Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are essential to support autonomous driving and have high requirements for computing performance. The reliability of the electronics hardware is critical to long-term functionality, making Henkel’s 90iSC high reliability alloy essential to solder joint stability for safety critical components.
Highly integrated ADAS domain controllers, with centralised engine control units (ECUs), are the brain of the system receiving data from cameras, lidar, ultrasonic sensors and radars for perception and fast safety critical decision making. As with other automotive electronic components, the design of ADAS control units is challenged by weight and footprint, making miniaturisation of components increasingly important. Non-lead packages, packages without leads or pins sticking out of the side, contribute to optimising the component footprint on a printed circuit board (PCB). Henkel states it can be optimised from 40% to 80% by changing from standard packages to non-lead packages.
Conventional tin-silver-copper (SAC) lead-free solder paste materials are not able to meet the requirements of applications in ADAS reports Henkel. That is why it joined together with partners to create the 90iSC alloy. The creep resistance and tensile strength of the 90iSC alloy surpasses targets of SAC and SnPb (tin-lead) alloys at all measured strain rates and temperatures, maintaining a stable grain structure and ensuring assemblies are more robust preventing electrical failures.
Automotive solder joints should be designed to be as reliable as possible, because they play a central role in keeping the driver, passengers and pedestrians safe. Each solder joint must provide reliable electrical conductivity and mechanical fixation. Henkel has found some designers raise concerns about the reliability of the solder joints as non-lead packages expand under thermal stress and shear strain forces may originate micro cracks at the interconnection.
Henkel offers a complete range of Loctite solder paste solutions capable of exceeding the challenges of harsh environments for safety critical electronic applications. These products are also compliant with the automotive engineering test MS184-01 for high stress components.
