Technical Library | 2015-09-17 17:36:56.0
RoHS legislated restrictions on the materials used in electronics manufacture have imparted significant challenges on the electronics industry since their introduction in 2006. The greatest impacts have been felt by the mandated elimination of lead from electronic solder followed by the demand for the elimination of haloids from flame retardants used in traditional PCB laminates. In the years which have followed the electronics industry has been beset with a host of new challenges in its effort to comply. Failure mechanisms, both new and old, have surfaced which demand solution and the industry suppliers and manufacturing technologists have worked diligently to remedy those vexing faults through the development of a wide range of new materials and equipment for both board manufacture and assembly, along with modifications to the processes used in the manufacture and assembly of printed circuit boards.
Technical Library | 2015-12-01 20:36:48.0
On January 1, 2015, nine months from APEX 2014, the production and use restrictions on HCFC-225 will be in effect throughout the United States. This phase out is encompassing in scope. This phase out will have significant technical, performance, and economic implications for the electronics industry. The regulatory situation remains fluid. A number of alternative solvents have been or are in the process of being developed. We discuss the options for assemblers and component manufacturers.
Technical Library | 2010-02-10 23:50:23.0
The electronics industry has recently undertaken the transition to lead-free processing as a direct consequence of the RoHS directive, which came into force in July 2006. However, this is unlikely to be the last transition required since the European Solvent Emissions Directive, 1999 is starting to be implemented and enforced by national governments. This is resulting in pressure on larger manufacturers, currently emitting more than 5 tonnes of solvent vapour per annum to take steps to limit and reduce their emissions.
Technical Library | 2013-08-22 14:28:58.0
Tin-rich solders are widely applied in the electronic industry in the majority of modern printed circuit boards (PCBs). Because the use of lead-tin solders has been banned in the European Union since 2006, the problem of the bridging of adjacent conductors due to tin whisker growth (limited before by the addition of Pb) has been reborn. In this study tin alloys soldered on glass-epoxy laminate (typically used for PCBs) are considered. Scanning ion microscopy with Focused Ion Beam (FIB) system and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) were used to determine correlations between spatial non-uniformities of the glass-epoxy laminate, the distribution of intermetallic compounds and whisker growth.
Technical Library | 2006-12-18 14:55:35.0
Many solder users have preconceived notions and worries involving reflow profiling guidelines. Year after year of reading profiling recommendations in industry publications, from a litany of pundits, has made it clear that perfect profiles exist and should be sought after. They feel if the solder supplier gives them a tidy drawing on a piece of paper with times and temperatures that it will magically solve all their reflow problems. This is, unfortunately, an often incorrect assumption.
Technical Library | 2015-02-05 20:25:41.0
In the past 20 yrs the solvent industry has gone through a great deal of change. In the early 1990s, CFC-113 and 1,1,1-trichloroethane were the workhorses of the industry. The Montreal Protocol to phase-out substances that deplete the Earth's protective Ozone Layer was implemented in the mid 1990s. After phase-out of the CFC solvents, the solvent industry fragmented to a variety of cleaning solutions. The electronics industry was a large user of CFC solvents and many of these applications changed to aqueous based cleaners (...) But those alternatives are now facing various problems: e.g. aqueous based cleaners use a lot of energy, require long drying times, use equipment that requires frequent maintenance, and require a large footprint; no-clean fluxes leave flux residues; and trichloroethylene and n-propyl bromide have toxicity issues. In response to these serious issues newer solvents and blends are being introduced in the marketplace
Technical Library | 2015-05-11 21:27:52.0
Originating from the last millenium, almost three decades ago, the introduction of surface mount packaging triggered a wave of changes throughout many aspects of electronics production. A small number of talented, innovative test engineers from various big players of the industry started to attend meetings to discuss the impact of that change of technology on their future test concepts for modern assemblies. The Joint Test Action Group was born.
Technical Library | 2015-07-31 16:28:16.0
Technology is in constant change and circuit assembly is no different. It is becoming more and more advanced as needs change and demands for more capabilities increase. In order to meet these demands, equipment manufacturers are integrating the latest innovations and tools to serve the industry. The need to better protect printed circuit assemblies from harsh environments using automated selective conformal coating is becoming a must. 5 axis fluid dispensing allows conformal coating to be applied to printed circuit assemblies like never before.
Technical Library | 2019-09-04 21:35:53.0
Since the European Directives, RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), entered into force in 2006-7, the number of regulated substances continues to grow. REACH adds new substances roughly twice a year, and more substances will be added to RoHS in 2019. While these open-ended regulations represent an ongoing burden for supply chain reporting, some ability to remain ahead of new substance restrictions can be achieved through full material declarations (FMD) specifically the IPC-1752A Class D Standard (the "Standard"), which was developed by the IPC - Association Connecting Electronic Industries. What is important to the supply chain is access to user-friendly, easily accessible or free, fully supported tools that allow suppliers to create and modify XML (Extensible Markup Language) files as specified in the Standard. Some tools will provide enhancements that validate required data entry and provide real-time interactive messages to facilitate the resolution of errors. In addition, validation and auto-population of substance CAS (Chemical Abstract Service) numbers, and Class D weight rollup validation ensure greater success in the acceptance of the declarations in customer systems that automate data gathering and reporting. A good tool should support importing existing IPC-1752A files for editing; this capability reduces the effort to update older declarations and greatly benefits suppliers of a family of products with similar composition. One of the problems with FMDs is the use of "wildcard" non-CAS numbers based on a declarable substance list (DSL). While the substances in different company's lists tend to have some overlap, no two DSL’s are the same. We provide an understanding of the commonality and differences between representative DSLs, and the ability to configure how much of a non-DSL substance percent is allowed. Case studies are discussed to show how supplier compliance data, can be automatically loaded into the customer's enterprise compliance system. Finally, we briefly discuss future enhancements and other developments like Once an Article, Always an Article (O5A) that will continue to require IPC standards and supporting tools to evolve.
Technical Library | 2015-06-22 18:31:52.0
Applying conformal coatings to electronics has come a long way since the days of manually coating circuit boards. The extreme accuracy and highly repetitive process of automated conformal coatings is moving the electronics industry towards a more defect-free era for conformal coating. It enables new forms of electronics to become better protected, making it possible for electronics to withstand harsher environments than ever before. The following article is meant to aid in clarifying the advantages of specialty coating systems over manual applications for selective conformal coating.
Reflow ovens for automated SMT PCB assembly, specializing in lead free processing and nitrogen reflow. The best convection reflow ovens on the market.
4 Vreeland Rd.
Florham Park, NJ USA
Phone: 973-377-6800
