Solder Starved

Solder starvation occurs when adequate volumes of solder are not available to effect a perfectly-shaped solder joint, that means a solder starved joint simply does not have enough solder. It may make good electrical contact, but it is hard to verify by inspection. In any case, it is not a strong joint and may develop stress cracks, intermittent short circuit and fail over time.

Frequently, solder starvation occurs in surface mount technology (SMT) when solder paste deposits are inadequate. This happens because: The single-thickness stencil is designed for the majority of smaller components, starving the few larger components of solder volume. Or high-use interfaces, such as connectors and USB ports, require extra solder - to assure their solder joints survive the constant use in the field. Or smaller, more tightly compacted circuit boards don't allow for deposition of enough solder paste.

So, how do you solve this increasingly common problem? Actually, it is simple. Just re-heating the joint and add more solder to which you need it, and a good strong joint is made.