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This Bulletin provides a brief description of tin whisker formation and describes various methods recommended by government and industry to reduce the risk of tin whisker-induced failures in electronic hardware. It is not a mandate nor does it contain any requirements. A tin whisker is a single crystal that emerges from tin-finished surfaces. Tin whiskers can pose a serious reliability risk to electronic assemblies that have pure tin finish. The general risks fall into several categories: [1, 2, 3, 8, 16] Short Circuits: The whisker can create a short circuit, either by 1) growing from an area at one potential to an area at another or 2) breaking free and later bridging these areas. In some cases, these shorts may be permanent and cause catastrophic system failures. A transient short may result if the available current exceeds the fusing current of the whisker, and the whisker can fuse open.