While good process control can significantly reduce touch-up and rework after automated assembly of PCBs, much handwork remains. ...

The goal of test and inspection is to ensure that the PCBs have no structural or component defects, are assembled correctly and operate as they should. When implementing a test/inspection strategy, trade-offs can affect success or failure......

After almost two years since the Montreal Protocol and its accompanying amendments phased out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals, the need to deal with the residues of the replacement solvents (to clean or not to clean) remains.....

The most common means to attach a surface mounted component to a circuit is to apply solder paste, position the device and reflow the solder in a conveyorized oven. ...

With the principle of ...

About 15 years ago, fast, low temperature curing, one-component epoxy technology was used to develop surface mount adhesives. Since that time, surface mount adhesive application techniques and the adhesives themselves have evolved,......

There are a variety of techniques for applying solder paste and adhesives to the substrate. They include screen and stencil printing, deposition by syringe and mass pin transfer. The dominant method in SMT assembly is stencil printing. ...

Solder paste incorporates both the solder and flux into a single, highly processable material. Its effect on the soldering process, together with the thermal profile used in the reflow oven, are critical to the structural integrity of the solder join...

STEP 2: Design for Test By Ken MacLean The goal of every PCB manufacturer is to ship a fault-free product at the lowest possible cost. Attainable through a collaborative effort by the design and test engineering groups.... ...

As the industry adopts new technologies for manufacturing smaller, lighter and more functional products, it inadvertently widens the gap between design and the manufacturing process. ...