MFR Soldering/Desoldering systems offer assembly companies a solution tailored to their needs, whatever their size, manufacturing volume, product complexity and budgetary constraints.
 
MFR-DSI and MFR-DSX Systems for desoldering, comprise a compact bench-top MFR power supply and its desolder gun. Equipped with an internal air pump, MFR-DSI is ideal for small manufacturers that do not use compressed air, and for desoldering tasks performed away from the workbench. MFR/DSX uses compressed shop air, making it powerful for high-volume desoldering tasks.
 
Add soldering and rework hand-piece and tip cartridge to the units above to create two soldering, desoldering and rework options: the MFR-SDI with internal air pump, and the MFR-SDX with external compressed air.
 
All four packages use lightweight hand-pieces.
 
The handle of the desoldering tool is fully adjustable from “gun” to “pencil” position, for operator comfort. Incorporates a reactivation switch that senses when it is in use, and that works with “Auto Standby” and “Auto Off” functions to save on energy usage and prolong tip life.
 
Large-capacity chamber that catches molten solder during desoldering is made of thermal plastic and contains a disposable paper filter that, once full, is simply tapped gently out of the chamber for easy substitution. Fume filter traps solder fumes that can harden on cooling and block pumps.
 
Press-fit desoldering tips make changeovers easy. The operator simply handles the tips using a heat-resistant cartridge removal pad. Includes long-reach geometries for access to high-density areas on the PCB.
 
All soldering/desoldering tips are driven by SmartHeat technology, which senses the amount of heat energy needed at the pad.
 
Special LEDs on the power unit show whether the unit or a hand-piece are powered up, in ‘standby’ or ‘off.’ Will flag when the system or a tool are not grounded, and the unit will shut down. 
 
Power units offer two ports to which any of the tools can be attached; for heavier or more varied workloads, multiple units can be slotted together to power as many tools as necessary.
 
OK International, okinternational.com          
 

LMS6000 is a fully functional, closed loop, ytterbium-doped fiber laser system capable of marking a variety of flat label materials and direct marking on specific metallic and plastic substrates. Includes an in-line mark grading system with error detection capability. Features reel-to-reel transportation with integrated fume extraction and vacuum hold-down of the material being marked.
 
Ytterbium laser provides marking resolution up to 1000 dpi at a marking speed of 2000 mm/sec. Labeling applications include compact bar codes and 2D data-matrices. Effective marking area of 130 x 130 mm can be expanded to 185 x 185 mm for continuous applications; with optional direct part marking module, a 1m² marking area is possible. Provides fast throughput for cutting, oxidizing, engraving and anodizing.
 
Specific materials suitable for the system include: AL-AN anodized aluminum tags, ACR Tamper Evident Acrylic, acrylic coated polyester, polyester, Poly-A200 and Poly-A400 Laser Markable Polyesters, NMX Aramid Tags, TTVF Polyvinyl Fluoride, RMK and RMK6 Raymark epoxy coated labels, Stainless Steel, Brown Steel, Duroplast, Copper, Titanium and Carbide as well as polyaramid, PVF, AlumaMARK laser markable aluminum and many others. Other materials can be optimized per application requirements or to specific industry specifications.
 
Weighs 35Kg and measures 150 x 25 mm, which allows for portability, sharing or on-site work. Integrated software package helps with label designs and connects with many production control software systems.
 
Tyco Electronics Corporation, www.tycoelectronics.com

The electronics group of Henkel has introduced a new process, Accelerated Cooling (AC), to be used with its two flip-chip in package non-conductive paste (NCP) underfill encapsulants. The NCP materials, Hysol FP5000 and Hysol FP5001, provide moisture resistance, thermal cycling resistance, expedite the assembly process and are designed for Pb-free interconnects.
 
Provide an alternative to traditional, mechanical soldering by bonding bumps to the substrate through a Pb-free compatible thermal compression process, eliminating the need for flux application, reflow and cleaning. 
 
AC process heats the device while it is secured by the flip-chip bonder head and then is rapidly cooled during compression onto the NCP-coated substrate. This rapid cooling enables assembly completion prior to any excess heat exposure and, consequently, reduces package warpage, voids caused by moisture and assembly cycle time. Cuts typical cycle time in half (cycle times average 7 sec.).
 
Henkel, electronics.henkel.com

DataFlex Plus thermal transfer overprinter (TTO) provides on-line printing of variable and real-time data, such as expiration dates, batch/lot codes, ingredients/parts listings, bar codes and logos.
 
Direct-drive ribbon technology contains few wearable parts, increasing reliability and minimizing downtime and costs associated with ribbon breaks. Standard 1,000 meter ribbon means less frequent changes and higher production line efficiency. Features simple ribbon cassette
 
Has an intuitive 8.4” SVGA GUI and color touch screen with easy-to-learn, icon-based controls. The standard WYSIWYG job display features a zoom facility to reduce operator error and minimize printing incorrect codes. Has three levels of password protection.
 
Bi-directional ribbon drive allows unused ribbon to be recaptured following each print. This maintains a 1 mm gap between prints for the complete length of the ribbon, creating more prints per roll.
 

Axiom X-1022 Dual-Lane dispensing system maximizes throughput during multi-pass underfill operations. Increases the number of units per hour (UPH) produced in high-volume semiconductor applications such as flip chip and CSP underfill. Allows parallel processing on two lanes for continuous dispensing, eliminating lost time in non-dispensing activities. In some applications, a 60 to 80% increase in throughput over single-lane dispensers can be achieved.
 
Dual-lane capability allows underfill flow-out in one lane while jetting underfill in the opposite lane. Eliminates wait-time by enabling two dispensing processes at the same time.
 
The conveyors are independently controlled, allowing different-sized parts to be processed in lanes one and two. Programmable flat-belt, dual-lane conveyor allows for a variety of process carriers, including Auer boats, lead frames and custom carriers. Conveyor is SMEMA compliant with a fixed first rail and adjustable second, third and fourth rails. 
 
Configured with up to six stations of contact or impingement heating, three stations per lane: pre-heat, dispense and post-heat. The heat stations ensure consistent substrate heating at specified ramp rates for efficient, reliable fluid dispensing.
 
Fluidmove for Windows XP software offers advancements in throughput, fluid management and process control. For example, the board or substrate is sensed in the pre-dispense station and the associated dispensing program is automatically loaded.
 
Mass Flow Control and Calibrated Process Jetting control the critical aspects of the fluid dispensing process in a closed feedback loop.  
 

Model 3500-III flexible, computer-controlled work cell performs adhesive dispense, component placement, die attach and flip chip operations over a 720 sq. in. work area.  Applications include flip chip, stacked die, chip-on-board, fine pitch SMT, MEMs devices, multichip modules, microwave modules, optoelectronic modules and hybrid microcircuits.
 
Capable of automated eutectic die attach using backside metalized die or preforms, and enables bonding of thin die with air bridges using 2 or 4 sided perimeter collets. Pulse heat process controls the heat throughout the entire process from temperature ramp up to cool-down.
 
Using look-up and look-down cameras for flip chip applications and relative-to referencing for linear micro-strip line placement, the sub-micron axis resolution yields placement repeatability of better than ±12 micron (0.5 mil), 3 sigma with fluids, ±5 micron (0.2 mil), 3 sigma with pulse heat eutectic applications. 
 
Placement of the die in relation to a previously placed die can also be tightly controlled through custom automation algorithms. 
 
Machine base is a honeycomb core optical table that provides vibration damping and thermal settling response. Large work area. Cantilever design permits unobstructed, open access on three sides for set-up. Soft touchdown or non-contact laser height sensing mechanisms assist in pickup and placement of fragile devices. Eight-position turret head can rapidly change tools on the fly without a tool dock assembly.  Constructed from an optical breadboard where parts can be bolted down in a myriad of configurations, so any form of presentation such as expanded wafers, waffle or gel packs, tubes, or tape and reel may be used and options for up to three dispensers, hot rails, heat cure stations, hot gas, UV fluid curing systems, and more can be incorporated.  
 
Has infrared light curtain around the open perimeter of the assembly cell. This sends an infrared signature down each inch of the perimeter so that it cannot be fooled by background thermal radiation. When the system is in operation and the safety curtain is violated, the system immediately (within ~ 3 millisec.) shorts the inputs to the digital servo driven motors, stopping all motion.
 
Uses Windows XP.
 
Palomar Technologies, www.palomartechnologies.com

EPM-2493 low-viscosity, thermal interface material meets the challenges of the high-temperature and high-stress operating conditions in electronic packaging. Low outgassing property is ideal for situations, such as electro-optic systems, in which contamination is a concern. Low viscosity provides an easy-to-dispense material that flows easily through dimensionally intricate electronic configurations.
 
NuSil Technology, nusil.com
 

GÖPEL has developed a new option in its System Cascon software suite to support Altera’s USB-Blaster download cable. The driver integration of download cable in the software suite enables the USB Blaster download cable to be used as a native JTAG/boundary scan controller throughout the entire product life cycle.
 
USB-Blaster can also be used to program Flash devices in-system and configure Altera FPGAs via the Jam Standard Test and Programming Language, JEDEC standard JESD-71, Simple Vector Format specification or IEEE-Std.1532 specification. Additional software support for boundary scan chain designs with multi-drop devices is automatic, including all scan router devices by Firecron, National Semiconductor and Texas Instruments.
 
All test and in system programming procedures generated with the download cable are cross-compatible with other JTAG/boundary scan controllers by GÖPEL, including the hardware platform SCANFLEX.
 
Support is included for no additional charge beginning with release 4.3. Customers can purchase the USB-Blaster download cable through Altera distributors.
 
GÖPEL electronic, www.goepel.com

Scapa C401 is a glass cloth, single coated with a silicone adhesive for high-temperature masking and protection. On PCBs, the non-flammable adhesive tape masks and protects circuitry during wave solder processes.
 
Withstands temperatures up to 500ºF.  Glass cloth backing provides dimensional stability and strength, allowing the product to retain its physical properties at elevated temperatures. Offers excellent adhesion to a variety of surfaces, yet removes easily without leaving adhesive residue. 
 
Scapa Industrial. www.scapaindustrial.com

SinguLign enables the high accuracy mass imaging of multiple materials such as solder paste, solder spheres, flux and adhesive onto singulated substrates or components directly from the carrier, allowing the accurate processing of known good parts down to 20 mm in size.
 
With an accurate printing platform, specialized tooling, a carrier and a miniaturized print or ball placement head, repeatable and precise deposits can be applied to parts individually. The carrier, which can hold multiple substrates, is transported into the printer where a vacuum tower raises the first substrate or component to print height, secures it in place and aligns the substrate. The substrate is then imaged with the appropriate material for the specific application and is gently lowered back into the carrier. This sequence is repeated for all of the parts and then the carrier is transported to the next process step. 
 
The tooling and parts handling mechanisms allow for maximum print support and enable high-speed processing times for individual parts – as little as 20 sec. for ball placement and less time for other print processes. Said to deliver increased accuracy through the ability to align to substrate features (not package edges); enables ultra fine pitch imaging, providing yield improvement driven by the capability to process only known good parts and supports multiple processes, depositing paste, flux, solder spheres or adhesive. Allows for imaging onto substrates or pre-packaged, 3-D components; permits easy re-deployment for other packaging processes.
 
Gives packaging specialists the ability to align and image multiple substrates and components at ultra-fine pitch individually.
 
DEK, www.dek.com

Disposable Flextac stencils are an easy, reliable method for stencil printing solder paste on individual BGA component sites for rework. An adhesive side attaches temporarily to the PCB, preventing misalignment and solder paste smearing. Are inexpensive and disposable, help users keep Pb-bearing and Pb-free soldering materials separate, preventing cross-contamination. Are RoHS compliant.
 
Are part of a complete BGA stencil kit that includes 20 different sizes of BGA rework stencils, a spatula handle and three sizes of spatula blades.
 
Are laser cut for correct aperture size from high quality, anti-static polymer film with a residue-free adhesive backing. No tape or fixturing is needed. The adhesive seals around each BGA pad to prevent solder paste from bleeding under the stencil when solder paste is applied. Easy to use and leave no residue on the board surface.

Can be repositioned. The side tabs also serve as solder dams preventing solder paste overspill. Since the residue-free adhesive seals around each BGA pad, one may make as many passes with the squeege as needed to ensure proper aperture filling. The stencil is then peeled off, leaving a perfect deposit of solder on each pad. Disposable, but can be used several times.
 
CircuitMedic, CircuitMedic.com

The Micromex submicron, high-resolution system is optimized for manual and semi-automated solder joint inspection of BGA, CSP, MLF and QFP components. Has an integrated 2 megapixels camera, open 160kV or 180kV submicron x-ray tube and total magnification of up to 13.3X for process control and failure analysis of PCB assemblies.
 
Comes with new inspection software, quality|assurance 2006. This software automates inspection of PCB assemblies, making pass/fail decisions for BGA, CSP, MLF and QFP without operator interpretations, reducing the numbers of false identifications while speeding throughput and improving efficiency. A powerful algorithm toolbox XE offers solutions for application testing. 
 
Possesses high precision manipulation through its 360° rotation axis and the ability for oblique views up to 70°. A scanning area of 18x14” allows samples with a size up to 26.75 x 25” (680 x 635 mm) with weights of up to 11 lbs. (5 kg).