Technical Library | 2013-04-12 07:31:31.0
As change is inevitable, therefore so is obsolescence. In the electronics sector, stocks of components used in subassemblies will eventually run out, no surprise there! However on many occasions, particularly in the often long product life cycles associated with the traditional UK OEM’s in the industrial, military and medical sectors, to name but three, component supply gets ‘difficult’ long before the customers products themselves reach their ‘end of life’. Component manufacturers work to a commercial agenda; when the popularity of a specific device wanes, or indeed when new features are demanded by the market, they will cease production and redeploy their manufacturing capacity to devices that are being demanded by their high volume customers; the global players.
Technical Library | 2013-12-11 23:24:32.0
Today's analyses of electronics reliability at the system level typically use a "black box approach", with relatively poor understanding of the behaviors and performances of such "black boxes" and how they physically and electrically interact (...) The incorporation of more rigorous and more informative approaches and techniques needs to better understand (...) Understanding the Physics of Failure (PoF) is imperative. It is a formalized and structured approach to Failure Analysis/Forensics Engineering that focuses on total learning and not only fixing a particular current problem (...) In this paper we will present an explanation of various physical models that could be deployed through this method, namely, wire bond failures; thermo-mechanical fatigue; and vibration.
Technical Library | 2013-08-15 13:12:11.0
An automated visual PCB inspection is an approach used to counter difficulties occurred in human’s manual inspection that can eliminates subjective aspects and then provides fast, quantitative, and dimensional assessments. In this study, referential approach has been implemented on template and defective PCB images to detect numerous defects on bare PCBs before etching process, since etching usually contributes most destructive defects found on PCBs. The PCB inspection system is then improved by incorporating a geometrical image registration, minimum thresholding technique and median filtering in order to solve alignment and uneven illumination problem. Finally, defect classification operation is employed in order to identify the source for six types of defects namely, missing hole, pin hole, underetch, short-circuit, mousebite, and open-circuit.
Technical Library | 2015-07-14 13:19:10.0
Bottom terminated components (BTC) are leadless components where terminations are protectively plated on the underside of the package. They are all slightly different and have different names, such as QFN (quad flat no lead), DFN (dual flat no lead), LGA (land grid array) and MLF (micro lead-frame. BTC assembly has increased rapidly in recent years. This type of package is attractive due to its low cost and good performance like improved signal speeds and enhanced thermal performance. However, bottom terminated components do not have any leads to absorb the stress and strain on the solder joints. It relies on the correct amount of solder deposited during the assembly process for having a good solder joint quality and reliable reliability. Voiding is typically seen on the BTC solder joint, especially on the thermal pad of the component. Voiding creates a major concern on BTC component’s solder joint reliability. There is no current industry standard on the voiding criteria for bottom terminated component. The impact of voiding on solder joint reliability and the impact of voiding on the heat transfer characteristics at BTC component are not well understood. This paper will present some data to address these concerns.
Technical Library | 2017-04-20 13:51:14.0
The one constant in electronics manufacturing is change. Moore's Law, which successfully predicted a rate of change at which transistor counts doubled on Integrated Circuits (ICs) at lower cost for decades, is ceding to be an appropriate prediction tool. Increasing technical and economic requirements, deriving from the semiconductor environment, are cascaded down to the printed circuit and in particular to the IC substrate manufacturers. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for IC Substrate manufacturers, when dealing with the demands of the packaging market. (...)This paper introduces two new electroless copper baths developed for IC substrates manufacturing based on Semi Additive Process (SAP) technology (hereafter referred to as E'less Copper IC) and HDI production (hereafter referred to as E'less Copper HDI) and optimized for high throw into BMVs. An introduction to reliable throwing power measurement methods based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) is given, followed by a compilation and discussion of key performance criteria for each application, namely throwing power, copper adhesion on the substrate, dry film adhesion and reliability.
Technical Library | 2019-09-19 00:28:48.0
The symbiotic relationship between solder masks and selective finishes is not new. The soldermask application is one of the key considerations to ensure a successful application of a selective finish. The selective finish is the final chemical step of the PCB manufacturing process, this is when the panels are at their most valuable and are unfortunately not re-workable. Imperfections are not tolerated, even if they are wholly cosmetic. Quality issues often manifest themselves in the form of a 'ping pong' conversation between the fabricators, the soldermask suppliers and the selective finish suppliers. Without tangible evidence these discussions are difficult to resolve and the selective finish process is usually regarded as responsible. This paper will focus on the chemical characteristics and use them to predict or identify potential issues before they occur rather than specifically name 'critical' soldermasks. It is also the intention of this paper to address the potential of a soldermask to react to common yield hiking practices like UV bumping and oven curing. It is hoped that this awareness will help fabricators to ensure maximum yields by asking the right questions. 'Critical’ soldermasks impact all selective finishes. In this paper, practical experience using immersion tin will be used to highlight the relationship between 'critical' soldermasks and some of the issues seen in the field. The paper will include a novel approach to identify re-deposited volatiles after the reflow.
Technical Library | 2021-11-17 18:53:50.0
The demand for product miniaturization, especially in the handheld device area, continues to challenge the board assembly industry. The desire to incorporate more functionality while making the product smaller continues to push board design to its limit. It is not uncommon to find boards with castle-like components right next to miniature components. This type of board poses a special challenge to the board assemblers as it requires a wide range of paste volume to satisfy both small and large components. One way to address the printing challenge is to use creative stencil design to meet the solder paste requirement for both large and small components. ... The most important attribute of a stencil is its release characteristic. In other words, how well the paste releases from the aperture. The paste release, in turn, depends on the surface characteristics of the aperture wall and stencil foil. The recent introduction of new technology, nano-coating for both stencil and squeegee blades, has drawn the attention of many researchers. As the name implies, nano-coated stencils and blades are made by a conventional method such as laser-cut or electroformed then coated with nano-functional material to alter the surface characteristics. This study will evaluate nano-coated stencils for passive component printing, including 01005.
Technical Library | 2020-05-28 02:19:28.0
Properly functioning printed circuit boards are essential for both manufacturers of electronic devices and also the developers if the overall intent is for the electronic device to function at high capacity. From designing the schematics of the printed circuit boards to testing the products, there is no process of PCB manufacturing and/or assembly that can be taken for granted. While it's true that you can attempt this process on your own, especially if you are in possession of a large scale manufacturing facility, here are a few reasons why it would be a better option to opt for a professional company for PCB manufacturing and assembly. 1. Variety A professional printed circuit boards manufacturing company will be able to offer you a huge variety. You will be able to choose from rigid, flexible, or rigid-flex. What's more, the PCBs will be customized as per the need of the application. 2. Quality Professional and good printed circuit board manufacturing and assembling companies might cost you just a little bit extra but they also guarantee to produce the best results and offer very high quality products. In the end, it is quality that will make the difference between mediocre and a high functioning PCB. 3. Cost Efficiency Since you don't have to waste time or resources on buying equipment to produce the best PCBs or hiring staff to oversee the process, you can actually end up saving money. You can even save on PCB assembly cost by hiring this job out. All you have to do is to negotiate the quote and sit back, relax, and wait for the PCBs to be delivered to you. 4. Eliminate Design Flaws Design engineers hired by PCB manufacturing and assembling companies use the best graphic software to develop and test the schematics of PCBs. This increases the chances of eliminating flaws in the printed circuit boards during the initial design phase. 5. Multilayer PCB Manufacturing and Assembly The process of manufacturing and assembling multilayer PCBs is as intricate as it sounds. All processes of manufacturing and assembling multilayer PCBs require the best machines and trained technicians to pass the quality and functionality tests. Manufacturing and assembling multilayer printed circuit boards yourself is going to cost you a lot. Even the smallest of mistakes during the manufacturing and assembling process might render the entire PCB entirely useless. 6. Save Time PCBs are just a single part of the electronic device. To complete the device, many more pieces would be needed. The manufacturers of the electronic device can hire out the job of manufacturing or assembling the PCBs, which will mean they will have one less chore to do. This, in turn, will save you a lot of time which could be spent on elevating the quality of the product. 7. Experience Experience makes all the difference. It is what makes the name of any company reliable in the market. Long experience of manufacturing and assembling printed circuit boards makes the company well versed in the process and it also makes it an expert to identify design, manufacturing, assembling, and testing needs of certain applications We, at Asia Pacific Circuits, offer these benefits and so much more. For quick turn PCB assembly, PCB manufacturing and PCB designing, you can contact us anytime.
