Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Sn60Pb40E
Sn60Pb40E is an extra-refined-purity version of the 60Sn/40Pb tin-lead solder covered by ISO 9453, with impurity and dross-forming element contents held below those of standard Sn60Pb40.
Reference datasheet — Sn60Pb40E is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
What is Sn60Pb40E?
Sn60Pb40E is an extra-refined-purity version of the 60Sn/40Pb tin-lead solder covered by ISO 9453, with impurity and dross-forming element contents held below those of standard Sn60Pb40. It is specified for wave and dip soldering baths where lower dross and tighter impurity control improve process consistency, and is supplied as bar, solid and flux-cored wire, paste, powder and foil. Mechanical capability is low (50 MPa tensile, 30 MPa yield, 35 % elongation, 16 HB) with service limited to about 100 °C and creep at room temperature. Lead content restricts use to RoHS-exempt work; SAC305 is the usual lead-free replacement. Sn60Pb40E has a density of 8.5 g/cm³ (0.307 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 183°C (361 °F). Sn60Pb40E has a yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 30 GPa (4.35 Msi).
What is Sn60Pb40E used for?
- wave solder pot alloy
- dip soldering baths
- electronics manufacturing
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 88% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Sn60Pb40E properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Sn60Pb40E has a density of 8.5 g/cm³ (0.307 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 183°C (361 °F).
Mechanical11
Sn60Pb40E has a yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 30 GPa (4.35 Msi).
Thermal6
Sn60Pb40E is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 50 W/m·K (28.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 63% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 24.5 µm/m·K (13.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Sn60Pb40E conducts electricity at 11.5 % IACS, better than 71% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (40/100), worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Sn60Pb40E takes about 200 MJ of energy and emits 10.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 53% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 15%.
Manufacturability7
Sn60Pb40E's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 60% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. Sn60Pb40E is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Sn60Pb40E
Is Sn60Pb40E easy to machine?
Only rarely machined; use sharp, high-rake tools, light feeds and paraffin/kerosene lubrication — the alloy smears and loads cutting edges, freezing is often used to stiffen it.
Can Sn60Pb40E be welded?
Not fusion welded; joints are made by remelting the solder itself with mildly activated rosin or no-clean flux at 210–260 °C.
Can Sn60Pb40E be formed, bent or molded?
Extremely ductile — extruded to wire, rolled to foil and stamped to preforms cold; casts near-net with excellent fluidity but expect creep and slow room-temperature recrystallisation.
Sn60Pb40E chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| SnISO 9453 alloy 104 nominal 60 % Sn | 59.5 – 60.5 | 60 |
| Sbextra-refined (E) impurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| BiE-grade limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| CuE-grade limit | ≤ 0.03 | |
| AgE-grade limit | ≤ 0.03 | |
| FeE-grade limit | ≤ 0.02 | |
| AsE-grade limit | ≤ 0.02 | |
| ZnE-grade limit; embrittles/de-wets bath | ≤ 0 | |
| AlE-grade limit; causes grittiness/dross | ≤ 0 | |
| CdE-grade limit | ≤ 0 | |
| NiE-grade limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| InE-grade limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| AuE-grade limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| other, totalverify exact limits against current ISO 9453 impurity table | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Pb | balance |
What surface finishes work on Sn60Pb40E?
No coating normally applied; residual flux should be cleaned (IPA/saponifier) to avoid corrosion, and lead-bearing surfaces must not contact potable water or food.
How much does Sn60Pb40E cost?
Sn60Pb40E is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sn60Pb40E — frequently asked
What is Sn60Pb40E used for?
Sn60Pb40E is typically used for wave solder pot alloy, dip soldering baths and electronics manufacturing. In short: high-purity wave-pot grade; low-dross Sn60Pb40; leaded, RoHS-restricted.
What is the yield strength of Sn60Pb40E?
Sn60Pb40E has a typical yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is Sn60Pb40E easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 60% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Only rarely machined; use sharp, high-rake tools, light feeds and paraffin/kerosene lubrication — the alloy smears and loads cutting edges, freezing is often used to stiffen it.
Can Sn60Pb40E be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Not fusion welded; joints are made by remelting the solder itself with mildly activated rosin or no-clean flux at 210–260 °C.
What surface finishes work on Sn60Pb40E?
No coating normally applied; residual flux should be cleaned (IPA/saponifier) to avoid corrosion, and lead-bearing surfaces must not contact potable water or food.
Can Sn60Pb40E be formed, bent or molded?
Extremely ductile — extruded to wire, rolled to foil and stamped to preforms cold; casts near-net with excellent fluidity but expect creep and slow room-temperature recrystallisation.
What is the maximum service temperature of Sn60Pb40E?
Sn60Pb40E is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Sn60Pb40E cost?
Sn60Pb40E is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ISO 9453 — Soft solder alloys: chemical compositions and forms — ISO (2020)
- ASTM B32 — Standard Specification for Solder Metal — ASTM (2020)
- GB/T 3131 — SAC (China) (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.3: Alloy Phase Diagrams (Sn-Pb system) — ASM International (1992)
- ASM Handbook Vol.6: Welding, Brazing and Soldering — ASM International (1993)
- Sn60Pb40 bar / cored wire / paste technical data — Kester / AIM Solder / Alpha Assembly (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.