Electronics Manufacturing Technical Articles

Electronics Manufacturing Technical Articles

Papers and articles related to SMT, PCB & EMS industry.

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1882 SMT / PCB Assembly Related Technical Articles

Selective soldering in an optimized nitrogen atmosphere

Sep 29, 2021 | Gerjan Diepstraten

In PCB circuit assemblies the trend is moving to more SMD components with finer pitch connections. The majority of the assemblies still have a small amount of through hole (THT) components. Some of them can't withstand high reflow temperatures, while others are there because of their mechanical robustness. In automotive applications these THT components are also present. Many products for cars, including steering units, radio and navigation, and air compressors also use THT technology to connect board-to-board, PCB's to metal shields or housings out of plastic or even aluminium. This is not a simple 2D plain soldering technology, as it requires handling, efficient thermal heating and handling of heavy (up to 10 kg) parts. Soldering technology becomes more 3D where connections have to be made on different levels. For this technology robots using solder wire fail because of the spattering of the flux in the wires and the long cycle time. In wave soldering using pallets the wave height is limited and pin in paste reflow is only a 2D application with space limitations. Selective soldering using dedicated plates with nozzles on the solder area is the preferred way to make these connections. All joints can be soldered in one dip resulting in short cycle times. Additional soldering on a small select nozzle can make the system even more flexible. The soldering can only be successful when there is enough thermal heat in the assembly before the solder touches the board. A forced convection preheat is a must for many applications to bring enough heat into the metal and board materials. The challenge in a dip soldering process is to get a sufficient hole fill without bridging and minimize the number of solder balls. A new cover was designed to improve the nitrogen environment. Reducing oxygen levels benefits the wetting, but increases the risk for solder balling. Previous investigations showed that solder balling can be minimized by selecting proper materials for solder resist and flux....

Publisher: Vitronics Soltec

Vitronics Soltec

Global manufacturer of XPM Reflow Ovens, ZEVA Selective Soldering and Delta Wave Soldering Equipment.

Camdenton, Missouri, USA

Manufacturer

Applying Microscopic Analytic Techniques For Failure Analysis In Electronic Assemblies

Sep 21, 2021 | Otto Grosshardt, Boldizsár Árpád Nagy and Anette Laetsch

The present paper gives an overview of surface failures, internal nonconformities and solders joint failures detected by microscopic analysis of electronic assemblies. Optical microscopy (stereomicroscopy) and Fourier-Transform- Infrared (FTIR) microscopy is used for documentation and failure localization on electronic samples surface. For internal observable conditions a metallographic cross-section analysis of the sample is required. The aim of this work is to present some internal and external observable nonconformities which frequently appear in electronic assemblies. In order to detect these nonconformities, optical microscopy, cross section analysis, FTIR-microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) were used as analytical techniques....

Publisher: ZOLLNER ELECTRONICS, INC.

ZOLLNER ELECTRONICS, INC.

Headquartered in Germany and founded by Manfred Zollner in 1965, Zollner Elektronik AG has successfully grown to become one of the largest and most formidable Electronic Manufacturing & Engineering Services providers in the world today.

Sterling, Virginia, USA

Manufacturer

Alternative Methods For Cross-Sectioning Of SMT And PCB Related Architectures

Sep 21, 2021 | Manuel J. Solis "Paco"

The electronics industry has been using the epoxy puck for the processing of the vast majority of electronics microsections since the 1970s. Minimal advancements have been seen in the methods used for precision micro-sections of PCBs, PCBAs, and device packages. This paper will discuss different techniques and approaches in performing precision and analytical micro-sections, which fuse the techniques and materials common in preparation of silicon wafers and bulk materials. These techniques have not only been found to produce excellent optical results, but transfer effectively to SEM for high magnification inspection and further analysis with minimal post-lapping preparation needed. Additionally, processing time is reduced primarily due to a significant reduction of bulk material removal earlier in the preparation, therefore needing less removal at later lapping steps compared to traditional sectioning methods. Additional techniques are introduced that mitigate some classic challenges experienced by technicians over the decades....

Publisher: Foresite Inc.

Foresite Inc.

Foresite is a process consulting house and analytial laboratory dedicated to solving product reliability challenges for electronics manufacturers.

Kokomo, Indiana, USA

Consultant / Service Provider, Manufacturer

Physics of Failure (PoF) Based Lifetime Prediction of Power Electronics at the Printed Circuit Board Level

Sep 15, 2021 | Andrew Wileman, Suresh Perinpanayagam and Sohaib Aslam

This paper presents the use of physics of failure (PoF) methodology to infer fast and accurate lifetime predictions for power electronics at the printed circuit board (PCB) level in early design stages. It is shown that the ability to accurately model silicon–metal layers, semiconductor packaging, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and assemblies allows, for instance, the prediction of solder fatigue failure due to thermal, mechanical, and manufacturing conditions. The technique allows a lifecycle prognosis of the PCB, taking into account the environmental stresses it will encounter during the period of operation. Primarily, it involves converting an electronic computer aided design (eCAD) circuit layout into computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) models with accurate geometries. From this, stressors, such as thermal cycling, mechanical shock, natural frequency, and harmonic and random vibrations, are applied to understand PCB degradation, and semiconductor and capacitor wear, and accordingly provide a method for high-fidelity power PCB modelling, which can be subsequently used to facilitate virtual testing and digital twinning for aircraft systems and sub-systems....

Publisher: Cranfield University

Cranfield University

Cranfield University is a British postgraduate public research university specialising in science, engineering, design, technology and management. Cranfield was founded as the College of Aeronautics in 1946.

Bedford,

Research Institute / Laboratory / School

Mathematical Model For Dynamic Force Analysis Of Printed Circuit Boards

Sep 15, 2021 | I.I. Kovtun, J.M. Boiko, S.A. Petrashchuk

Mathematical model for dynamic force analysis of printed circuit boards has been designed to calculate dynamic deformations and stresses in printed circuit boards and assess their dynamic strength and rigidity. The represented model describes a printed circuit board as a separate oscillatory system, which is simulated as prismatic beam set on two oscillating supports. Simulation and assessment of stress and deflection in printed circuit boards and obtaining their amplitude frequency responses provided recommendations, which ensure strength and stiffness of printed circuit boards subjected to dynamic loads.....

Publisher: Khmelnytsky National University

Khmelnytsky National University

Established in 1962, Khmelnytskyi National University is a non-profit public higher-education institution located in the urban setting of the medium city of Khmelnitsky (population range of 250,000-499,999 inhabitants), Khmelnytsk

Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukraine

Research Institute / Laboratory / School

Failure Mechanisms Of Electromechanical Relays On PCBAs: Part I

Sep 15, 2021 | Gert Vogel

Many printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) have relays that are soldered to the PCB. If such an electromechanical component fails, it can cause the whole device to fail, just like any other electronic component. The spectrum of root causes that lead to an increased contact resistance or a complete contact failure is totally different from what usually occurs in the electronics domain. This article provides a detailed analysis of these failures and the corresponding root causes, many of them self-centering....

Publisher: Siemens Process Industries and Drives

Siemens Process Industries and Drives

Siemens industrial manufacturing software, process automation, and automation and drives technology increases flexibility, cuts market launch lead time, and significantly reduces energy for manufacturing companies.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

Consultant / Service Provider, Manufacturer, Training Provider

Failure Analysis

Sep 15, 2021 | ASM International®

Analyzing failures is a critical process in determining the physical root causes of problems. The process is complex, draws upon many different technical disciplines, and uses a variety of observation, inspection, and laboratory techniques. One of the key factors in properly performing a failure analysis is keeping an open mind while examining and analyzing the evidence to foster a clear, unbiased perspective of the failure....

Publisher: ASM International

ASM International

ASM International, formerly known as the American Society for Metals, an association of materials-centric engineers and scientists. ASM is dedicated to informing, educating, & connecting the materials community to solve problems.

Materials Park, Ohio, USA

Association / Non-Profit

Auto Electronic ICT+ Programming Automation Solution

Sep 09, 2021 | pti

Auto Electronic ICT+ Programming Automation Solution...

Publisher: Shenzhen PTI Technology CO.,LTD

Shenzhen PTI Technology CO.,LTD

Our company was established in 2004, Main products: ICT on-line tester, ICT, functional testing machine 、FCT、 TSI、 automatic test and control system (ATE), test automation solutions, etc.

深圳, China

Manufacturer

The Great SAC Debate: Comparing The Reliability Of SAC305 And SAC405 Solders In A Variety Of Applications

Sep 08, 2021 | Heather McCormick, Polina Snugovsky, Craig Hamilton, Zohreh Bagheri, and Simin Bagheri

Although the electronics industry has largely settled on the use of SAC alloys for the assembly of the majority of lead free products, debate continues to exist over which SAC alloy – SAC305 (Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu) or SAC405 (Sn3.8Ag0.8Cu) – to use. The North American industry generally favours SAC405, while the Asian industry favours SAC305. SAC305 has the significant benefit of being less expensive than SAC405 owing to its lower silver content. However, there are lingering questions about whether the reliability of SAC305 is comparable to that of SAC405. Recent studies have concluded that no significant difference exists, but many potential applications were not studied. This paper compares the results of reliability testing of SAC305 and SAC405 in three different cases on a test vehicle representative of a mid-complexity server-type product which included a range of component types from CBGAs to discrete resistors....

Publisher: Celestica Corporation

Celestica Corporation

A multinational electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Manufacturer, Standards Setting / Certification, Training Provider

iNEMI Pb-Free Alloy Characterization Project Report: Part II - Thermal Fatigue Results For Two Common Temperature Cycles

Sep 08, 2021 | Richard Parker, Richard Coyle, Gregory Henshall, Joe Smetana, Elizabeth Benedetto

The Pb-Free Alloy Characterization Program sponsored by International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) is conducting an extensive investigation using accelerated temperature cycling (ATC) to evaluate ball grid array (BGA) thermal fatigue performance of 12 commercial or developmental Sn based Pb-free solder alloys. This paper presents the initial findings from a specific subset of the temperature cycling test matrix. The focus is on comparing alloy performance for two of the most commonly specified temperature cycles, 0 to 100 °C and -40 to 125 °C....

Publisher: iNEMI (International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative)

iNEMI (International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative)

iNEMI is an industry-led consortium focused on identifying and closing technology gaps, which includes the development and integration of the electronics industry supply infrastructure.

Herndon, Virginia, USA

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