• View the Digital Edition
  

FEATURES

• Cover Story
  Preventing MLCC Failures
  Mechanical anomalies can cause electrical failure in MLCCs. Many defects - including cracks caused by panel separation - can be uncovered by first performing acoustic imaging on unassembled parts.
  By Tom Adams
  

• Reflow Profiling
  Oven Adjustment Effects on a Solder Reflow Profile
  A recipe that works for one board won't necessarily work for another board if the weight or design is significantly different. This study found that of the three oven adjustments, zone set points have the biggest effect on peak temperature and TAL.
  By Fred Dimock
  

• Cover Story
  More than Just a Look
  SPI market leader Koh Young is shrugging off the recession and taking Europe head on. Circuits Assembly visits the OEM to learn why now, and to get an in-depth look at its new 3-D AOI machine.
  By Mike Buetow
  

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  The estimable legacy of iNEMI CEO Jim McElroy.
  Mike Buetow

TECH TALK

• On the Forefront
  The backend semiconductor industry is feeling the recovery's bumps.
  E. Jan Vardaman
• Screen Printing
  Understencil cleaning's little devil.
  Clive Ashmore
• Better Manufacturing
  The need for speed.
  Jeff Knight
• Wave Soldering
  Optimizing the wave process is no simple feat.
  Ursula Marquez de Tino
• Tech Tips
  Changing the finish for BGA boards could mean no more "HASLs."
  ACI Technologies Inc.
• Wave Soldering Troubleshooting
  No stick solder.
  Paul Lotosky
• Getting Lean
  How to measure customer satisfaction.
  Tony Bellitto
• The Defects Database
  Thin hole plating could be susceptible to lead damage.
  Dr. Davide Di Maio

 

DEPARTMENTS

Industry News
Market Watch
Product Spotlight
Ad Index
Assembly Insider

On the Cover:An acoustic image of an MLCC containing a single void.

 

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FEATURES

• Buyers Guide
  2009-10 Circuits Assembly Buyers Guide
  Our annual guide to suppliers of equipment, materials and services for electronics assembly.

• Cover Story
  A Novel Six Sigma SnPb Solder Paste
  Although Six Sigma principles have been used in the industry for years, for the most part they have been applied to PWB fabrication or assembly processes – not to product development, and certainly not to soldering materials themselves. The recent development of a new SnPb solder paste, however, combined modern raw materials and the application of these principles.
  By Steve Ratner, Martin Lopez, John McMaster, Frank Murch and Mike Skrzat
  

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  The EMS sector's ongoing profit problem.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Talking Heads
  Sanmina-SCI’s Sundar Kamath talks alternative energies.
  Mike Buetow
• Focus on Business
  How program managers can beat the recession.
  Susan Mucha

TECH TALK

• Screen Printing
  The effect of printing and reflow on broadband boards.
  Dr. Rita Mohanty
• Reflow Soldering
  When wetting rears its ugly head, check for missing pads.
  Ursula Marquez de Tino
• Materials World
  Mitigating tin whisker risks through conformal coatings.
  Dr. Renzhe Zhao

 

DEPARTMENTS

Industry News
Market Watch
Product Spotlight
Ad Index
Assembly Insider

On the Cover:A new approach to solder paste development gets rid of "trial and error"

• View the Digital Edition
  

FEATURES

• Cover Story
  Research on Ionic Cleanliness Testing Alternatives to IPA/Water
  A study of alternative solvent mixes was undertaken to establish whether IPA-water mix could be improved. Following a down-selection of potentially suitable solvents, the mixes were applied to commonly available flux residues. The revelation: IPA water is limited as a cleaner and should not be a standard for analytical extraction tests.
  by Harald Wack, Ph.D., Syed Ahmad and Joachim Becht, Ph.D.
  

• iNEMI Roadmap
  Information Management Gaps for Board Fabrication and Assembly
  Within board fabrication and assembly, improvements in information management are needed in several areas. The link between design and manufacturing, part traceability, and PWB systems all have new needs that can be addressed by improved systems.
  by Eric Simmon
  

• Leda Corp.
  Aerospace Design and Assembly in Surf City USA
  When Boeing needs prototype assemblies, it jets on down to Leda Corp. With a new building and equipment set, Leda is preparing to take off.
  by Chelsey Drysdale
  

• Chip Packaging
  3-D IC Bonding
  Supply-chain roles are changing, with EMS firms expected to take a bigger chip-packaging role. New 3-D ICs provide an opportunity to expand services. Here's a look at how these packages are bonded, including the advantages and limitations of each technology.
  by Chris Sanders
  

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  In search of focus.
  Mike Buetow
• Talking Heads
  Siemens' Guenter Lauber.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Global Sourcing
  The supply chain works best when diligence and consistency rule the relationships.
  Charlie Barnhart
• Focus on Business
  Ramping EMS sales efforts.
  Susan Mucha

TECH TALK

• On the Forefront
  Chewing on wafer-level packages.
  E. Jan Vardaman
• Screen Printing
  Mixed-size component printing, part 2.
  Dr. Rita Mohanty
• Selective Soldering
  Controlling the solder angle.
  Dr. Denis Barbini
• Wave Soldering Troubleshooting
  Getting outgassing out.
  Paul Lotosky
• The Defects Database
  Flip chip solder opens.
  Dr. Davide Di Maio
• Test and Inspection
  The need for reusable tests is driving standalone boundary scan-ICT integration.
  Jun Balangue
• Tech Tips
  Decapsulating ICs.
  ACI Technologies Inc.
• Getting Lean
  Supporting customers that might not have Lean.
  Ryan Wooten
• Solar Technologies
  Increased cell efficiencies.
  Darren Brown
• Technical Abstracts
  In case you missed it.