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2011 Issues

March 2011 cover

FEATURES

Printing
Impact of Mesh Size and Stencil Technology on Deposition Volume
A study on the impact on solder volume deposition using Type 3, Type 4 and Type 5 SAC 305 alloy powder in combination with stainless steel laser cut, electroformed and the emerging laser cut nano-coated stencils found that paste chemistry and rheology have a more profound effect on release than previously thought.
by Karl Seelig and Tim O’Neill

Reflow
Practical Thermal Profile Expectations in a Dual-Lane, Dual-Speed Reflow Oven
Now that we have the ability to run different speeds in each lane, recipes must be devised that satisfy both boards. Here, we discuss methods for obtaining such recipes.
by Fred Dimock

SPI
Automated Solder Paste Inspection: A New Look at Stencils
Many assemblers have foisted responsibility for automated inspection and verification onto the stencil vendors, referring to them as “qualified” or “certified” suppliers. In essence, they have placed the fox in charge of the henhouse on a portion of their most critical SMT process. While this practice might look good on paper, it’s rife with potential to backfire and ultimately cost more money than it saves.
by Chrys Shea

EMS Top 50
The Great Rebound of 2010
The electronics manufacturing industry will remember 2010 for many reasons: rampant component shortages (and the rise of counterfeits), the tight financial markets and tense end-market conditions. But mostly, it will be remembered for recovery.
by Mike Buetow

 

FIRST PERSON

  • Caveat Lector
    By a whisker.
    Mike Buetow

  • Talking Heads
    Assembléon’s Andre Papoular.
    Mike Buetow


MONEY MATTERS

    • ROI
      Not so golden.
      Peter Bigelow

 

TECH TALK

  • Selective Soldering
    X-ray eyes.
    Alan Cable

  • Tech Tips
    Masked.
    ACI Technologies Inc.

  • Defects Database
    Shedding the coating.
    Dr. Davide Di Maio

  • SMT Troubleshooting
    Solder balls.
    Paul Lotosky

  • Materials World
    Low pressure molding.
    Jie Bai

  • Solar Technologies
    Let’s get small.
    Tom Falcon

  • Technical Abstracts
    In Case You Missed It.

 

February 2011 cover

FEATURES

DfM
Hand to Machine
Designs that assume hand soldering might not work for machine assembly.
by Duane Benson

Stencils
How Stencil Manufacturing Methods Impact Precision and Accuracy
Parameters that influence positional accuracy are studied on a number of laser-formed stencils.
by Ahne Oosterhof and Stephan Schmidt

Outsourcing
ODM or EMS: Which is Best for Your Project?
Outsourcing options continue to evolve, and the supplier’s choice of business model has both positive and negative cost implications. A look at the advantages and tradeoffs between two of these business models.
by Jim Chen

SPI
Mining Data to Improve Stencil Printing
A simple yet highly effective recipe for mining the mountain of diagnostic data a solder paste inspection system acquires.
by Chrys Shea

 

FIRST PERSON

  • Caveat Lector
    Back to school.
    Mike Buetow

 

MONEY MATTERS

  • Global Sourcing
    Procurement pitfalls.
    Zulki Khan
  • ROI
    Lessons in customer satisfaction.
    Peter Bigelow

  • Focus on Business
    A real alliance.
    Susan Mucha


TECH TALK

  • Screen Printing
    A new batch.
    Clive Ashmore

  • Selective Soldering
    Dealing with dross.
    Alan Cable

  • Test and Inspection
    LED measurement.
    Yang Hua

  • Process Doctor
    Electromigration catalysts.
    Dr. Harald Wack

  • Defects Database
    Coating capillary action.
    Dr. Davide Di Maio

  • SMT Troubleshooting
    Insufficients.
    Paul Lotosky

  • Getting Lean
    Sourcing strategy.
    Steve Fraser

  • Technical Abstracts
    In Case You Missed It.

 

January 2011 cover

FEATURES

    Screen Printing
    Nano-Coatings for Stencils
    After reviewing several potential candidates for
    stencil fabrication and several potential crossover technologies, nanotechnology rose above all others. Lab tests reveal decreased print variation and question whether smoother surfaces show better paste release. Nano-coated stencils may offer a wider process window and aid process maintenance, but the longevity of such coatings must be reviewed.
    by Ricky Bennett, Ph.D.

    Placement Roundtable
    Vision Quest
    Are today’s component placement machine platforms sufficient for tomorrow’s technology? Under the auspices of SMTA and moderated by Circuits Assembly, the first-of-its-kind roundtable of pick-and-place OEMs set aside the gloves for a few hours and talked technology and markets. What we heard was unprecedented candor and consideration about the challenges for electronics manufacturers today and tomorrow, including flip chips, on-board inspection and (really, really small!) packages of the future.
    by Mike Buetow

     

FIRST PERSON

 

MONEY MATTERS

  • ROI
    New year, same challenges.
    Peter Bigelow


TECH TALK

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