This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) shall be limited to general information about tin whisker formation on tin plated conductors. It summarizes the mechanisms of metal whisker formation and describes possible conclusions as related to tin plated conductors. It also provides a number of reference documents that describes research and observations of the whisker phenomena, recommendations to prevent its formation and conclusions.

The investigation by this task group of AE-8D was initiated by a request of the Naval Air Warfare Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, to determine if the phenomenon of tin whiskers is a problem in aerospace wire and cable.