FEATURES

• SEAs 2007
  Synchronized Service
  EMS provider Synchronized Manufacturing Technologies, which swept five Service Excellence Awards this spring, details its customer service strategy.
  Chelsey Drysdale

• Fluxer Performance
  Pb-Free Wave Soldering Flux Application
  Fluxer performance can be improved by reducing spray stroke timing to overlap the spray pattern. Other factors, such as increasing the flux volume, can also improve fluxing results.
  Ken Kirby

• Cover Story
  Effects of SAC Alloy Copper Dissolution Rates on PTH Processes
  High copper dissolution rates of SAC 305/405 alloys are the driving factor for changing the alloy for solder fountain rework, a change that might influence the wave soldering alloy. This study found three promising alternatives.
  Craig Hamilton, Matthew Kelly and Polina Snugovsky, Ph.D.

• 01005 Processing
  Mass Reflow Assembly of 01005 Resistors
  Assembly using common 0201 build parameters of Type 3 solder paste and 0.004" stencil thickness is demonstrated. Stencil artwork strategies, implemented across 27 different pad designs, show how assembly yield is influenced by aperture area ratio, component termination overlap level in paste, and tolerance to stencil-defined misregistration levels.
  Jeff Schake

• Parts Purchasing
  Taking Stock of Component Procurement
  Component purchasing runs the gamut of potential issues and pitfalls, especially with procurement processes and policies mingled with rapidly emerging component technologies and end-of-component-life requirements. A look at the areas to consider to maintain efficient purchasing.
  Zulki Khan

• PWB Finishes
  A Study of Planar Microvoiding in Pb-Free Solder Joints
  Dr. Yung-Herng Yau, Karl Wengenroth and Dr. Joseph Abys

• iNEMI Roadmap
  Board Assembly Trends and Priorities
  Trends identified by major OEMs tied to the four main board assembly development drivers: conversion cost reduction, NPI time reduction, increased component I/O density, and environmental and regulatory compliance.
  Dongkai Shangguan, Ph.D.

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  Not dead yet.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Focus on Business
  Talk, talk, talk.
  Susan Mucha

• Global Sourcing
  A new model for EMS.
  Chelsey Drysdale

TECH TALK

• Screen Printing
  No more tweaks.
  Joe Belmonte

• Better Manufacturing
  Dynamics of a “static” issue.
  Phil Zarrow

• Tech Tips
  Solderability testing protocols.
  American Competitiveness Institute

• Wave Soldering
  Out of shape.
  Gerjan Diepstraten

• RoHS Revisited
  The EU permits a review.
  John Burke

• Pb-Free Lessons Learned
  Spread it on.
  Chrys Shea

• Process Doctor
  Alloy whiskers? What next?
  Terry Munson

• Technical Abstracts

DEPARTMENTS

Industry News
Market Watch
Ad Index
SEMICon West Product Preview
Product Spotlight
Assembly Insider

On the cover: Alloy additives help reduce copper dissolution and provide other soldering benefits. (Photos courtesy IBM and Celestica)