Kester announces that it will exhibit UltraPurereg; K100LD, a lead-free bar solder alloy for the electronics industry in booth 2A41 at the upcoming NEPCON South China exhibition and conference, scheduled to take place August 29 through September 1, 2006, at the Shenzhen Convention  Exhibition Center in Shenzhen, China. K100LD is a patent-pending, low-cost alternative to traditional lead-free alloys.

The bar solder offers the lowest copper dissolution of any lead-free bar on the market, even amongst all common alloys, including Sn63, SAC305 and other lead-free options. K100LD represents an improvement over competitive alloys, including other variations of Tin-Copper-Nickel (SnCuNi). K100LD is a low-cost (silver-free) lead-free alloy primarily containing tin and copper with the inclusion of metallic dopants to control the grain structure and the Copper dissolution rate. K100LD has a slower rate of Copper dissolution than competitive SnCuNi alloys, which minimizes pot maintenance, maintains consistent soldering performance and improves

reliability. K100LD has a copper dissolution rate 20 percent slower than the competitive SnCuNi alloy and even Sn63Pb37. K100LD compares favorably to other low-cost, lead-free alloys of tin and copper in terms of wetting and flow characteristics, providing users with optimal soldering performance and minimal defects. K100LD is a Silver-free alloy, resulting in much lower costs than traditional lead-free alloys, such as SAC305. Kester K100LD provides the lowest delivered price to the global wave soldering market.

K100LD includes anti-drossing technology, an important attribute with lead-free soldering that also represents additional cost savings to the assembler. Besides offering the lowest dissolution of copper from boards and components of any lead-free alloy, K100LD offers numerous benefits, including bright, smooth solder joints with no visible shrinkage effects, excellent through-hole penetration and topside fillet with virtually no bridging, and reduced leaching of solder pot materials.

Additionally, K100LD is compatible with all types of board and component metallizations, is compatible with other SnCuNi alloys, and its lead level is specified at less than 0.05 percent, ensuring RoHS compliance. For more information on Ultrapurereg; K100LD or Kesterrsquo;s full line of products and services including SE-CUREtrade; and InnovaBondtrade; products.Kesterrsquo;s Web site may be found at www.kester.com.