How Fraser Technologies transitioned our client to KOKI's BIG Series solder paste to improve soldering performance and reduce silver-related costs.
Our client has been designing and manufacturing lighting solutions for more than four decades. From its beginnings as a small supplier of component spare parts to the solarium market in 1984, the company has evolved into a specialist manufacturer of both standard and fully bespoke lighting solutions.
With extensive manufacturing capabilities under one roof, they maintain end-to-end control over its production processes. Its facilities include automated laser cutting and panel bending, turret punch presses, CNC press brakes, 3D printing, powder coating and a fully automated surface-mount device (SMD) assembly line. This in-house capability enables our client to maintain exceptional quality while delivering cost-effective solutions to demanding timescales.
As part of its electronics manufacturing operation, they use SMD production to assemble circuit boards, primarily incorporating LEDs in a range of sizes and colours.
However, the company was experiencing voiding and soldering issues with its existing solder paste. At the same time, increasing costs associated with silver-containing solder pastes made finding a suitable alternative commercially important.
Fraser Technologies was approached after the company researched alternatives on the internet, to help them find the right solder paste for its SMT boards; one that could improve soldering performance, address the existing voiding issues and provide a more cost-conscious alternative.
A specialist manufacturer of both standard and fully bespoke lighting solutions.
The Challenge: Soldering Performance and Cost
The silver content of conventional solder paste contributes significantly to material cost.
The company had been experiencing problems with voids and soldering performance, creating challenges within its electronics manufacturing process.
At the same time, the silver content of conventional solder paste contributes significantly to material cost. With silver prices increasing, finding an alternative with a lower silver content presented an opportunity to reduce material costs without compromising the performance required for automated SMT production.
The requirement was therefore clear.
The company needed a solder paste that could:
- Improve soldering performance
- Resolve the existing voiding issues
- Provide reliable results across its SMT boards
- Be suitable for its LED assemblies
- Offer a more cost-conscious alternative to its existing paste
- Be introduced without significant disruption to its established production process
The Solution: KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B
Fraser Technologies assessed the application and identified KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B, from KOKI's BIG Series of low-silver solder pastes, as the right solution for the application and the challenges they were experiencing.
The BIG Series has been developed to provide manufacturers with a practical, cost-conscious alternative to conventional higher-silver SAC alloys.
S01XBIG58-HF1200B contains just 0.1% silver, compared with approximately 3% in SAC305.
Reducing the silver content provides an opportunity to reduce exposure to silver-related material costs while retaining the lead-free characteristics required for modern electronics manufacturing.
The formulation is designed to provide good printability and wettability, alongside low-void performance and reliable solder joint characteristics.
For the client, the important consideration was how the KOKI paste would perform within its own established SMD production process.
A Straightforward Transition
KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B was trialled as an alternative to its existing solder paste.
The transition proved straightforward, requiring only a few tweaks to the established process.
Initial feedback to Fraser Technologies Technical Team from the trial was positive:
“It flows well.”
The most significant result, however, was the improvement in soldering performance.
The KOKI solution resolved the voiding and soldering issues previously being experiencing.
Following the successful trial, the client proceeded with the KOKI solution.
The Results
Since transitioning to KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B, the company have reported that the new paste has achieved the performance and cost improvements they were looking for, with no problems experienced with either the soldering process or the paste itself.
The move has provided a practical alternative to the previous paste, addressing the technical problems that prompted the search for a new solution while also introducing a lower-silver solder paste.
Key results:
Soldering issues resolved
The KOKI solution resolved the soldering problems they had been experiencing.
Voiding issues resolved
The previous problems with voiding were addressed following the transition to the KOKI paste.
No ongoing problems with the paste
The client reports no problems with the KOKI solder paste itself since making the transition.
Straightforward implementation
Only a few tweaks were required to introduce the new paste into the existing production process, and they commented that our team were “very helpful”.
Reduced silver content
The 0.1% Ag formulation provides a more cost-conscious alternative to higher-silver solder alloys.
Suitable for LED assembly
The paste is used within the SMT production environment for PCB assemblies incorporating LEDs in various sizes and colours.
“Very good. No problems with soldering or the paste itself.”
The SMD Manager
Why KOKI BIG Series?
KOKI’s BIG Series has been developed for manufacturers looking for an alternative to conventional SAC305 solder alloys.
With significantly reduced silver content, the series can help manufacturers manage solder material costs while providing the soldering performance required for modern SMT production.
S01XBIG58-HF1200B uses a 0.1% Ag alloy with bismuth and nickel, supporting solder joint strength and thermo-mechanical reliability.
KOKI’s product data highlights:
- 0.1% silver content
- Good wettability
- Low-void performance
- Good printability
- Low flux splattering
- Lead-free formulation
- Reliability designed for modern SMT applications
For manufacturers experiencing soldering or voiding problems, or looking to review the cost and performance of their existing solder paste, the BIG Series provides a practical alternative.
Fraser Technologies: Your Expert Partner for Soldering Materials
For our client, the requirement was not simply to replace one solder paste with another.
The new solution needed to address real production problems, perform reliably on LED assemblies and provide a more cost-conscious alternative without requiring a fundamental change to the existing SMT process.
Fraser Technologies worked with our client to identify the appropriate KOKI solder paste for its boards and support the transition through the trial process.
The result was a straightforward changeover requiring only a few tweaks, followed by positive production results.
Our client now reports no problems with soldering or the paste itself, with the previous voiding and soldering issues resolved.
This was no surprise to our Technical Sales Manager, Roy, who commented:
“Having worked with the KOKI range of products for a number of years, I’ve come to know the quality and performance that customers expect from KOKI.
So, the performance of the new low-Ag solder paste came as no surprise. It delivers the same high level of quality and performance we’ve come to associate with the KOKI range, while offering the cost benefits of a low-Ag formulation.”
As the UK’s sole KOKI partner, Fraser Technologies can support manufacturers with solder paste selection, technical evaluation, product trials and ongoing supply.
Experiencing soldering, voiding or solder paste cost challenges?
Talk to Fraser Technologies about your application and find the right KOKI soldering solution for your process.
About KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B
Product: KOKI S01XBIG58-HF1200B
Series: BIG Series
Alloy: Sn-0.1Ag-Cu-Bi-Ni
Silver content: 0.1%
Application: Lead-free SMT soldering
KOKI’s BIG Series provides a low-silver alternative to conventional SAC alloys, combining reduced silver content with soldering performance designed for modern electronics manufacturing.
*Product performance information is based on KOKI’s published technical data. Customer-specific results described in this case study are based on our clients experience following its trial and transition to the KOKI product.
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