys with or
without Antimony ...............................................
6.2
6.2.1
6.2.2
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.3
6.4
6.5

Standard Solder Product Packages ....................

Wire and Ribbon Solders ...................................
Bar Solders .........................................................
Solder Powder ....................................................
Solder Spheres ....................................................
Standard Description of Solid
Solder Products ...................................................
Qualitative Test for the Presence of Lead .........
Labeling for Lead-Free and Leaded
Marking, Symbols and Labels ...........................

October 2009

7
7
8

8
8
8
8
8
8
8

Appendix B

Examples of Inspection Report

Format ................................................... 18

ii

Appendix B-4

Inspection Report for Solder

Powder ............................................... 21

Figures
Figure 6-1

Test Report for Solder Alloy

Composition and Impurity
Level .................................................. 18
Inspection Report for Fluxed
Wire/Ribbon Solder .......................... 19

Recommended Lead Free Marking Symbol .... 8

Tables
Table 4-1

Requirements and Inspection Routine ................ 6

Table A-1

Composition, and Temperature

Characteristics of Lead-free
Solder Alloys ..................................................... 10

Table A-2

Composition and Temperature

Characteristics of Common
Tin-Lead Alloys .................................................. 12

Table A-3

Composition and Temperature

Characteristics for Specialty (nonTin/Lead) Alloys ................................................. 14

Table A-4

Cross-Reference from Solidus and

Liquidus Temperatures to Alloy
Names by Temperature ..................................... 15

Table A-5

Cross-Reference from ISO 9453

Alloy Numbers and Designations
to J-STD-006 Alloy Names ............................... 17

Solder Alloys ........................................ 10

Appendix B-2

Inspection Report for NonFluxed Solder .................................... 20

Appendix A

Appendix B-1

Appendix B-3

October 2009

IPC J-STD-006B with Amendments 1 & 2

Requirements for Electronic Grade Solder Alloys

and Fluxed and Non-Fluxed Solid Solders
for Electronic Soldering Applications
1 SCOPE AND CLASSIFICATION
1.1 Scope This standard prescribes the nomenclature,
requirements and test methods for electronic grade solder
alloys; for fluxed and non-fluxed bar, ribbon, and powder
solders, for electronic soldering applications; and for special electronic grade solders. This is a quality control standard and is not intended to relate directly to the materials
performance in the manufacturing process. Solders for
applications other than electronics should be procured
using ASTM B-32.

This standard is one of a set of three joint industry standards that prescribe the requirements and test methods for
soldering materials for use in the electronics industry. The
other two joint industry standards are:
IPC/EIA J-STD-004

Requirements for Soldering Fluxes

IPC/EIA J-STD-005

Requirements for Soldering Pastes

Additionally, marking requirements for lead-free materials

and assemblies is addressed in this document by direct
application of text from IPC/JEDEC J-STD-609, LeadFree and Leaded Marking, Symbols and Labels (see 6.5).
Soldering alloys covered by this standard shall be classified by alloy composition and impurity
level, solder form and dimensional characteristics peculiar
to the solder form, flux percentage and flux classification,
if applicable. These classifications shall be used as part of
the standard description of solder products (see 6.3).
1.2 Classification

1.2.1 Alloy Composition The solder alloys covered by

this standard include, but are not limited to, the alloys
listed in Appendix A, including pure tin and pure indium.
Each alloy is identified by an alloy name, which is composed of a series of alphanumeric characters that identify
the component elements in the alloy by chemical symbol
and nominal percentage by mass.
1.2.2 Alloy Impurity Level The allowable impurity level
of the solder alloys covered by this standard is identified in
3.3. See 3.3.1 for the description of Variation D alloys. The
alloy variation letter D is added to the end of an alloy name
and becomes part of the alloys name.

1.2.3 Solder Form The forms of solder materials covered by this set of standards include paste (cream), bar,
powder, ribbon, wire and special electronic grade solders
which do not fully comply with the requirements of standard solder alloys and forms listed herein. Some examples
of special form solders are anodes, ingots, preforms, bars
with hook and eye ends, and multiple-alloy solder powders.
A single-letter identifying symbol as defined below may be
used.

P Paste (Cream)
B Bar
D Powder
R Ribbon W Wire
S Special
H Sphere
1.2.4 Dimensional Characteristics Standard bar solders
are further classified by unit mass. Wire solders are further
classified by wire size (outside diameter) and unit mass.
Ribbon solders are further classified by thickness, width
and unit mass. Powder solders are further classified by
powder particle size distribution and unit mass (see 3.4.1 to
3.4.5).
1.2.5 Flux Percentage and Metal Content The nominal
percentage of flux by mass in solid-form solder products
shall be specified. For solder paste products, metal content
shall be specified instead. Metal content refers to the
percentage of metal in solder paste by mass (see 3.4.1 to
3.4.5).
1.2.6 Flux Classification The material of composition,
activity level and halide content of fluxes covered by this
set of standards shall be specified according to IPC/EIA
J-STD-004.
2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The following documents form a part of this standard to

the extent specified herein. Unless a specific issue is cited
herein or in the contract or purchase order, the issue in
effect on the date of invitation for bids or request for proposal shall apply.
2.1 Joint Industry Standards1
IPC/EIA J-STD-004

Requirements for Soldering Fluxes

IPC/EIA J-STD-005

Requirements for Soldering Pastes

1. www.ipc.org