Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsSome links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Not across electronics manufacturing. Solder remains the practical default for most printed-circuit-board assembly, supported by mature equipment, design rules, repair workflows and a long record of use. Solderless approaches may suit selected products where thermal exposure, unusual packaging or early testing is a serious constraint, but the available case for Occam Group’s proposal is a technology argument—not independent proof of better cost, yield or reliability.
The question behind Ray Rasmussen’s December 2, 2022 EE Times article, “Solder’s Days Should Be Numbered—There Is a Better Way”, is worth considering. Its answer, however, should be narrower than its headline: solderless assembly is a possible specialized architecture, not a demonstrated universal replacement.
What the criticism of solder actually means
Solder is not being criticized as a material that has become obsolete. The argument is about using solder joints to provide the mechanical and electrical connections between components and a PCB, commonly through surface-mount reflow or other soldering processes.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Those processes involve several linked operations: applying solder paste, placing components accurately, heating the assembly, inspecting joints and, when necessary, repairing or reworking defects. Fine-pitch parts and small pads leave less margin for placement and process variation. Heating the board and components can also impose thermal stress. Defects may occur at a joint or elsewhere in the board structure.
#1 Best Overall
- SIX COMPACT BOARDS KEEP PROJECTS SEPARATE — Give each student, family member or workbench task its own 400-point board, keep several LED and sensor experiments assembled at once or clip compatible boards together when a wider prototype needs more room
- 2,400 TIE POINTS FOR REUSABLE SOLDERLESS TESTING — Each board provides a 300-point terminal area plus four 25-point power-rail sections, so components and jumper wires can be inserted, removed and rearranged without soldering during lessons, troubleshooting and design changes
- 2.54MM SPACING FITS COMMON THROUGH-HOLE PARTS — Use straight 21-26 AWG jumper wires, resistors, LEDs, capacitors, transistors, pin headers and compatible DIP ICs; printed letters, numbers and colored rail markings make power, ground and signal paths easier to trace
- SIDE CLIPS AND ADHESIVE BACKS SUPPORT FLEXIBLE SETUPS — Interlock compatible boards for larger layouts or peel the backing to mount a proven circuit on a clean flat platform; wide ESP32-style modules can be placed across two boards to preserve access to nearby rows
- VERIFY CONTACTS AND RAILS BEFORE POWERING — Insert straight leads vertically, never force oversized or bent pins and check questionable nodes with a multimeter; these are passive breadboards only, with no jumper wires, power module, controller, components or tutorial included
Rasmussen’s article lists opens, poor wetting, voids, cracking, shorts, tombstoning, head-in-pillow, cold joints, solder balling, tin whiskers and damaged pads among solder-related problems. It also names laminate or hole-wall issues such as delamination, pad cratering, barrel cracking, resin recession and decomposition. The list describes possible failure modes, not their frequency: it supplies no industry-wide failure statistics and does not establish that solder is uniquely unreliable. Many joint defects are process-sensitive and managed through design, process control and inspection.
| Issue | Possible consequence | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Voids | May affect a joint’s mechanical or thermal performance. | Often influenced by process and joint design; impact depends on the application. |
| Tombstoning | A component lifts or rotates, potentially leaving an open connection. | Can be related to pad design, paste and process balance; not proof that every solder process is unsuitable. |
| Cracking | May create intermittent or open connections. | Depends on materials, geometry and mechanical or thermal cycling. |
| Tin whiskers | Conductive growth may create a shorting risk. | Material and environmental conditions matter. |
| Reflow heat | Can stress components, laminate or other materials. | Thermal exposure is inherent to reflow, though its consequences depend on the assembly and process. |
| Rework | Adds labor and can introduce further risk to a board or component. | It is a downstream cost of detection and repair, not a failure mode unique to solder. |
The original article acknowledges that solder defects are “well known and fairly well managed.” That distinction matters: a list of defects is not evidence that established manufacturing can no longer control them.
Why solder remains the default
Solder combines electrical conduction and mechanical attachment in a process that conventional surface-mount and through-hole production lines are built to perform. Component packages, PCB design practices, inspection methods and manufacturing workflows have developed around it. Repair and rework are also familiar across much of the supply chain.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
For manufacturers, a proposed replacement has to beat a working system, not just avoid one class of defect. Existing processes can be tuned through choices such as stencil design, solder paste, component placement, thermal profiles and inspection. Solder alloys and established assembly methods are also comparatively familiar to designers and suppliers. These advantages do not make solder ideal for every geometry or operating environment; they raise the evidence bar for changing the interconnection method.
Rank #2
- 32 Boards In Five Sizes: Choose 4 × 6 cm, 3 × 7 cm, 5 × 7 cm, 2 × 8 cm or 7 × 9 cm boards for compact circuits, controller interfaces, classroom soldering exercises and larger point-to-point builds
- Double-Sided FR4 For Soldered Prototypes: Approximately 1.6 mm FR4 provides a rigid base for permanent electronics builds, while pre-tinned plated-through holes provide solderable connections accessible from both sides
- Standard 2.54 mm Grid Fits Common Through-Hole Parts: Lay out resistors, LEDs, DIP sockets, pin headers, terminal blocks, sensors and jumper wires on a 0.1 in pitch, then create each required connection with soldered leads, bridges or insulated wire
- From Breadboard Test To Permanent Build: Transfer a proven circuit into a compact soldered assembly for sensor nodes, controllers, alarms and STEM demonstrations; corner mounting holes help secure finished boards in enclosures or on panels
- Set Expectations Before Soldering: These are isolated-pad perfboards with no breadboard-style buses or stripboard traces, and the kit does not include components, wire, solder or tools; plan the layout and check continuity before applying power
How Occam’s “reverse order processing” is described
The proposal in the EE Times Asia article is associated with the Occam Group and Joe Fjelstad, identified there as an Occam Group partner and founder of Verdant Electronics. It is called “reverse order processing” because components are assembled and tested before the later steps that create or complete the circuit structure.
- Start with a component board. The article describes beginning with a component board rather than a conventional completed PCB.
- Attach components. Components are placed on that board before final encapsulation and circuitization.
- Test the component assembly. The proposal calls for testing before those later manufacturing steps.
- Form the remaining connections. The article names plating techniques or additive printed circuits as ways to create component connections.
- Encapsulate and circuitize. The assembly is encapsulated and circuitized after the initial component-level test.
This is not simply a description of printing a complete circuit board in three dimensions. It is a different sequence and physical approach to assembly and interconnection. The article does not specify enough process detail to establish the exact materials, conductor geometry, equipment, tolerances or test methods. Nor does it make clear whether PCB functionality disappears entirely or is implemented in another form through circuitization.
Testing before encapsulation can provide an earlier opportunity to detect defects, but passing an early test is a screening result—not proof of future field reliability. The later encapsulation and circuitization steps may introduce their own defects, and an encapsulated assembly may be harder to repair.
Recommended Free Tools
What a solderless connection can mean
“Solderless” means an interconnection that does not rely on conventional solder joints at the point in question; it does not mean a product has no electrical connections. Rasmussen’s article specifically names plating and additive printed circuits. Other interconnection families include conductive adhesives, wire bonding, compression or compliant contacts, press-fit connections, embedded conductors and molded interconnects.
Rank #3
- Model: SYB170; Material: ABS plastic board; Hole diameter: 1mm/0.04 inch ; Pitch: 2.54mm/0.1 inch; Size: 47x35x8.5mm / 1.85x1.38x0.33inch; 6 different colors (black, white, green, yellow, blue and red) 170 pin board.
- Voltage: 300V; low current: < 5A ; for 22-29awg Jumper Wires; Can be very strong and pin connected without welding, you can quickly do circuit testing.
- with fixed metal spring under the connection point for good connections, springs perfectly aligned with the points, makes the tightness of all 170 points the same. Current flows horizontally, there are 5 insertion points on the horizontal current path with low resistance.
- Besides, they are quite durable even if you separate them in single wire form. Multiple boards can be connected together for expansion, self-adhesive tape on the back of the bread board (single-sided prototyping PCBs).
- Perfect for prototyping circuits, electronic and electrical experiments without soldering; Good for breadboard jumper wires project and other electrical DIY kits. Takes transistors, diodes, LEDs, resistors, capacitors and virtually all types of components.
These methods are not interchangeable. A low-current sensor connection and a high-current power path face different demands. The appropriate choice depends on electrical resistance, current, frequency, mechanical loads, operating temperature, repair expectations and production scale. The source article does not give enough implementation detail to assess Occam’s particular approach against those requirements.
Which benefits are plausible—and which remain claims
Potential engineering advantages
Reducing or changing the thermal assembly sequence could lower heat exposure for some components or materials. Testing earlier could catch certain defects before additional manufacturing work is invested. A different physical architecture may also enable packaging shapes that are difficult to achieve with a conventional board. Those are reasonable design hypotheses, not measured results established by the article.
Whether such a process reduces board layers, size or weight—or improves thermal management, EMI or ESD behavior—depends on the design and the completed interconnection. A new architecture may help integrate electrical, thermal and mechanical functions, but it can also create new constraints in inspection, repair and qualification.
Commercial and performance claims that need comparative evidence
The article presents lower cost, higher reliability, improved yield, fewer design respins, a better environmental footprint and faster time to market as potential benefits. It provides no comparative production data, cost model, named customer product, production volume, lifecycle results or independent qualification evidence to establish those outcomes.
Rank #4
- 830 Point breadboard in breadboards kit is for diy arduino ,and you can use with breadboard jumpers wires and breadboard power supply for toys and games.
- The prototype breadboard is compatible with Arduino and Raspberry Pi, led diode, screw terminal, Dupont wire, connector, other electric power components or devices for various creating experiments.
- High quality experiment protoboard which is made of ABS plastic, each row and columns has corresponding letters and numbers, reduce the mistake handling. With self-adhesive tape on the back, make it easy to stick on the Arduino prototype shield.
- Consistent hole alignment, Inser pin easily and Easy to use. With extension clips for simple and quick connecting with other boards. With black printed legend, color legend on distribution strips.
- Package include 20pcs 830 point breadboards, sufficient quantity to meet your various experimental needs.
A sound comparison would need a defined conventional-SMT baseline and measures such as first-pass yield, defects per opportunity, cost per assembly, throughput, repair time and reliability under specified thermal, vibration and other environmental conditions. Environmental claims would also require lifecycle accounting for materials, energy, chemicals, equipment, waste, repairability and end-of-life recovery. Without that information, the benefits should be treated as claims to test, not results to assume.
What problems could move to the new interconnection
Replacing a solder joint does not remove the need to prove that an electrical path will remain conductive and mechanically sound. A solderless method may shift the critical failure point to plating, adhesion, printed-conductor integrity, a bond interface or an embedded connection. Relevant risks to investigate include:
- Incomplete metallization, plating voids or conductive-path cracking.
- Adhesion failure, corrosion or material degradation over time.
- Thermal-expansion mismatch under operating conditions or thermal cycling.
- Inspection challenges when connections are embedded or encapsulated.
- Limited component replacement or field repair after encapsulation.
- Compatibility gaps with standard component packages, supplier processes or inspection equipment.
- New contamination, process-control or qualification risks.
The original proposal, as presented in the article, does not provide an equivalent failure-mode analysis or independent qualification results for these alternatives. That absence does not prove the process fails; it means reliability must be demonstrated rather than inferred from removing solder.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How to assess a solderless process for a real product
Compare it with an optimized conventional assembly for the intended product, not with a generic picture of a poor solder joint. The evaluation should cover the entire manufacturing and service life:
Best Value
- Complete Kit Contents: Includes all necessary components for assembly, offering hands-on experience with electronic components and soldering
- Educational Value: Learn essential soldering techniques and electronic component assembly through hands-on project construction
- Project Specifications: Sound level meter functionality with PCB board and protective enclosure for professional finish
- Skill Development: Build confidence in component identification, circuit board assembly, and basic electronics principles
- Kit Components: Features PCB board, electronic components, enclosure, and detailed assembly instructions for successful completion
- Electrical: contact resistance, current capacity, high-frequency behavior, parasitics, impedance control, signal integrity, EMC and ESD.
- Mechanical: vibration, shock, board strain, flexing, thermal-expansion mismatch, cracking and whether components can be replaced.
- Thermal: assembly and operating temperatures, thermal cycling, heat spreading, hot spots and suitability for power devices or high-current paths.
- Manufacturing: yield, defect detection point, reworkability, throughput, process tolerances, equipment and inspection needs, supplier availability and scale-up.
- Business: total cost of ownership, tooling and qualification expense, supplier onboarding, repair and field-service implications, supply resilience, and any licensing or intellectual-property constraints.
Request data from the process provider that identifies test conditions, sample size, failure definitions, production scale and comparison baseline. Ask which packages and materials are supported, what equipment is needed, how encapsulated assemblies are inspected and repaired, and whether an independent qualification is available. A claim of better reliability is not decision-ready until its metric and test conditions are clear.
Where the approach may fit—and where solder is hard to displace
Potential candidates
Solderless or reduced-solder architectures may merit evaluation where reflow heat is a serious constraint, packaging must take an unusual three-dimensional form, board thickness or layer count is a major design pressure, or early screening has high value. Specialized sensor, medical, aerospace or defense products could be candidates only if the chosen process meets their specific qualification requirements. These are possible application areas, not evidence of adoption in those markets.
Likely poor fits
A new interconnection method is harder to justify for low-volume, cost-sensitive products; designs that need routine repair; or products already meeting their cost, reliability and yield targets on standard assembly lines. High-current or power-dense products also require specific proof of current capacity and thermal behavior. Where a qualified supplier, repair path or independent reliability dataset is unavailable, the development and certification burden may outweigh a proposed benefit.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Verdict: solder is not demonstrably on its way out
Rasmussen’s December 2022 article makes a case for investigating alternatives to solder-based assembly and describes Occam Group’s reverse-order concept. It does not establish that the process is cheaper, more reliable or ready to replace conventional PCB assembly at production scale. The defensible conclusion is that solder may be limiting some advanced assemblies, while solderless manufacturing remains a specialized architectural option whose value must be proven product by product.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Leave a Reply