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Nepcon China Product Preview
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Nepcon China, April 811 in Shanghai, will feature about 650 exhibiting companies from global regions. This year, Nepcon China organizers expect about 30% of attendees to be the decision makers from electronics assembly and test companies, along with OEMs, designers, and other buyers from related fields. Exhibitors run the gamut from ESD control to thermal profiling, pick-and-place equipment, components, solder materials, PCB fabricators, and more. Following are product previews from a selection of exhibitors.
AIM Inc. will debut its One-Step Underfill 688, a non-odorous, low-surface-tension, reworkable one-component epoxy resin designed as a one-step underfill for flip chip, CSP, BGA, and microBGA assemblies. One-Step Underfill 688 is a novel product that acts as a flux and an underfill. Historically, the underfill dispense and cure processes have taken place after the SMT reflow process. However, One-Step Underfill 688 may be applied directly after the SMT printing process and then cured during the standard lead-free reflow process. By eliminating the second assembly step and a second cure cycle, the One-Step Underfill 688 does it all in one step through excellent capillary action, faster reflow characteristics, rapid cure speeds, and good fluxing action. The results are fewer process steps and increased throughput. Additionally, the One-Step Underfill 688 can be used in mixed alloy solutions, such as a lead-free BGA on a tin/lead board. www.aimsolder.com. Booth 2M01.
Cookson Electronics will debut its ALPHA OM-345 halide- and halogen-free, no-clean lead-free solder paste at the show. ALPHA OM-345 was developed for a broad range of applications, with a processing window designed to minimize transition concerns from tin/lead to lead-free solder paste. It exhibits excellent print capability performance across various board designs, particularly with ultra-fine feature repeatability and high through-put applications, according to the company. Cookson also will show ALPHA EF-2210 VOC-free, no-clean, water-based, non-flammable wave solder flux. The product promises high throughput and yield, high electrical reliability (passes Bellcore SIR), excellent solder performance, excellent pin testability, and cosmetics. www.cooksonelectronics.com. Booth 2H30.
CyberOptics Corporation will exhibit SE 300 Ultra, its 3D solder paste inspection (SPI) system. This next-generation, in-line inspection system is designed for accurate, repeatable results at faster speeds. New features include programming time and inspection setup improvements, SPC charts in the user interface, an optional system sensor with an extended height range that can measure paste height up to 24 mils, and a mechanical board stop solution. Additionally, the SE 300 Ultra handles odd-shaped pads, offers better paste height accuracy, and can be integrated to shop floor control systems. CyberOptics also will highlight its Flex Ultra HR high-resolution, high-speed Flex AOI platform, with 5.0-megapixel camera technology. The system offers 40% improvement in imaging resolution over the Flex Ultra, allowing inspection of 01005 components. www.cyberoptics.com. West Hall L1, Booth 1A26.
Electrolube will present its non-VOC conformal coating designed to help reduce solvent (VOC) emissions in the electronics industry. VOCs contribute to formation of ground-level ozone/smog. Such pollution can have many detrimental effects on the environment, in particular, damaging forests and vegetation. VOCs, when not managed properly, can also cause health problems. Careful development of the resin-diluent system allows Non-VOC Coating to be used in select spray equipment as a direct replacement for solvent-based coatings, eliminating the use of VOCs. It has been tested by world-leading manufacturers of select spray equipment with extremely positive results, a demand no other solvent-replacement technology has achieved so effectively. Cured coatings offer excellent mechanical and electrical properties and incorporates the use of flame retardants to meet UL94 V0 approval. www.hkw.co.uk. Booth 2H01.
Europlacer will display its iineo SMT platform in single- and dual-head configurations. iineo features higher feeder count, increased board size, and increased maximum component height. The platform uses turret heads, intelligent feeders, linear motors, and digital cameras. Configurations include single or dual linear motor gantry with 8- or 12-pickup rotary turret heads, 1 or 2 board positioning mechanisms, oversized board options, and feeders in front and rear or front only. Board location on both configurations is full edge clamping with fiducial correction, and both systems feature a SMEMA interface. The single-head iineo features one nozzle with 40 positions in its "smart" nozzle tool bank, and the dual-head configuration provides two nozzles, each with 40 positions in its "smart" nozzle tool bank. Both systems feature standard placement accuracy of 35 µm (QFPs) to 60 µm (chips). Depending on the configuration, maximum placement rate can be between 14,000 and 26,000 CPH, component range includes 01005s and 70 × 70 mm components, and the largest assembly can measure 1,610 × 600 × 35 mm. Options include glue dispense with Archimedean screw, electrical test, fixed camera, conveyor auto-width adjustment, and special nozzle magazines. Europlacer's intelligent feeder technology is used across the whole range of its SMT placers. This platform is accompanied by multi-job optimization software and wireless stock management linked to ERP. www.europlacer.com. Booth 1A01.
FINEVIEWFinetech will display the FINEPLACER Lambda high-precision bonder, with ۪.5-µm placement accuracy. The manual version of the system is used for bonding flip chips, MEMS, MOEMS, and sensors on substrate sizes up to 180 × 136 mm. The system can be equipped with different viewing equipment including a LEICA microscope or a camera-monitor magnification system, and includes a FA7 heating plate. The motorized configuration provides auto-touchdown and die placement, as well as controlled bonding operation after manual alignment of die and substrate. Finetech also will show its FINEPLACER Pico versatile rework/microassembly system. This machine targets prototyping and low-volume assembly as well as a complete range of rework operations. Fineplacer's FINEVIEW video microscope station will debut on the Asia market at the show, offering a 17" display with 1280 × 1024 pixels resolution. A connector is featured, along with a user-friendly multifunction control panel. www.finetechusa.com. Booth 4G10.
Fuji will display several next-generation surface mounting machines and related units, developed to attain high quality placement and efficient production using original technology and concepts. The M6SP, a high-precision platform, can support placement in semiconductor assembly. The H02 head, a new high-precision head, is capable of handling large-size parts. Additionally, the company will highlight tray unit-LT, which supplies parts without stoppages. www.fuji.co.jp. Booth 1E20.
Henkel Electronics will bring its LF600 to the Asia market. Designed for manufacturability and flexibility in various regional climatic conditions, the Multicore LF600 lead-free solder paste provides humidity resistance, 24-hour open times, and low voiding. The paste is halide-free and no-clean. It includes a next-generation activator chemistry that produces beneficial coalescence with low voiding characteristics. A gelling technology enables zero hot slump to eliminate issues with mid-chip solder beading. Open times equal approximately 24 hours, with a 4-hour abandon time, due to a stable solvent system. Process windows are flexible in air or nitrogen reflow, according to the company. The LF600 paste suits stencil printing for devices as small as 0.4-mm-pitch QFPs and 0.4-mm chipscale packages (CSPs). It is effective with nickel/aluminum (Ni/Au), immersion tin (Sn), immersion silver (Ag), and organic solder preservative (OSP) copper (Cu) surface finishes, among other treatments. www.henkel.com/electronics. Booth 2E01.
ICON Technologies will display the Icon i8 automatic screen printer, designed for high-volume, high-speed production environments. Automation features target higher throughput and minimal operator intervention. Changeover time can be as low as two minutes; product setup time can take less than 10 minutes. The printer delivers a 12-sec. cycle time; 350- × 300 × 6.0 mm or 1-kg maximum board capacity; and print speeds from 2 to 150 mm/sec. Options include a compact auto-tooling system that speeds product changeover, advanced statistical process control (SPC) software, vacuum under-screen cleaner featuring wet and dry functionality in 400- or 520-mm widths, and paste-on-pad solder verification for high-speed inspection. www.iconprinter.com. With distributor WKK, Booth 1D15.
Kester will debut EnviroMark 919G (EM919G) lead-free solder paste for high-reliability and low-defect assembly. The no-clean paste is halide- and halogen-free, and is said to offer low voiding, lighter flux residue color, shiny joints, high solderability, and easier residue penetration. It is printable to 0.4-mm pitch, with reportedly stable tack. Cold and hot slump resistance suits lead-free reflow profiles. www.kester.com. Booth 2C04.
KIC VisionKIC will showcase a host of products, including the Explorer, Vision, and 24/7. The compact, battery-powered KIC Explorer has 12 thermocouples in a miniature-TC harness, or optional Type-Ks. Updates include a higher sampling rate, greater memory capacity, and improved data precision. Software measures slope, peak temperature, TAL, and process window index (PWI) statistics. PWI monitor in-spec processing and adjustments needed in the oven or process. KIC's Vision thermal profiling system is upgraded to include additional automatic capabilities. The upgrades target increased automation, documentation, and traceability. The KIC Vision automatically measures a product's thermal profile as frequently as once an hour. While it runs in the background to measure the product profile at a set time interval, it now can also shut down the feed conveyor when the measured profile is no longer in spec. This "alarm" function is designed to prevent rework and scrap expenses and time, and improve product quality. KIC also will highlight its 24/7 process monitor at the show. www.kicthermal.com. Booth 2G30.
SMD TowerMYDATA automation will demonstrate high-mix SMT manufacturing systems, including its SMD-TOWER and Agilis Stick Magazine (ASM). The SMD Tower delivers up to 550 SMD reels and requires a maximum of eight sec. to dispense any reel. The controlling PC records every movement and "keeps the books" for all stored reels, trays and component quantities. ASM is designed to reduce time needed for setups and changeovers, and to boost throughput. MYDATA also will highlight the second-generation MY500 with complete off-line preparation. The MY500's jet printing technology provides more precise control over solder paste deposits. This allows larger components to be placed much closer to smaller ones, so the surface space can be maximized on every PCB. www.mydata.com. Booth 1A02.
Omron Industrial Automation Company will launch its solder printing inspection machine VP5000 at Nepcon. This machine merges the advantages of high accuracy and high-speed inspection supported by plain program development. It is said to average 10 min. per operation and includes touch panel controls. It targets high-speed SMT production environments. Used with OMRON Q-Up Navi software, it can provide solution to customers and improve quality of SMT production, according to the company. www.omron.com. Booth 4B01.
RMD Instruments LLC will exhibit its LeadTracer-RoHS XRF system, with new sample preparation stand and solder analyzer. The system targets mixed assembly, high reliability, and lead-free assembly situations that require composition verification of components, devices, and PCBs. Its added solder analysis and identification feature accurately identifies all solder alloys within minutes, targeting process quality control in rework or repair for finished assemblies and solder pot analysis. The next-generation system includes an ergonomically designed stand with "quick disconnect" grip for portable or benchtop operation. www.rmd-leadtracer.com. With distributor WKK, Booth 1D15.
PILOT VIPSeica will be showcasing various test systems, including the AERIAL M4 flying probe. With its vertical, compact architecture, this system minimizes floor space requirements and offers fast and stable double-side probing. Oscillation is eliminated through vertical loading. The Aerial series (comprising M2 and M4 models) is based on Seica's proprietary VIVA Integrated Platform (VIP), which provides a full range of test techniques and automatic programming tools. Another highlight will be a series of turn-key solutions based on the Strategy line of test systems. The solution on display, the Strategy.DT, specifically addresses the test requirements for products in the consumer and automotive markets. Seica also will showcase its PILOT VIP flying probe system, which integrates a complete set of test tools and techniques. It includes a user-programmable SMEMA conveyor. www.seica.com. Hall 1, Booth 4F13.
SI-P850Sony Taiwan will display three key products at Nepcon China: Sony SI-G200 electronic component mounters, SI-P850 solder paste printer, and the SI-V200 PWB visual inspection machine. The SI-G200 cellular mounter, which achieves high placement precision, uses a high-speed and a high-flexibility placement head, changing between the two heads to suit a range of manufacturing requirements. It enables a capacity increase of 45,000 CPH in a reportedly small form factor. The SI-V200 PWB visual inspection machine is equipped with a 2-megapixel color CCD camera for capturing images. The 11-µm resolution 0402 component inspection. It deals flexibly with respective inspection processes to curtail investments during line changeover, according to the company. The SI-P850 solder paste printer offers 0.3-mm fine-pitch printing and good repeatability. It can handle medium- to large-sized PCBs. www.sony.com.tw. Booth 1A08.
Speedline will debut its Electrovert DwellMax Plus nozzle. The nozzle is introduced as a process solution to the challenges of wave soldering with lead-free alloys. The proprietary nozzle design addresses the wave soldering of thick, complex circuit boards. Benefits include improved hole fill, increased production rates, and reduced solder wave defects, according to the company. www.speedlinetech.com. Booth 1B15.
Universal Instruments will demonstrate solutions for system-in-package (SiP) assembly, combining SMT and semiconductor packaging technologies. Direct Die Feeding (DDF) from Unovis Solutions provides a combination of surface mounting/board-level assembly and semiconductor/first-level packaging, enabling flip chip assembly, SiP and other mixed technologies, die attach, and embedded actives/passives assembly. SiP can combine several functions like wireless, logic, and memory in small modules, notes Universal. www.uic.com. Booth 1C15.
To learn more about the show and featured products at Nepcon China, visit www.nepconchina.com.