The Balver Zinn Group announces that Cobar Europe BV has been awarded an NPI Award in the category of Soldering Materials for its Aquasol Branded Water Soluble solder paste. The award was presented to the Stan Renals, CEO of the Cobar Division during a Tuesday, April 6, 2010 ceremony that took place in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center in Las Vegas during APEX 2010.

Aquasol can be used with any common soldering alloy. SnPb and lead-free SAC and SN100C versions are available, all exhibiting excellent performance in the four key process steps: printing (including fine-pitch capability), placement, reflow and cleaning. Due to a perfect balance between adhesive and cohesive forces, there is efficient separation from the squeegee and good aperture release with long stencil life.

The rosin nature of this water-soluble paste is unique, with paste rheology, solderability and water washability conferred by carefully selected surface chemistry and activators. With Aquasol Branded paste, it is possible to print at speeds high enough to meet or exceed the throughput of any SMD line. Furthermore, the paste features excellent slump resistance and residues can be removed with de-ionized water.

The pastes’ extended tack time allows a longer period between printing and placement. Additionally, the high tack force holds components in place during transportation prior to soldering.

With Aquasol Water Soluble paste, voiding is minimized in both air and nitrogen processes. Post-soldering flux residue can be removed using hot de-ionized water with or without cleaning agents. The ideal temperature and water pressure depend on the complexity of the assembly and efficiency of the wash method and equipment.

Premiering in 2008, the NPI Awards program is an annual celebration of product excellence in electronics surface mount assembly. Premier products based on the finest examples of creative advancement in technology are chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts.