Electronics Manufacturing Technical Articles

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

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1882 SMT / PCB Assembly Related Technical Articles

Optimizing Thermal and Mechanical Performance in PCBs

Feb 04, 2008 | Alex Mangroli, Kris Vasoya

Engineers are always striving to make a lighter, faster and stronger PCB. In order to achieve their designs, engineers must turn to alternative materials to enhance their designs. There are many materials that allow for thermal, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and rigidity. Many times if a material enables an engineer to have CTE they will have to sacrifice thermal. Currently carbon composite laminates are being used in order to achieve an ideal PCB with thermal, CTE and rigidity with almost no weight premiums....

Publisher: Stablcor

STABLCOR is an innovative Intellectual Property company that is dedicated to solving problems through design.

Costa Mesa, California, USA

Selective Soldering Process

Jan 24, 2008 | Paul Bratt, Lead Package Engineer

Although many through-hole components are being replaced by their surface mount (SMT) counterparts, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are still being designed with both types of components. Often, there are interconnect hardware, displays, or other components that cannot withstand the exposure to the high temperature involved in the wave soldering process. They are generally soldered by hand. The challenge is to determine the optimal method manufacturers can use to solder these boards populated with mixed technology....

Publisher: Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

The EMPF serves as a corporate residence of expertise in electronics manufacturing.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Quieting the Noise: Quality Wave Soldering Depends on Control of Its Many Parameters.

Jan 24, 2008 | Gerjan Diepstraten, Senior Process Engineer, Vitronics Soltec BV

The wave solder process is characterized by a large number of process parameters. To understand them all and their interactions is challenging, particularly when it comes to lead-free soldering. Wave soldering has a number of sub-processes, which include fluxing, preheating, soldering and cooling....

Publisher: Vitronics Soltec

Vitronics Soltec

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

Camdenton, Missouri, USA

Process Development And Characterization Of The Stencil Printing Process For Small Apertures

Jan 16, 2008 | Dr. Daryl Santos, SUNY Binghamton; Dr. Rita Mohanty, Speedline Technologies

The consumer's interest for smaller, lighter and higher performance electronics products has increased the use of ultra fine pitch packages, such as Flip Chips and Chip Scale Packages, in printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. The assembly processes for these ultra fine pitch packages are extremely complex and each step in the assembly process influences the assembly yield and reliability....

Publisher: Speedline Technologies, Inc.

Speedline Technologies, Inc.

Speedline Technologies serves the electronics assembly and semiconductor packaging industries with class-leading equipment, responsive support and unparalleled process knowledge.

Franklin, Massachusetts, USA

Lead-free Wave Soldering of Simple to Highly Complex Boards. Process Optimization

Jan 10, 2008 | Denis Barbini, Vitronics Soltec; Paul Wang, Microsoft; Peter Biocca, ITW Kester; Quyen Chu, Jabil

This research takes an in-depth look at the challenges encountered in developing a lead free wave soldering process based on the specific products as well as on specific materials. It attempts to provide the reader with the information necessary to make educated decisions in selecting materials and controlling various process parameters in order to execute a rational implementation strategy for a reliable and robust lead free wave soldering process....

Publisher: Vitronics Soltec

Vitronics Soltec

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

Camdenton, Missouri, USA

Developing a Reliable Lead-free SMT Process

Jan 03, 2008 | Peter Biocca, Senior Development Engineer, Kester.

Lead-free SMT can be achieved reliably if several process requirements are implemented carefully. Some of the variables to account for are listed below. The most common alloys used in lead-free SMT are tin-silver-copper alloys; these alloys all have a meting range between 217- 220°C. These alloys all melt at higher temperatures than traditional leaded solders such as the 63/37which has a melting point of 183 °C....

Publisher: Kester

Kester is a leading global supplier of assembly materials to the electronic assembly, component and microelectronic marketplaces.

Itasca, Illinois, USA

Lean, Mean Dual-Lane Machines

Dec 27, 2007 | DEK

The latest screen printing platforms unlock more of the potential from dual-lane processing. Simultaneous demands to enhance flexibility while increasing utilisation and overall throughput apply to manufacturers operating at virtually any point in the mix-volume continuum: capacity must work hard to deliver the required return. As these lean manufacturing principles hold sway from the US and Europe to the Far East, no modern assembler has a second to spare....

Publisher: ASM Assembly Systems (DEK)

ASM Assembly Systems (DEK)

The ASM SMT Solutions segment is made up of SMT Printing Solutions (DEK) and SMT Placement Solutions (SIPLACE). Under the DEK brand, it sells best-in-class printing solutions for the electronics and solar industries.

Suwanee, Georgia, USA

Reflow Profiling: Time Above Liquidus

Dec 20, 2007 | David Suraski

Despite much research and discussion on the subject of reflow profiling, many questions and a good deal of confusion still exist. What is clear is that the pains often associated with profiling can be reduced if there is a strong understanding of the variables that can be encountered during the reflow process, as well as the metallurgical dynamics of the soldering process. This paper shall provide a brief outline of the reflow profile in general, with specific emphasis placed upon the suggested time spent above the melting temperature of the solder. The guidelines for soldering to various surfaces and with alternative solder alloys also are discussed....

Publisher: AIM Solder

AIM is a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

A New Stencil Rulebook for Wafer Level Solder Ball Placement using High Accuracy Screen Printing

Dec 13, 2007 | Steve Watkin, Semicon Packaging Technologies Division, and Tom Falcon, Future Technologies Group, DEK

Printer-hosted processes for solder ball placement are now widely used for package technologies ranging from BGAs using ball diameters above 750μm to the latest WL-CSPs demanding 250μm diameter. This broadening spectrum of applications brings more choices in terms of stencil design rules and production methodologies....

Publisher: ASM Assembly Systems (DEK)

ASM Assembly Systems (DEK)

The ASM SMT Solutions segment is made up of SMT Printing Solutions (DEK) and SMT Placement Solutions (SIPLACE). Under the DEK brand, it sells best-in-class printing solutions for the electronics and solar industries.

Suwanee, Georgia, USA

Lead-Free Solder Wafer Bumping

Dec 06, 2007 | Fred Dimock, Kristen Mattson.

Over the past 30 years we have learned that lead has negative affects on the health of humans and seen strong legislation remove it from gasoline and paints. More recently, governments in Europe and Asia have set deadlines to remove lead from consumer electronic devices that use printed circuit boards. Currently, the ban is not being applied to high reliability applications such as military or medical devices, but we all know that will come someday soon. Likewise many believe that lead free solder is coming to wafer bump reflow and are beginning to make the transition....

Publisher: BTU International

BTU International

Global supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment and processes to the electronics assembly market.

North Billerica, Massachusetts, USA

Optimizing Flip Chip Substrate Layout for Assembly

Nov 29, 2007 | Pericles Kondos, Peter Borgesen, Dan Blass, and Antonio Prats.

Programs have been developed to predict the expected yield of flip chip assemblies, based on substrate design and the statistics of actual manufactured boards, as well as placement machine accuracy, variations in bump sizes, and possible substrate warpage. These predictions and the trends they reveal can be used to direct changes in design so that defect levels will fall below the acceptable limits. Shapes of joints are calculated analytically, or when this is not possible, numerically by means of a public domain program called Surface Evolver. The method is illustrated with an example involving the substrate for a flip chip BGA....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Laser Micromachining of Nanocomposite-Based Flexible Embedded Capacitors

Nov 21, 2007 | Rabindra N. Das, Frank D. Egitto, John M. Lauffer and Voya R. Markovich.

This paper discusses laser micromachining of barium titanate (BaTiO3)-polymer nanocomposites and sol-gel thin films. In particular, recent developments on high capacitance, large area, and thin flexible embedded capacitors are highlighted....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

Case Study on the Validation of SAC305 and SnCu Based Solders in SMT, Wave and Hand-soldering at the Contract Assembler Level

Nov 15, 2007 | Peter Biocca, Carlos Rivas

At the contractor level once a product is required to be soldered with lead-free solders all the processes must be assessed as to insure the same quality a customer has been accustomed to with a Sn63Pb37 process is achieved. The reflow, wave soldering and hand assembly processes must all be optimized carefully to insure good joint formation as per the appropriate class of electronics with new solder alloys and often new fluxes....

Publisher: Kester

Kester is a leading global supplier of assembly materials to the electronic assembly, component and microelectronic marketplaces.

Itasca, Illinois, USA

Maximizing Production Productivity of Automatic Termination Machines

Nov 08, 2007 | Rob Boyd.

ways to increase machine utilization and productivity for automatic termination machines. This article will discuss just a few of the basic concepts. For some, this may seem academic, but going over the basics is a good reminder so we don’t overlook best practices. So, how do we get more products out the door every day?...

Publisher: Schleuniger, Inc.

Schleuniger, Inc.

Schleuniger, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of wire processing equipment. Our innovative automatic and semi-automatic machines are designed to cut, strip, crimp and mark all types of wire and cable.

Manchester, New Hampshire, USA

Making A Case for Continuous Furnaces

Nov 08, 2007 | Fred Dimock

A continuous furnace is ideal for processes requiring high production volumes, process consistency, and precision control. This overview discusses some of the newer temperature and atmosphere capabilities of continuous furnaces and addresses the various components that make up a continuous furnace....

Publisher: BTU International

BTU International

Global supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment and processes to the electronics assembly market.

North Billerica, Massachusetts, USA

Influence of Nanoparticles, Low Melting Point (LMP) Fillers, and Conducting Polymers on Electrical, Mechanical, and Reliability Performance of Micro-Filled Conducting Adhesives for Z-Axis Interconnections

Nov 01, 2007 | Rabindra N. Das, Konstantinos I. Papathomas, John M. Lauffer and Frank D. Egitto

This paper discusses micro-filled epoxy-based conducting adhesives modified with nanoparticles, conducting polymers, and low melting point (LMP) fillers for z-axis interconnections, especially as they relate to package level fabrication, integration,...

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

Electrical Performance of an Organic, Z-interconnect, Flip-Chip Substrate

Oct 25, 2007 | Michael J. Rowlands, Rabindra Das.

More and more substrate designs require signals paths that can handle multi-gigahertz frequencies [1-3]. The challenges for organic substrates, in meeting these electrical requirements, include using high-speed, low-loss materials, manufacturing precise structures and making a reliable finished product. A new substrate technology is presented that addresses these challenges....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

A Practical Guide to Achieving Lead-Free Electronics Assembly

Oct 18, 2007 | Karl Seelig, David Suraski

To successfully achieve lead-free electronics assembly, each participant in the manufacturing process, from purchasing to engineering to maintenance to Quality/Inspection, must have a solid understanding of the changes required of them. This pertains to considerations regarding design, components, PWBs, solder alloys, fluxe s, printing, reflow, wave soldering, rework, cleaning, equipment wear & tear and inspection....

Publisher: AIM Solder

AIM is a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Maximizing Process Control with Controlled Convection Rates

Oct 10, 2007 | Rob DiMatteo, Fred Dimock, Pierre LeMieux.

Process engineers, who are seeking to achieve the most effective and reproducible thermal transfer process, look to today's forced convection ovens for applications such as flipchip, BGA, and lead-free soldering. A forced convection process to maximize thermal uniformity can be best accomplished by employing static pressure generation in what's known as "closed loop convection"....

Publisher: BTU International

BTU International

Global supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment and processes to the electronics assembly market.

North Billerica, Massachusetts, USA

RF Packaging Advancements for Navy Applications

Oct 02, 2007 | Fred Verdi, EMPF Technical Director

The vast majority (99%) of the electronics market in North America is composed of products produced for commercial applications. The 1% share of the electronics market driven by Department of Defense (DoD) applications has created a niche market for RF qualified devices. The DoD, with its emphasis on COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) and "Open" systems, is beginning to become more interested in using commercially oriented RF devices for military applications as a means to leverage the volumes and innovations of the commercial world....

Publisher: Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

The EMPF serves as a corporate residence of expertise in electronics manufacturing.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The Pin-in-Paste (or AART) Process for Odd Form and Through Hole Printed Circuit Boards

Sep 27, 2007 | Jay B. Hinerman, DEK Inc; K. Srihari, Ph.D., Department of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering State University of New York; George R. Westby, Director - SMT Laboratory, Universal Instruments Corporation.

Considerable interest exists in the process known as the pinin- paste, or the Alternative Assembly and Reflow Technology (AART) process. The AART process allows for the simultaneous reflow of both odd-form and through hole devices as well as surface mount components. This process has several advantages over the typical mixed technology process sequence that includes wave soldering and/or hand soldering, often in addition to reflow soldering....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Laser Solder Reflow: A Process Solution Part II

Sep 13, 2007 | John Vivari; EFD, Inc., Alex Kasman, Leister Technologies USA

With the use of laser light for reflow having been established, all that remains is to apply it to best effect. Each time a laser is fired, it pumps a specific amount of energy at a particular wavelength to a particular point in space. Where technique comes in is choosing where and for how long to apply that light along with the application of accessory equipment to optimize solder paste reflow. This presentation covers the specifics of how to determine which process choices are the right process choices based on the needs of your product to maximize yield and throughput....

Publisher: Nordson EFD

The world's leading designer and manufacturer of precision dispensing systems that apply accurate, consistent amounts of the adhesives, sealants, lubricants and other assembly fluids used in virtually every manufacturing process.

East Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Laser Solder Reflow: A Process Solution Part I

Sep 06, 2007 | John Vivari; EFD, Inc., Alex Kasman, Leister Technologies USA

EFD Inc. and Leister USA have collaborated to bust the myth that you cannot perform laser reflow with solder paste. Using Leister diode lasers, EFD has formulated solder pastes that survive the rapid reflow cycle typical of laser heating. These solder pastes reflow and wet well, without spatter, even when heating is accomplished in less than half a second. The flux core in wire solders cannot boast such flux spatter resistance in such an aggressive heating environment....

Publisher: Nordson EFD

The world's leading designer and manufacturer of precision dispensing systems that apply accurate, consistent amounts of the adhesives, sealants, lubricants and other assembly fluids used in virtually every manufacturing process.

East Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Characteristics of Conformal Coatings

Aug 28, 2007 | Dave Poulin, Senior Materials Engineer, EMPF.

A conformal coating is defined as a thin polymeric material which covers the surface of an electronic assembly. These coatings are used to provide an electrically insulative and environmentally protective seal or cover to a completed printed circuit board (PCB)....

Publisher: Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

The EMPF serves as a corporate residence of expertise in electronics manufacturing.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Boundary Scan Skews Test Coverage Tradeoffs in your Favor

Aug 23, 2007 | Dominic Plunkett, Chief Technology Officer, XJTAG, Ltd.

The complexity and programmability of modern embedded boards means that knowledge built up during debugging and testing must be regarded as Intellectual Property (IP) and therefore preserved. But many of the processes and tools used today do not provide a means to preserve or pass on this IP, and thereby forego valuable opportunities to save time and improve quality during subsequent stages of product development....

Publisher: XJTAG

XJTAG provides a full range of JTAG products to help you debug board designs with BGAs, test hardware that includes FPGAs, CPLDs, DSPs or microprocessors.

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Consultant / Service Provider

Lead-Free BGA Rework-Transition Issues

Aug 16, 2007 | Best Inc

While experienced inspectors may be able to determine the aesthetic differences between a lead-free PCB assembly and a tin-lead version, one cannot rely on the "experienced eye". "Less wetting out to the pad edges" (Figure A) and "graininess and lack of shininess of the solder joint" (Figure B) are typical comments about some lead-free solder joints. However, in cases where a Nitrogen atmosphere was present during the reflow of the solder joint (Figure C), there will be little visual differences between the lead free alloys and their tin-lead counterparts....

Publisher: BEST Inc.

BEST offers professional rework, repair and prototype builds of PCBs. Our expertise is on BGA rework and QFN rework. Our experienced instructors teach professional soldering classes as we are an IPC certified training center

Rolling Meadows, Illinois, USA

Consultant / Service Provider, Manufacturer

Achieving SMT Compatible Flip Chip Assembly With No-Flow Fluxing Underfills

Aug 09, 2007 | Tony DeBarros and Doug Katze of Emerson and Cuming And Pericles Kondos of Universal Instruments

Recent developments in No Flow-Fluxing Underfill (NFFUF) products have demonstrated their utility to enhance the reliability of flip chip assemblies with reduced processing steps over conventional capillary flow methods. This basic work considered processing conditions such as dispensed volume and placement force, speed and dwell time. Further evaluations of these new products on a variety of flip chip assembly configurations manufactured by various processes have been undertaken to provide further evidence of their suitability and potential in high volume electronic manufacturing. This paper summarizes the recent evaluations and discusses new studies of additional assembly configurations, which include higher input/output (l/O) counts up to full arrays in excess of 1200 l/Os....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Package on Package (PoP) Stacking and Board Level Reliability, Results of Joint Industry Study

Aug 02, 2007 | Moody Dreiza, Lee Smith - Amkor Technology, Gene Dunn - Panasonic Factory Solutions, Niranjan Vijayaragavan, Jeremy Werner - Spansion.

This paper presents the results of a joint - three way study between Amkor Technology, Panasonic Factory Solutions and Spansion in the area of package on package (PoP) board level reliability (BLR) (...) The scope of this paper is to cover the already popular 14 x 14mm PoP package size that provides a 152 pin stacked interface which supports a high level of flexibility in the memory architecture for multimedia requirements....

Publisher: Amkor Technology, Inc.

Amkor Technology, Inc.

Amkor Technology is the world's largest independent supplier of outsourced packaging and test semiconductor interconnect services; with more than 33 years of continuous improvement, growth and innovation. http://www.amkor.com

Chandler, Arizona, USA

Two-Photon Polymerization: A New Approach to Micromachining

Jul 24, 2007 | Andreas Ostendorf, Boris N. Chichkov, Laser Zentrum Hannover eV.

The rapid technical development of ultrashort laser systems is creating exciting possibilities for very precise localization of laser energy in time and space. These achievements have triggered novel laser applications based on nonlinear interaction processes. A promising three-dimensional microfabrication method that has recently attracted considerable attention is based on two-photon polymerization with ultrashort laser pulses....

Publisher: Aerotech, Inc.

Since 1970, Aerotech has designed and manufactured the highest performance motion control, positioning tables/stages, and positioning systems for our customers in industry, government, science, and research institutions worldwide.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Reduced Oxide Soldering Activation (ROSA)

Jul 19, 2007 | Sam Pepe, Chemist, American Competitiveness Institute / EMPF

ROSA is a surface restoration technique that removes hard to reduce species like metal oxides or sulfides. At the time of its development, the focus was on solderability and compliance to environmental regulations. Industry trends and regulatory changes as a result of the Montreal Protocol were the driver for much of the concern over environmental compliance. The result was an increase in the development of no-clean and water soluble fluxes and the removal of halogenated cleaning chemistries....

Publisher: Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF)

The EMPF serves as a corporate residence of expertise in electronics manufacturing.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Implementing Lead Free Soldering - European Consortium Research

Jul 12, 2007 | Dr. M. Warwick.

Over the last ten years, there have been a large number of publications describing work into lead free electronics soldering. They have come from all regions of the world and from academic organisations, individual companies and consortia. Although a number of these studies have culminated in "production trials", these have invariably been on a limited scale and they were essentially a demonstration, rather than the first step to implementation....

Publisher: Multicore Solders

Multicore Solders

Manufacturer of soldering materials, paste solder

Richardson, TX, United Kingdom

Low Force Placement Solution For Delicate and Low IO Flip Chip Assemblies

Jun 27, 2007 | Jason Higgins - Universal Instruments Corporation, Robert Hemann - Medtronic Microelectronics Center.

Traditionally most flip chips were designed with large bumps on a coarse pitch. However, as the trend towards smaller, more compact assemblies continues the sizes of semiconductor packages are forced to stay in line. New designs are incorporating smaller bump diameters on increasingly aggressive pitches, and in many cases decreasing the total IO count. With fewer and smaller bumps to distribute the load of the placement force it is becoming increasingly vital for equipment manufacturers to meet the challenge in offering low force placement solutions. One such solution will be presented in the following discussion. Also presented will be ways to minimize the initial impact spike that flip chips experience upon placement....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Selective Solder Paste Deposition Reliability Test Results.

Jun 21, 2007 | Bob Wettermann.

The rapid assimilation of Ball Grid Array (BGA) and other Area Array Package technology in the electronics industry is due to the fact that this package type allows for a greater I/O count in a smaller area while maintaining a pitch that allows for ease of manufacture (...) While there have been several studies comparing these two attachment methods, this study highlights the effect of rework technique on the electrical characteristics and reliability of reworked BGAs....

Publisher: BEST Inc.

BEST offers professional rework, repair and prototype builds of PCBs. Our expertise is on BGA rework and QFN rework. Our experienced instructors teach professional soldering classes as we are an IPC certified training center

Rolling Meadows, Illinois, USA

Consultant / Service Provider, Manufacturer

Large Thin Organic PTFE Substrates for Multichip Applications

Jun 13, 2007 | Ron Nowak, Paul Hart, Dave Alcoe.

Very high performance computer applications have created a demand for large organic substrates capable of interconnecting one or a few ASIC semiconductor devices with packaged memory devices. The electrical advantages offered by the use of a thin PTFE composite substrate were coupled with intrinsic mechanical advantages to create very high performance applications. The application development required interactions of design, fabrication, and new manufacturing technology to obtain rapid prototype production and allow a successful ensuing manufacturing ramp....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

Proof is in the PTH - Assuring Via Reliability from Chip Carriers to Thick Printed Wiring Boards

Jun 06, 2007 | Kevin T. Knadle, Virendra R. Jadhav.

Though today's microvias and high aspect plated through holes (PTH's) look nothing like the earliest through holes of 40 years ago, the PTH in its various forms remains the “weak link” and most critical element of printed wiring boards and laminate chip carriers (...) The paper outlines an approach to evaluating PTH reliability and quality that involves characterizing PTH life across a range of temperatures to reveal intricacies not seen by testing at a single delta-T, and certainly difficult to predict by modeling alone....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

Lead-free and Tin-lead Assembly and Reliability of Fine-pitch Wafer-Level CSPs

May 31, 2007 | Michael Meilunas, Muffadal Mukadam, Peter Borgesen, Hari Srihari

This paper discusses solder paste printing and flux dipping assembly processes for 0.4 and 0.5mm pitch lead-free WLCSPs and the corresponding assembly results and thermal cyclic reliability obtained. Variables evaluated include reflow ambient, paste type, and stencil design. Reliability is also compared to results for the same components assembled under identical conditions using SnPb solder....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Phase Convection™: The Lead-Free Solution

May 30, 2007 | Jean-Jack Boumendil, Pascal Preti.

Transition to lead-free is accelerating and when considering constraints related to lead-free and conventional solder pastes, one concern is rising: flexibility. It would be dangerous to commit to lead-free only while the technology is not yet stabilized. Manufacturers need to consider all of the issues related to lead-free and need to find flexible equipment which are able to adapt to both conventional and lead-free constraints....

Publisher: Vi TECHNOLOGY

Vi TECHNOLOGY is a worldwide global supplier of a wide range of innovative Automated Inspection AOI, 3D-SPI equipment and software solutions that provide real time data collection and correlation across the SMT line.

Richardson, Texas, USA

Manufacturers at the Crossroads: ERP or Best-of-Breed Software?

May 17, 2007 | Zontec, Inc

In the quest for quality, selecting the right Statistical Process Control (SPC) Software system doesn't boil down to a simple functional "fit-to-requirements" anymore. Once the expert domain of highly focused, independent software developers, the competitive landscape has changed dramatically with the influx of big-name ERP software providers who are aggressively promoting integrated quality modules within an all-encompassing business application framework....

Publisher: Zontec, Inc.

SPC software manufacturer. Our software includes such extras as defect tracking, traceability, trend and root cause analysis, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), rolled throughput yield (RTY), equipment uptime/downtime and supplier quality management in a true real-time production-based system.

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Consultant / Service Provider

The Proximity of Microvias to PTHs And Its Impact On The Reliability

May 09, 2007 | Anthony Primavera Manager - CSP Consortium Universal Instruments Corporation, Jaydutt Joshi, Package Development Engineer - Conexant Systems Inc.

High Density Interconnect (HDI) technology is fast becoming the enabling technology for the next generation of small portable electronic communication devices. These methods employ many different dielectrics and via fabrication technologies. In this research, the effect of the proximity of microvias to Plated Through Holes (PTHs) and its effect on the reliability of the microvias was extensively evaluated. The reliability of microvia interconnect structures was evaluated using Liquid-To-Liquid Thermal Shock (LLTS) testing (-55oC to +125oC). Comprehensive failure analysis was performed on microvias fabricated using different via fabrication technologies....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

A Study of Lead-Free Wave Soldering

May 02, 2007 | David Suraski.

This brief study of lead-free wave soldering focuses upon copper dissolution and solder maintenance issues. Unfortunately, it is determined that waste and changeover costs can dramatically increase with lead-free wave soldering....

Publisher: AIM Solder

AIM is a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Real-Time Yield Monitoring Through ERP Systems

Apr 25, 2007 | P. Bhargava, J. Sturek, J. Peck, R. Murcko, K. Srihari

Globalization and increased competition requires an enterprise to focus on cost reduction, improved manufacturing processes and higher standards of quality. Effective yield management using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is crucial for the success of any manufacturing organization. An ERP system provides the infrastructure for consolidating all business operations by integrating the information flow across functions, including production planning and control....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

A world leader in high-performance PCB fabrication & assembly, semiconductor packaging, systems integration & test, advanced laboratory services and contract R&D.

Endicott, New York, USA

Fragility of Pb-free Solder Joints

Apr 18, 2007 | Universal Instruments Corporation

Recent investigations have revealed that Pb-free solder joints may be fragile, prone to premature interfacial failure particularly under shock loading, as initially formed or tend to become so under moderate thermal aging. Depending on the solder pad surface finish, different mechanisms are clearly involved, but none of the commonly used surface finishes appear to be consistently immune to embrittlement processes. This is of obvious concern for products facing relatively high operating temperatures for protracted times and/or mechanical shock or strong vibrations in service....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

A Case Study in Troubleshooting Shop Floor Rework Difficulties

Apr 05, 2007 | Martin Hogner; Martin Rework and Dispense Technic, Wessling/Munich, Germany, and Allen Sirois; Web Administrator, Manncorp Inc., USA.

Recently a large global player approached us with a problem. They needed an initial assembly solution for brand new components. Their boards and CSP specimens could not safely be soldered due to wetting problems at the solder joints....

Publisher: MARTIN (a Finetech company)

MARTIN (a Finetech company)

Manufacturer of rework and reballing systems, hand soldering solutions, and micro-dispensing technologies

Manchester, New Hampshire, USA

Effects of Assebly Process Variables on Voiding at a Thermal Interface.

Apr 04, 2007 | Muffadal Mukadam, Jeff Schake, Peter Borgesen, Krishnaswami Srihari.

The present work offers a discussion and a first case study to identify and illustrate voiding mechanisms for a particular TIM between a heat spreader and the back of a flip chip. Pronounced differences were observed between stencil printing and dispensing in terms of initial void formation, apparently related to the specific properties of the material. Measurements of the effects of heat ramp rate and peak temperature showed the subsequent evolution and final void size distribution to be determined by the initial part of the cure profile up to the material gelling temperature....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Lead-free Rework Process For Chip Scale Packages

Mar 28, 2007 | Arun Gowda and K. Srihari, Ph.D. - Electronics Manufacturing Research and Services, Anthony Primavera, Ph.D. Consortium Manager - Universal Instruments Corporation

Legislation against the use of lead in electronics has been the driving force behind the use of lead-free solders, surface finishes, and component lead finishes. The major concern in using lead-free solders in the assembly and rework Chip Scale Packages (CSPs) is the relatively high temperatures that the components and the boards experience. Fine-pitch CSPs have very low standoff heights following assembly making inspection and rework of these components more difficult. One other concern pertinent to rework is the temperature of the neighboring components during rework. These issues, coupled with the limitations of rework equipment to handle lead-free reflow temperatures, make the task of reworking lead-free assemblies more challenging....

Publisher: Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments Corporation

Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Conklin, New York, USA

Are You Becoming E-Wasted?

Mar 13, 2007 | Jim Usery

This article gives an explanation of what e-waste is and states the regulations on how it can be disposed of. It also tells what some companies are doing to help the consumer get rid of it....

Publisher: Innovative Circuits Inc.

Innovative Circuits Inc.

The people to see for all of your electronic design and manufacturing needs.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

Prototyping Your New Electronic Product Idea

Mar 13, 2007 | Jim Usery, Sales and Marketing Director, Innovative Circuits Inc.

This article outlines the minimum tasks needed to send your new electronic product idea out for prototyping. It lists and defines the minimums to either perform your self or to have subcontracted....

Publisher: Innovative Circuits Inc.

Innovative Circuits Inc.

The people to see for all of your electronic design and manufacturing needs.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

I Have an Idea for a New Product, but Now What?

Mar 13, 2007 | Jim Usery

Do you have an idea for an electronic product, the next must-have gadget, music or video system, time saver, or the greatest problem-solving device that was ever invented? Before you begin designing the product, there are a number of tasks that you must complete and issues that you must resolve before you have an actual product design that can be produced, marketed, and sold. This article will provide you with some guidelines to assist you in getting your idea turned into a successful design. Other issues, such as whether or not to apply for a patent for your product idea and in detail how a particular product should be advertised or marketed will not be addressed in this article....

Publisher: Innovative Circuits Inc.

Innovative Circuits Inc.

The people to see for all of your electronic design and manufacturing needs.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

Basics of Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards

Mar 13, 2007 | Jim Usery, Sales and Marketing Director, Innovative Circuits Inc.

This article tells about the basics of manufacturing printed circuit boards including the terminology and the steps to processing a PCB....

Publisher: Innovative Circuits Inc.

Innovative Circuits Inc.

The people to see for all of your electronic design and manufacturing needs.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

What Your Electronic Manufacturing Service Provider Needs from You

Mar 13, 2007 | Jim Usery, Sales and Marketing Director, Innovative Circuits Inc.

This article tells what your electronic manufacturing service providers needs from you to prepare an accurate quotation for a typical printed circuit board assembly project....

Publisher: Innovative Circuits Inc.

Innovative Circuits Inc.

The people to see for all of your electronic design and manufacturing needs.

Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

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