Development of tools and techniques for mechanical property testing and analysis of experimental nano solder

The conventional tools and procedures of testing mechanical properties for micro solders are difficult to implement for experimental nano-solder technology, because of the smaller solder joint size. This paper outlines a mature set of tools and procedures for conducting reliable shear and pull testing of nano-solder joints. The design of the mechanical tools and results obtained will be demonstrated, with continuous improvements through three design iterations completed by senior Mechanical Engineering students at he University of Massachusetts Lowell as capstone projects. The design of the mechanical tools used to generate the test results will be discussed, and these designs, offered as freeware, can be used as a template for conducting future studies of nano-solder mechanical testing.