Training Courses | | | IPC-A-610 Trainer (CIT) Recert.
The Certified IPC-A-610 Trainer (CIT) recertification courses are intended for those individuals who were previously accredited to provide Certified IPC-A-610 Specialist (CIS) training.
New Equipment | Solder Materials
SN100C is a lead-free solder alloy developed by Nihon Superior in Japan that is comprised of tin-copper-nickel + germanium. SN100C offers user-friendly properties and has been proven in commercial production since 1999. The result of these advantages
New Equipment | Wave Soldering
The only portable wave soldering machine optimizers with statistical process control (SPC) The wave soldering process is one of the most challenging procedures to set up. The ECD WaveRIDER® NL 2 greatly simplifies wave solder set up and ensures perf
Technical Library | 2023-11-20 17:30:11.0
Summary for today 1. Electronic component inspection and failure analysis. 2. Component counting and material management. 3. Reverse engineering. 4. Counterfeit detection. 5. Real-time defect verification. 6. Computed tomography (CT) techniques and how to differentiate between 2D, 2.5D, and 3D x-ray inspection. 7. Design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for x-ray inspection (DFXI). 8. Voids, bridging, and head-in-pillow failures in bottom terminated components (BTC). 9. Artificial Intelligence and x-ray inspection
Technical Library | 2019-08-07 22:56:45.0
The requirement to reconsider traditional soldering methods is becoming more relevant as the demand for bottom terminated components (QFN/BTC) increases. Thermal pads under said components are designed to enhance the thermal and electrical performance of the component and ultimately allow the component to run more efficiently. Additionally, low voiding is important in decreasing the current path of the circuit to maximize high speed and RF performances. The demand to develop smaller, more reliable, packages has seen voiding requirements decrease below 15 percent and in some instances, below 10 percent.Earlier work has demonstrated the use of micro-fluxed solder preforms as a mechanism to reduce voiding. The current work builds upon these results to focus on developing an engineered approach to void reduction in leadless components (QFN) through increasing understanding of how processing parameters and a use of custom designed micro-fluxed preforms interact. Leveraging the use of a micro-fluxed solder preform in conjunction with low voiding solder paste, stencil design, and application knowhow are critical factors in determining voiding in QFN packages. The study presented seeks to understand the vectors that can contribute to voiding such as PCB pad finish, reflow profile, reflow atmosphere, via configuration, and ultimately solder design.A collaboration between three companies consisting of solder materials supplier, a power semiconductor supplier, and an electronic assembly manufacturer worked together for an in-depth study into the effectiveness of solder preforms at reducing voiding under some of the most prevalent bottom terminated components packages. The effects of factors such as thermal pad size, finish on PCB, preform types, stencil design, reflow profile and atmosphere, have been evaluated using lead-free SAC305 low voiding solder paste and micro-fluxed preforms. Design and manufacturing rules developed from this work will be discussed.
Technical Library | 2014-08-28 17:09:23.0
The fastest growing package types in the electronics industry today are Bottom Termination Components (BTCs). While the advantages of BTCs are well documented, they pose significant reliability challenges to users. One of the most common drivers for reliability failures is the inappropriate adoption of new technologies. This is especially true for new component packaging like BTCs. Obtaining relevant information can be difficult since information is often segmented and the focus is on design opportunities not on reliability risks (...)Commonly used conformal coating and potting processes have resulted in shortened fatigue life under thermal cycling conditions. Why do conformal coating and potting reduce fatigue life? This paper details work undertaken to understand the mechanisms underlying this reduction. Verification and determination of mechanical properties of some common materials are performed and highlighted. Recommendations for material selection and housing design are also given.
Technical Library | 2015-06-11 21:20:29.0
The use of bottom terminated components (BTC) has become widespread, specifically the use of Quad Flat No-lead (QFN) packages. The small outline and low height of this package type, improved electrical and thermal performance relative to older packaging technology, and low cost make the QFN/BTC attractive for many applications.Over the past 15 years, the implementation of the QFN/BTC package has garnered a great amount of attention due to the assembly and inspection process challenges associated with the package. The difference in solder application parameters between the center pad and the perimeter pads complicates stencil design, and must be given special attention to balance the dissimilar requirements
Events Calendar | Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018 - Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018 | ,
Everything You Need to Know About X-Rays
Technical Library | 2019-08-14 22:20:55.0
Cleanliness is a product of design, including component density, standoff height and the cleaning equipment’s ability to deliver the cleaning agent to the source of residue. The presence of manufacturing process soil, such as flux residue, incompletely activated flux, incompletely cured solder masks, debris from handling and processing fixtures, and incomplete removal of cleaning fluids can hinder the functional lifetime of the product. Contaminates trapped under a component are more problematic to failure. Advanced test methods are needed to obtain "objective evidence" for removing flux residues under leadless components.Cleaning process performance is a function of cleaning capacity and defined cleanliness. Cleaning performance can be influenced by the PCB design, cleaning material, cleaning machine, reflow conditions and a wide range of process parameters.This research project is designed to study visual flux residues trapped under the bottom termination of leadless components. This paper will research a non-destructive visual method that can be used to study the cleanability of solder pastes, cleaning material effectiveness for the soil, cleaning machine effectiveness and process parameters needed to render a clean part.
Industry News | 2018-12-08 03:29:29.0
SMT Dictionary – Surface Mount Technology Acronym and Abbreviation
