User:Ken Parent

Pad cratering in printed circuit boards (PCB) is defined as a copper pad(s) that has fractured from the resin and fiberglass substrate material. These pad craters lead to open circuits in the electrical circuit due to the fact that the pad crater will propagate through the resin, fiberglass and the copper trace.

IPC T-50, Revision H, Terms and Definitions for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits, 96.2176 Pad Cratering. A separation of the pad from the printed board resin/weave composite or within the composite immediately adjacent to the pad as a result of mechanical and/or thermal stress.

Additional information on pad cratering in printed circuit boards can be found in the following links:

http://www.smtnet.com/Forums/index.cfm?fuseaction=view_thread&Thread_ID=13953

http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=51651&_pf_=1

http://knol.google.com/k/rocky-hilburn/pad-cratering-in-printed-circuit-boards/tsdgpflq7la1/1#

http://www.ipc.org/de/ContentPage.aspx?pageid=IPC-ehrt-Best-Papers-an-der-IPC-APEX-EXPO