Dr. Osterman Addressess Pure Tin Containment Symposium

December 11, 2009

Sunnyvale, CA

Over one hundred employees from Space Systems and other Lockheed Martin companies attended the Pure Tin Containment Symposium held in Sunnyvale last month. Pictured above is Dr. Michael Osterman, University of Maryland CALCE, presenting his research on tin whiskers.

Metal whiskering is a crystalline metallurgical phenomenon involving the spontaneous growth of tiny, filiform hairs from a metallic surface. The effect is primarily seen on elemental metals but also occurs with alloys.

The symposium, organized by Space Systems, provided training and awareness on pure tin containment and lead-free electronics - for engineers, managers, and procurement personnel. The symposium included presenters from Industry, Government, and Academia, including nationally recognized experts.

Attendees learned about currently accepted explanations for the phenomenon of tin whisker growth, impacts on aerospace products, and the latest research into risk mitigation approaches.

The agenda included: LM Corporate Effort Overview, DoD Acquisition Issues, DoD Standardization and Policies, Tin Whisker Phenomena, Industrial Product Implications, Procurement and Supply Chain Impacts and Space Systems Company Containment Approach.

Text and image courtesy Lockheed Space Systems