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Reflow profiling Units

Views: 4458

Brad Courtemanche

#43882

Reflow profiling Units | 12 September, 2006

Good Afternoon, I'm am probably asking a question that has been answered a million times but I am looking for other operators and process engineer feedback on the slim kic 2000 profiling unit. I have played with the unit several times and am not to sure on its reliability as far as the prediction feature is concerned. I am more of an old school profiling guy. I can profile the way i was taught and profile with the kic and the differences are incredible. If you direct me to the archives please explain how to get there. I have tried to find them before and do not get anywhere.

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pr

#43885

Reflow profiling Units | 12 September, 2006

At the top of the page "search forum". Just type in "slim Kic". How is the "Old school profiling done"? Just curious.

good luck, pr

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RDR

#43886

Reflow profiling Units | 12 September, 2006

What are the "incredible" differences? I am curious, I also profile old school and have not found value in "prediction" yet either.

Russ

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CL

#43907

Reflow profiling Units | 13 September, 2006

Hello Brad,

We are running the Slim Kic 2000. We have found the predictions to be fairly accurate as long as the suggested change is within 20 degrees of the original recipie. As a test I ran a board with the wrong profile. The predictions got me within solder paste spec in three runs. Within 6 runs we were almost dead nuts to what the solder paste was looking for.

As far as major advances, with the air TC, you no longer need to measure the additional TC locations. The profile is time-aligned by the air TC. There is a menu of current solder pastes to select that has all of the specifications for the paste. These specs can be modified if needed. When a profile is done, the predictions are automatically generated when it is viewed. Even if all of the requirements are met, it will suggest changes that will get you closer to the optimum recipie. It will show the numbers (time above, peak temp, slope, ect..) in green if the fall within the solder paste manufacturers spec. If all of the numbers are green, you're good. You can continue to refine the recipe using the predictions. You can specify a particular location to base the predictions on (i.e. a BGA) or whatever is the most critical. We have the logger/transmitter option. this transmitts the data real time to the SW as the profile is being run. I feel that the range is limited on this feature as it works well on the oven right next to the receiver but does not transmitt from the farthest oven. Either way, the data is stored on the logger and will re-transmitt as soon as the logger is in close proximity to the reciever. This means that no direct cable connection is requred to the logger even if the transmitted data is incomplete. long story short (too late) I really loike the logger and would recommend it to someone looking. I have used several loggers in the past and found them all to do the job but this one really seems to simplify the entire process.

Good luck

CL

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Mitch Crumbstein

#43922

Reflow profiling Units | 13 September, 2006

It took me awhile to "warm up" to KIC 2000 as well, as I, too, am an old lead-head from way back who used to profile with an old MOLE that used DOS-based software. I've also used the old SlimKIC II and Datapaq as well. I guess what he meant by "old school" is...the old KIC and MOLE softwares were more analysis tools for Process Engineers. You still had to do your homework, and more importantly, know your ovens and solder paste...basically the ability to "wing" a profile and get 'er right the first time...and then go back and use prediction if you didn't get it right...

KIC 2000 basically "holds your hands" with the whole profiling process. It has guidelines on just about every solder paste on the market and it takes those guidelines and guesses at your oven's setpoints for you. You can use prediction as well to change a profile without having to reprofile.

Overall, the software is much more user friendly, and what I like about it, you can more intelligently structure your ovens and waves within the software (ie the software will make individual folders for each of your ovens), and even if you're a shop that runs different solder pastes, it'll have a different process window for each solder paste as well.. and also, define your upper and lower control limits and check to see wheather your profiles are within your own defined guidelines..

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SMT spare parts - Qinyi Electronics

Reflow Oven