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VISION Products
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
ADHESIVES/COATINGS/ENCAPSULANTS
SE-CURE 9111 Single-pass Reflow Encapsulant
Kester Inc. — Northrop Grumman Corp.SE-CURE 9111 single-pass reflow encapsulant combines the functionality of a flux and an underfill as a one-component compression-flow material for flip chip attach applications onto flexible substrates. A previous obstacle with flip-chip-on-flex (FCOF) applications was excessive collapse of the die to the substrate, which reduces overall assembly reliability. The encapsulant reportedly incorporates an advanced method of anti-collapse technology that controls the collapse of the die. The material is dispensed to the die-attach site after solder paste printing, simultaneously reflowing all the surface mounted devices including the encapsulant encapsulating the die, thereby streamlining the assembly process. The encapsulant is said to increase process efficiencies and throughput by eliminating the dispense and flow of a capillary underfill.
ASSEMBLY TOOLS
Grid-Lok SMT Support System
Ovation Products, Div. of Airline Corp.Grid-Lok is a line of fully automatic SMT support tooling that supports single- and double-sided circuit boards during the stencil printing and component placement processes. This system reportedly eliminates conventional pin arrangements and dedicated fixture plates that hold the board in place. Additionally, it integrates fully with the host printer, pick-and-place, and dispenser of any manufacturer, making it possible to set and reset each PCB that passes through the machine. The system is said to install in minutes and sets up in less than 30 seconds with the touch of a button. Reportedly 50 times faster than competitive support tooling, the modular system conforms to any board dimensions and topography. The system offers a 92 percent reduction in PCB setup time, and a locking system that guarantees component protection and eliminates board defects.
CLEANING
SMT1000 Lead-free Defluxing System
Aqueous Technologies Inc.SMT1000-LF aqueous cleaning/defluxing system is for post-reflow lead-free defluxing applications. The system is equipped with an ultra-high-performance stainless steel nine-stage wash pump, reportedly producing in excess of 110 psi. Additionally, the system features a four-sided rinse section powered by a high-performance stainless steel pump that rotates in four directions to hit the board at every angle and prevent shadowing. This is also segregated from the wash section, preventing cross-contamination and decreasing overall operating costs. The machine automatically performs cleaning, cleanliness testing and drying functions in one footprint. SMT1000-LF is available in zero-discharge configurations, preventing both wash and rinse solutions from entering a user's drain lines. Unlike most cleaning systems, it does not require connections to either a drain or evaporator.
COMPONENTS
Duraswitch Flex
DuraswitchDuraswitch Flex pushbutton technology is said to result in customizable pushbutton switches. With two-piece parts and relaxed tolerances, the technology is said to be simple to manufacture and reportedly eliminates many assembly steps required with existing products. The product integrates into existing manufacturing processes and facilities, and provides the travel and tactile response desired by OEMs, as well as offering engineering solutions for a range of applications. Rubber dome switches have been used in the past; however, they typically are limited to open only, single contacts and often have an undesirable tactile response. To gain the cost advantages of rubber dome switches, high volumes often are required.
CONTRACT SERVICES
Continuous Flow Manufacturing
QualconContinuous flow manufacturing (CFM) benefits are said to include reduced manufacturing cycle times of more than 75 percent, saving inventory carrying costs, enhancing time-to-market performance, and providing good cash-flow performance. Within five days of production start, 98.5 percent of all products are available, which is 80 percent faster than the EMS industry average. WIP is said to be reduced by more than 90 percent, saving inventory carrying costs and overhead expense, and overhead expense is reduced by 50 percent because of the near elimination of WIP and inventory. Quality with inspection and/or test at a maximum interval of Takt time is said to produce consistent Six Sigma results.
DISPENSING EQUIPMENT
Swirl Coat SC-300 Conformal Coating Applicator
AsymtekSwirl Coat SC-300 conformal coating applicator offers high performance for coating operations that use 100 percent solids coating formulations. These materials offer the environmental advantage of having no VOC solvents; however, their drawback is a short "open" life — curing when exposed to ambient moisture or light. The applicator reduces the material's exposure to ambient conditions until it is applied to the substrate. Additionally, the applicator is said to offer significantly improved MTBA with a new nozzle that reduces clogs and is easy to clean. The zero-cavity tip prevents material build-up for handling short open-life materials. In addition, higher flow rates mean faster process times. Lower fluid pressures mean less chance of inducing bubbles. Fast flow rates with fine control of film thickness are said to produce film builds quickly; fluid extension and nozzle choices accommodate a range of materials. Multiple spray patterns — bead, monofilament and swirl — are further enhanced by control of spray cone angle and nozzle diameter. A single applicator performs both broad brush strokes as well as fine touch-up.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS/SERVICES
201SC-CLR Stencil Cleaning System
Aqueous Technologies Inc.The 201SC-CLR closed-loop ultrasonic stencil cleaning system reportedly provides thorough solder paste and adhesive removal from stencils, screens and misprinted assemblies with no negative environmental impact. The fully self-contained system produces no liquid waste stream, and does not require connections to either a drain or an evaporator. Because the system never drains, companies do not have to register with the EPA. The system also is equipped with a wash-solution filtration system that is said to automatically remove solder pastes and adhesives from wash solution. It also is equipped with a closed-loop rinse water recycler that automatically captures, filters, re-deionizes and reuses rinse water.
INSPECTION
Closed-loop Software
ViTechnology and Fuji Machine Mfg. Co. Ltd.These companies collaborated to create a zero-defect line that uses an AOI machine with an embedded SPC tool and real-time trend analysis software to close the loop with the SMT component placement machine. The goal is for the AOI system to detect errors and defects before they occur. By inspecting all components in X, Y and Theta positioning with an accuracy of ±5 µm to Six Sigma, the closed-loop software with embedded SPC reportedly can measure the exact location of each component and compare it to the theoretical position based on the CAD file. The software also measures offsets and detects trends in real time using an embedded SPC trend analysis tool. The trends or position deviations over time are fed back to the placement equipment by the FujiTrax software so that an offset can be corrected in real time before it becomes a misplaced component.
PICK-AND-PLACE
A-Series: AX Platform
AssembléonThe AX platform is said to be capable of changing with production requirements. Multiple process heads operating in parallel on a fixed-length machine reportedly allow a manufacturer to purchase the machine configuration ideally suited to its current production requirement. As the requirement fluctuates, the manufacturer purchases, rents or transfers heads between machines to meet the new requirement. The platform is said to ensure that placement capacity equals production requirements, preserving capital outlay until required. The TrueModular design affords production scalability without disturbing factory or line layout. With up to 20 process heads per base, the system achieves 100,000 pph (IPC-9850 data). If production does not require 100,000 pph, manufacturers can exchange placement heads for process heads such as dispensing or IC placement.
PRINTING
TouchPrint Stencil Printer
Milara Inc.TouchPrint is said to be a true, accurate, fully automated stencil printer capable of loading, aligning, printing, and unloading boards and wafers without operator intervention. Boards and wafers can be manually or automatically loaded into the system for processing. Although high-speed throughput is not a definite requirement for board and wafer printing, the system features a throughput cycle of 3.8 seconds. With a print area of 2.2 to 18", the printer offers vision-guided, fully automated pin placement; high repeatability and accuracy (6 and 12 µm, respectively); patented ultrasonic cleaning; a bottom-side stencil wiper that uses no paper and reportedly results in little solder waste due to the edge cleaning system that re-uses the paste; vibration squeegee technology; a single flying overhead camera gantry; dot dispensing capability; passive axis design for reduced mechanical liability; and more.
REWORK & REPAIR
TF 1500 BGA Rework System
PACE Inc.TF 1500 BGA rework system is said to eliminate many procedural errors and omissions through its PC software. Once a profile has been created, the system reportedly can be learned in minutes, regardless of technical ability. Profile development/verification is simple with the introduction of advanced profiling tools that include real-time "click and drag" temperature and time adjustment, instantaneous ramp rate calculation, and the ability to overlay up to three profiles on the same graph. The reflow head features a 1,200 W convective heater with an integral vacuum nozzle for component placement and removal. Additionally, 400 W IR bottom heaters are said to ensure repeatability by eliminating the variability between profiles associated with convective bottom-side heaters.
SOFTWARE
iMonitor 2.0
Aegis Industrial Software Corp.iMonitor 2.0 Web-application software is said to monitor factories, lines and machines, and offers real-time SPC. In addition to the performance, efficiency and quality analysis abilities of the original software program, factories reportedly now may implement real-time SPC to detect and react to process problems automatically. The software harvests IPC CAMX or GEM events from assembly, test and inspection equipment by using proprietary xLink technology compatible with major machine vendor equipment. Users apply Shewhart or Westinghouse SPC rules, and more than 32 evaluation criteria to any measurement data collected from their factories. Through normal Web browsers, real-time SPC charts and alarms detect process problems early and inform engineers and operators via e-mail or pages. It also can halt lines electronically if necessary.
SOLDERING EQUIPMENT
P300 Pin Insertion Equipment
Tyco Electronics Automation GroupP300 fully automatic insertion machine processes both through-hole and press-fit reeled contacts. The ability to process press-fit connectors is said to allow the end user to apply pins, tabs and receptacles to PCBs with a lead-free process. The base equipment uses a motor-driven mechanical insertion head for feeding the product, cutting it from the carrier strip, and gripping and inserting into the PCB hole. A stepper motor-driven X/Y table with a PCB fixture reportedly locates boards up to 15.5 × 23.5" for insertion of the contact. Standard insertion rates are 90 pins per minute. Each insertion head is supplied with a rotary insertion finger that allows products to be applied at up to eight different angles without rotating or removing the PCB. The end result is the ability to apply products at different angles without affecting cycle time. An active lower tool supports the PCB during the insertion cycle to prevent bending. A multi-tasking computer allows for programming and operation, and a standard built-in modem allows for online troubleshooting.
SOLDERING MATERIALS
Multicore LF320 Solder Paste
Henkel Loctite Corp.Designed to facilitate the transition to lead-free processing, Multicore LF320 is a lead-free solder paste with a minimum peak reflow temperature of 229°C. The 10°C advantage reduces damage to temperature-sensitive low Δt boards, and requires less energy to power reflow ovens. LF320 reflows higher Δt designs at temperatures up to 260°C, allowing many types of boards to be processed using one product. Lower reflow temperature requirements reportedly allow faster oven belt speeds, delivering higher throughput and allowing more boards to be processed in less time. The paste offers a print speed range of 25 to 150 mms-1 and an abandon time up to two hours. Available in standard tin-silver-copper alloys, LF320 is said to have a six-month shelf life under refrigeration.
TESTING
STA-1 Solder Impurity Tester
Malcomtech InternationalComposition changes surrounding the transition to lead-free technology make it key to constantly monitor the lead and copper content of the solder pot. Previous testing methods have been expensive and time consuming, taking up to weeks for an accurate analysis report. Using a small solder sample, STA-1 accurately measures lead and copper content in the solder pot at the soldering site. Testing is done within one hour, with an accuracy of ±0.05 percent, making the tester cost- and time-efficient.