AS SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW IN POPULARITY, IT IS ALSO GROWING IN COMPLEXITY. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS RAPID GROWTH, MANY CONCERNS ARE BEGINNING TO EMERGE. ONE SUCH CONCERN THAT PERSISTS WITH END USERS OF SURFACE MOUNTED DEVICES, WHETHER THEY ARE NOVICES OR PROFESSIONALS, IS ACHIEVING HIGHLY RELIABLE SOLDER JOINTS. NATURALLY, THE ULTIMATE SOLDER JOINT IS A HIGHLY RELIABLE SOLDER CONNECTION. WHAT MAY BE RELIABLE TO ONE FIRM MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE RELIABLE TO ANOTHER, CONSEQUENTLY, RELIABILITY CAN TAKE ON MANY FORMS AND BE MEASURED IN MANY WAYS. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, SEVERAL KEY INGREDIENTS THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL RELIABLE SOLDER JOINTS REGARDLESS OF HOW RELIABILITY IS DEFINED OR MEASURED. THE MASTER RECIPE FOR RELIABLE SOLDER JOINTS WILL BE DIVULGED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SEVERAL KEY INGREDIENTS. THESE INGREDIENTS INCLUDE: RELIABILITY TESTING, SOLDER JOINT INSPECTI