What is component tinning and retinning?

Component tinning and retinning is the process of applying a fresh solderable finish to the leads or terminations of electronic components. It is used to restore solderability on aged or oxidized parts, change lead finishes for RoHS or high-reliability requirements, and prepare components for assembly. AAA Engineering & Test Lab performs these services for semiconductors and electronic components, not for dental, plumbing, or other non-electronics applications.

When should I use retinning services?

Retinning is recommended when component leads show signs of oxidation, discoloration, or poor wetting during solderability testing, or when devices have been in storage for an extended period. It is also used when lead finishes must be changed to meet specific process requirements, such as converting RoHS-compliant parts to tin/lead for aerospace and defense soldering processes.

Can AAA handle RoHS and tin/lead lead finish conversions?

Yes. AAA Engineering & Test Lab can support both RoHS to SnPb and SnPb to RoHS-compatible conversions where appropriate. The process is designed to provide a controlled, repeatable lead finish that is compatible with the target assembly process and reliability requirements, often in conjunction with screening and solderability testing.

How does tinning and retinning support reliability and assembly yield?

By restoring and standardizing the lead finish, tinning and retinning help reduce non-wet opens, cold joints, and other solderability-driven defects. This improves assembly yields, extends the usable life of stored inventory, and supports reliable performance in aerospace, defense, space, medical electronics, automotive, and industrial applications.

Tinning & Retinning

Tinning and Retinning Services

Accuracy. Reliability. Expertise.

At AAA Engineering & Test Lab, we enable your electronics programs to achieve optimal component reliability through specialized tinning and retinning services. Tinning involves applying a thin solder layer to component leads for corrosion protection and solderability, originating from early electronics manufacturing to enhance assembly.

Retinning, a rework process, restores or converts finishes, often to address obsolescence or compliance needs. The RoHS directive, enacted in the EU as 2002/95/EC and enforced July 1, 2006, restricts hazardous substances like lead (Pb) to 1000 ppm per homogeneous material, prompting a shift to lead-free finishes like SAC305 to reduce environmental impact.[1] However, the military and aerospace sectors are exempt under RoHS Article 2(4), often preferring leaded SnPb finishes (e.g., Sn63Pb37) for superior durability, longevity, and resistance to tin whiskers in extreme conditions, as noted in DoD SD-22 guidance.[2] NASA and ECSS standards similarly endorse SnPb for space applications due to proven performance under thermal cycling and vibration.[3]

Our inspection team performs the tinning and retinning process and validation techniques in compliance with GEIA-STD-0006, IPC J-STD-001, and MIL-STDs. We retin parts to both RoHS-compliant (lead-free) and leaded SnPb finishes, addressing military exemptions and high-reliability needs while ensuring solderability and compliance. This historical framework underpins our services, bridging RoHS requirements with defense preferences to mitigate risks in your supply chain.

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Tinning and Retinning Capabilities

Performed in an ISO 9001/AS9100-calibrated, ANSI ESD S20.20-compliant lab environment:

BGA Reballing: Converts BGA packages to SnPb or lead-free finishes, per IPC-7711/7721.
Hot Solder Dip Tinning: Applies RoHS-compliant (e.g., SAC305) or SnPb (e.g., Sn63Pb37) finishes via hand-dipping, per GEIA-STD-0006 and IPC J-STD-001 Class 3.
Material Composition Analysis: Validates lead content using XRF or SEM/EDS, per JESD22-B101 or MIL-STD-883 Method 2018.
Solderability Testing: Verifies wetting and adhesion of tin finishes, per JESD22-B102 or MIL-STD-883 Method 2003.
Tin Whisker Mitigation: Applies SnPb finishes to reduce whisker risks, per SD-22 and GEIA-STD-0005.

Applications

Obsolescence Management: Converts RoHS-compliant parts to SnPb for avionics and defense systems.
Military and Aerospace Compliance: Ensures SnPb finishes for reliability in satellites and radar systems.
Supply Chain Flexibility: Provides lead-free tinning for medical, industrial, automotive, and consumer electronic components.
Component Qualification: Validates finishes for QML programs and high-reliability applications.

References

European Union. “Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS).” Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02002L0095-20170901.
U.S. Department of Defense. “SD-22: Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) Guidebook” (2022). Available at: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/LogisticsOperations/DMSMS/SD-22_DMSMS_Guidebook.pdf.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. “Tin Whisker Homepage” (ongoing). Available at: https://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/.

Why Customers Choose AAA Engineering

American Owned: We are 100% American owned, and operated by veterans of the US Air Force, US Army, US Marines, and US Navy.
Proven Expertise: 15+ years of upscreening and component data.
Technical Authority: Skilled in MIL-STD, NASA, and AS6171 standards.
Certified Excellence: ISO/IEC 17025, AS6081, AS6171, ISO 9001/AS9100, ANSI/ESD S20.20, ITAR-registered.
Trusted Results: Transparent, traceable data logs for reliability.
Scalable Solutions: Supports prototype to production volumes.

Contact us to develop a tailored chemical test plan for your components

Certifications

Industries Served

Aerospace & Defense

Ensuring electronics within weapon systems and battlefield assets performs under the absolute harshest, most demanding conditions, every time.

Space & Satellite

Achieve mission success with expert space & satellite component testing that guarantees reliability in radiation and thermal extremes.

Medical

Guarantee medical components are safe with thorough component testing for regulatory compliance, reliability and effectiveness.

Automotive

Driving reliability and compliance through our comprehensive automotive component testing services

Industrial

Ensure your equipment is reliable with industrial component testing that boosts uptime, improves efficiency, enhances critical operations

Consumer Electronics

Avoid counterfeit risks, guarantee product performance, and deliver products to market with high confidence through robust testing