What is Solder?
Soldering is a method for joining two metal components using an alloy with a lower melting point, called solder. The technique is vastly used in electronics on printed circuit boards (PCBs), as the metal connection allows for current flow.
In the recent past, companies used alloys containing lead solder because of their desirable properties, such as:
- low melting temperatures;
- good ductility; and
- high wettability (the ability of the solder to spread on a solid surface).
However, as concrete evidence emerged surrounding health and environmental concerns, manufacturers sought alternatives to lead-based alloys.