How does your ability to fine tune solder volume help increase your process efficiency and product performance?

ALPHA® Exactalloy® solder preforms address a wide variety of soldering challenges, including PBC assembly, automotive sub-assemblies, connectors and terminals, die attach, power module substrate attach, filtered connectors, and electronic component assembly.

Custom-designed shapes, sizes, alloys and flux types

ALPHA® Exactalloy® Preform Selection Criteria

Size/Shape: Custom designed sizes and shapes provide exact solder volume for specific applications, aiding the assembly process.

Flux Type: Based on the specific application, fluxes can be integrated with an Exactalloy® preform. Our applications engineers can help you select a flux that meets all applicable IPC standards. Color-coded fluxes are available for easy identification.

Key ALPHA® Exactalloy® Preform Applications

ALPHA Exactalloy Preforms in solder paste.

Solder Washers for PCB Assembly: ALPHA® Exactalloy® Preform solder washers provide you with an ideal method of not only delivering the precise solder volume and flux needed for through-hole connections, but they also eliminate the need for secondary solder processes. The preform solder washer can be placed on the connector pin during PCB assembly using pick and place equipment. Solder washers can also be integrated into production using various fixturing methods. The connector pins are then reflow soldered at the same time as the solder paste.

Bare pins, washers in place pre-reflow, post-reflow

Solder-Copper Laminates: For applications that require laminated preforms, we offer solder/copper/solder laminates in washer, square, rectangular and disc shapes. A wide variety of alloys is feasible.

Fuse Alloys: The combination of the precise solder volume and a specific melt temperature provides a fuse function, such as required in fire suppression systems. In addition to the very precise fuse function enabled by eutectic or near eutectic alloys, the solder can provide mechanical strength for the assembly. Cookson is leading the industry in cost effective solutions.

Solder Sleeves: Cookson’s patented manufacturing methods provide the vast majority of the industry's volume for solder sleeves used in solder-based wire harness connectors. These products are the life blood of aeronautic, marine and specialty vehicles. The end products provide vibration resistant and moisture proof interconnection solutions. Ask about plans to support RoHS and ELV compliant offerings.

Solder Ribbon: Cookson’s high quality solder ribbon product offering provides the flexibility to integrate custom solder preforms into your product with your specialized material cutting and handling equipment, ensuring a cost-effective approach for high volume production.

Die Attach: Typically provided in high lead alloys, contaminate free solder materials – combined with Cookson process knowledge and expertise – offer a highly reliable die attach solution for demanding power applications. Our continuous R&D efforts in this area are providing new capabilities, further enhancing the cost performance of die attach solutions.

Substrate Attach: The heart of the power module that drives reliability is the DBC substrate. Cookson offers the highest performance high Sn alloys in the industry for the most demanding, highest reliability substrate to heat spreader attach. Ask about our newest alloy offering that extends system reliability.

Flexible Packaging Options: Packaging options are available to meet a variety of applications and assembly equipment requirements and are designed to maximize customer process efficiency. High-speed preform placement can be implemented using preforms packed on tape and reel, or in bulk feeder cartridges. Cookson also offers an assortment of trays, and bulk packaging options. Argon packaging is available for specific alloys.

Tape and reel

* Rosin Superactivated

Available Flux Types: Flux is a critical element in the solder system. Cookson offers the widest variety of flux types to meet the most demanding applications, including color indicators for identification of RoHS versions on the shop floor. Ask us about how our resilient flux is expanding the range of potential solutions available for your application.

Cookson has a great deal of experience developing specialty shapes. Please contact your sales representative to learn more about how we can support your unique preform shape requirements.

* Typical specifications shown, other dimensions available upon request.