ARINC Offers a Solder Verification Program for DoD Depots and Electronic Repair Facilities

February 22, 2007

Annapolis, Maryland—Because of new environmental rules on lead and other heavy metals, DoD manufacturers and supply chain managers urgently need to verify the solder composition on virtually all electronic parts and assemblies used in military and other high reliability applications. ARINC Engineering Services, LLC, today introduced a comprehensive, two-part solution.

ARINC is offering a portable hand-held analyzer package based on X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology to enable personnel with minimal training to positively identify unknown solder metallurgy in a few seconds. It can be used to rapidly inspect incoming orders and to verify replacement part inventories.

ARINC also offers a support program for military depot managers and electronic repair facilities that directly addresses techniques for avoiding the trouble-prone lead-free solders. Lead-free solders can grow “tin whiskers,” which may cause short circuits, degraded performance, or catastrophic failures.

“OEMs and electronic part manufacturers have switched to using lead-free solders to meet RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substances) requirements,” states Walt Tomczykowski, ARINC Director of Life Cycle Management. “Because of part number errors, incomplete replacement part marking, or even counterfeit parts, presence of lead-free solder is now a huge concern for the military and OEMs.”

ARINC’s solder verification program includes on-site evaluation of repair or depot procedures, personnel training, and assistance in modifying technical manuals. “We’ll come to the customer, examine their current procedures, and recommend ways to verify solder composition to eliminate the lead-free concern,” added Tomczykowski. For successful integration into depot processes, ARINC also helps to write standard operating procedures (SOPs) and technical order Changes related to this problem.

ARINC’s program includes a customized portable XRF Analyzer from Innov-X Systems. ARINC reliability engineers and metallurgists working with Innov-X have optimized the XRF Analyzer for quantitative analysis of solder composition in just seconds. The unit can also be programmed for pass-fail operation, to simplify parts inspection and reduce the possibility of human error.

Innov-X Systems of Woburn, MA, is a leader in X-ray fluorescence (XRF), with systems that perform fast, accurate chemical analysis in seconds to identify, differentiate, and quantify most materials by elemental composition. Innov-X pioneered hand-held XRF instrumentation using a miniature x-ray tube rather than radioactive isotopes. The company has R&D and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., offices in The Netherlands and Hong Kong, and maintains sales and service alliances in Canada, the Middle East, and Latin America. Service, installation, and training are available in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit the web site at www.innov-xsys.com.

ARINC Incorporated is the world leader in transportation communications and systems engineering. The company develops and operates communications and information processing systems and provides systems engineering and integration solutions to five key industries: airports, aviation, defense, government, and surface transportation. Founded to provide reliable and efficient radio communications for the airlines, ARINC is headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, and operates key regional offices in London and Singapore, with over 3,200 employees worldwide. ARINC is ISO 9001:2000 certified.

Release: 07-01

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