Industry News | 2012-04-09 13:45:59.0
As the electronics assembly industry evolves, printed circuit board (PCB) features and surface mount technology (SMT) components continue to get smaller and smaller. This miniaturization shrinks the process window at print, placement, and reflow, increasing the opportunities for defects.
Technical Library | 2023-07-25 16:50:02.0
Some of the new handheld communication devices offer real challenges to the paste printing process. Normally, there are very small devices like 01005 chip components as well as 0.3 mm pitch uBGA along with other devices that require higher deposits of solder paste. Surface mount connectors or RF shields with coplanarity issues fall into this category. Aperture sizes for the small devices require a stencil thickness in the 50 to 75 um (2-3 mils) range for effective paste transfer whereas the RF shield and SMT connector would like at least 150 um (6 mils) paste height. Spacing is too small to use normal step stencils. This paper will explore a different type of step stencil for this application; a "Two-Print Stencil Process" step stencil. Here is a brief description of a "Two-Print Stencil Process". A 50 to 75 um (2-3 mils) stencil is used to print solder paste for the 01005, 0.3 mm pitch uBGA and other fine pitch components. While this paste is still wet a second in-line stencil printer is used to print all other components using a second thicker stencil. This second stencil has relief pockets on the contact side of the stencil any paste was printed with the first stencil. Design guidelines for minimum keep-out distances between the relief step, the fine pitch apertures, and the RF Shields apertures as well relief pocket height clearance of the paste printed by the first print stencil will be provided.
Technical Library | 2021-04-21 19:28:30.0
Voids affect the thermal characteristics and mechanical properties of a solder joint, thereby affecting the reliability of the solder interconnect. The automotive sector in particular is requiring the mitigation of solder voids in various electronic control modules to the minimum possible level. Earlier research efforts performed to decrease voids involved varying the reflow profile, paste deposit, paste alloy composition, stencil aperture, and thickness.
New Equipment | Cleaning Agents
CYBERSOLV® C8882 is a fast-acting stencil cleaning solvent designed for the understencil wipe process. CYBERSOLV® C8882 instantly dissolves all flux types within the solder paste, including water soluble, rosin and low residue no-clean fluxes. CYBERS
New Equipment | Cleaning Agents
AQUANOX A8830 cleans solder paste from stencil apertures in ultrasonic immersion cleaning tanks. A typical wash cycle using a 10% solution of A8830 at room temperature typically requires less than a 4-minute wash cycle and easily rinses with water, l
Technical Library | 2023-06-12 19:00:21.0
The SMT print process is now very mature and well understood. However as consumers continually push for new electronic products, with increased functionality and smaller form factor, the boundaries of the whole assembly process are continually being challenged. Miniaturisation raises a number of issues for the stencil printing process. How small can we print? What are the tightest pitches? Can we print small deposits next too large for high mix technology assemblies? How closely can we place components for high density products? ...And then on top of this, how can we satisfy some of the cost pressures through the whole supply chain and improve yield in the production process! Today we are operating close to the limits of the stencil printing process. The area ratio rule (the relationship between stencil aperture opening and aperture surface area) fundamentally dictates what can and cannot be achieved in a print process. For next generation components and assembly processes these established rules need to be broken! New stencil printing techniques are becoming available which address some of these challenges. Active squeegees have been shown to push area ratio limits to new boundaries, permitting printing for next generation 0.3CSP technology. Results also indicate there are potential yield benefits for today's leading edge components as well. Stencil coatings are also showing promise. In tests performed to date it is becoming apparent that certain coatings can provide higher yield processing by extending the number of prints that can be performed in-between stencil cleans during a print process. Preliminary test results relating to the stencil coating technology and how they impact miniaturisation and high yield processing will be presented.
New Equipment | Solder Paste Stencils
Fine Line introduces our Slic™ laser cut stencil. The Slic™ material has been proven to outperform the industry standard stainless steel material. Slic™ has the mechanical and thermal properties of industry standard stainless steel, yet offers superi
Fine Line Stencil’s new UltraSlic™ FG solder paste stencil is the latest breakthrough in stencil technology. With superior paste release below surface area ratios of 0.5, UltraSlic™ FG outperforms all other existing stencil technologies on the market
New Equipment | Cleaning Equipment
The Low-cost / Compact Stencil Cleaners Heated wash for cleaning lead-free solder paste, pallets and adhesives 100% Stainless steel construction Two model sizes to conserve energy, use less chemistry and generate less waste Install i
