Since the turn of the decade, the leaded vs lead-free solder debate has been ravaging behind the scenes in the electronic manufacturing industry. Which is the right solder to use? Well in this article we are going to explore this debate.
What are the differences between them?
Leaded solder is more cost-effective than lead-free solders because lead is much cheaper than alternative alloys. Lead is barely one-tenth the price of tin, making leaded solder easily affordable. Furthermore, some manufacturers replace tin with silver as their lead alternative in lead-free solders, making them even more expensive.
Generally, leaded solder is composed of tin and lead. The advantages of using leaded solder include: easier to bring to working temperature, shock resistant, and fewer internal flaws in the structure after cooled. However, lead material is harmful to the body as it’s readily absorbed.
Lead-free solder has a higher melting point at 217°C compared to 183°C for lead alloys. This makes lead-free solder more challenging to work with. The most common lead-free solder mix is tin-copper, which has a melting point of 217°C and mixes 99.3% tin with 0.7% copper. However, the main reason why manufacturers are shifting to the use of lead-free solder is to eradicate lead from electronic production and waste recycling processes.
So, to summarize, lead solder should be pretty safe for you to use, provided you take sensible precautions about ingestion. My own experience is that it is far easier to use than the non-leaded stuff. However, its use does increase the amount of lead in the environment, which applies mainly when the soldered equipment is thrown away at the end of its life.
AiXun, as an electronic manufacturing and soldering station supplier, offers a wide choice of solders.
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