Tin plating

Tin plating is common on electric conductors and has historically been used within the food industry since it is harmless for people and animals. Tin layers are solderable, and the layer is ductile (bendable). The development associated with electrification has led to an increase in plating with tin, for example plating with nickel/tin on aluminum due to its conductivity and solderability. Other reasons for choosing tin as a plating method is its corrosion resistance, good adhesion, and its lubricating characteristics.

It is possible to achieve a tin layer with different plating methods; electroplating, electroless (autocatalytic) plating or hot-dipping. At Provexa we use electroplated tin. There are also different types of tin layers. Primarily, a distinction is usually made between matte tin plating and bright tin plating. These different types of tin have different characteristics. Bright tin plating is most commonly used for contacts, busbars or terminals that should not be soldered, since it is more durable. For products that should be soldered, matte tin plating is often recommended since it is free from brighteners.

With tin plating for electronic components there is a risk that whiskers are formed on the surface. This could cause problems for the function of the detail. There are many factors that contribute to the formation of whiskers, but there are strategies that are applicable to minimize the risk for this.

When plating with tin it is common to use a barrier layer of another metal underneath the tin layer. This is especially used for materials that contains zinc, such as for example brass. The most commonly used barrier layers when plating with tin is copper or nickel