Electronics Manufacturing Technical Articles

Head-in-Pillow BGA Defects

Nov 05, 2009 | Karl F. Seelig.

Head-in-pillow (HiP), also known as ball-and-socket, is a solder joint defect where the solder paste deposit wets the pad, but does not fully wet the ball. This results in a solder joint with enough of a connection to have electrical integrity, but lacking sufficient mechanical strength. Due to the lack of solder joint strength, these components may fail with very little mechanical or thermal stress. This potentially costly defect is not usually detected in functional testing, and only shows up as a failure in the field after the assembly has been exposed to some physical or thermal stress....

Publisher: AIM Solder

Effects of an Appropriate PCB Layout and Soldering Nozzle Design on Quality and Cost Structure in Selective Soldering Processes

Oct 29, 2009 | Reiner Zoch, Product Manager Christian Ott, Sales and Project Manager SEHO Systems GmbH

The globalization of markets results in stronger competition with clearly noticeably cost pressure. For companies producing electronic equipment it is therefore of existential importance to reduce production costs whilst maintaining a consistently high quality level of the manufactured products. Manual repair soldering that is expensive, time-consuming and cost intensive is already unacceptable due to the required quality and the reproducibility of the whole manufacturing process....

Publisher: SEHO Systems GmbH

Conforming To a Higher Standard of Reliability

Oct 22, 2009 | Phil Kinner

An electronic product's reliability has the potential to make or break its manufacturer and can be life-threatening in many safety critical applications. Conformal coatings have long been used to protect electronic assemblies from their operating environment but can vary hugely in their protective performance. It is the objective of this article to explain in detail why it is important to qualify coating products to the relevant standards and how different coating types affect performance....

Publisher: Chase Electronic Coatings

A Review of Models for Time-to-Failure Due to Metallic Migration Mechanisms

Oct 14, 2009 | Elissa Bumiller and Dr. Craig Hillman

Electrochemical migration (ECM) is defined as the growth of conductive metal filaments across a printed circuit board (PCB) in the presence of an electrolytic solution and a DC voltage bias. ECM, also known as dendritic growth, is a critical issue in the electronics industry because the intermittent failure behavior of ECM is a likely root-cause of the high occurrence of field failures identified as no trouble found (NTF)/could not duplicate (CND)...

Publisher: DfR Solutions

Resin Coated Copper Capacitive (RC3) Nanocomposites for System in a Package (SiP): Development of 3-8-3 structure

Oct 08, 2009 | Rabindra N. Das, Konstantinos I. Papathomas, Steven G. Rosser, Tim Antesberger, John M. Lauffer, Mark D. Poliks and Voya R. Markovich.

In the present study, we report novel ferroelectric-epoxy based polymer nanocomposites that have the potential to surpass conventional composites to produce thin film capacitors over large surface areas, having high capacitance density and low loss. Specifically, novel crack resistant and easy to handle Resin Coated Copper Capacitive (RC3) nanocomposites capable of providing bulk decoupling capacitance for a conventional power-power core, or for a three layer Voltage-Ground-Voltage type power core, is described....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

The Environmental Cost of Green

Sep 30, 2009 | Aqueous Technologies Corporation

Being involved in the electronics assembly industry for more than 23 years, specifically in the field of defluxing and cleanliness testing, I have seen my share of environmental regulations. Long before the debate over lead-free alloys, there was the Montreal Protocol....

Publisher: Aqueous Technologies Corporation

Optimizing Batch Cleaning Process Parameters for Removing Lead-Free Flux Residues on Populated Circuit Assemblies

Sep 18, 2009 | Steve Stach, Austin American Corporation, Mike Bixenman, Kyzen Corporation

Electronic assembly cleaning processes are becoming increasingly more complex because of global environmental mandates and customer driven product performance requirements. Manufacturing strategies today require process equivalence. That is to say, if a product is made or modified in different locations or processes around the world, the result should be the same. If cleaning is a requirement, will existing electronic assembly cleaning processes meet the challenge? Innovative cleaning fluid and cleaning equipment designs provide improved functionality in both batch and continuous inline cleaning processes. The purpose of this designed experiment is to report optimized cleaning process parameters for removing lead-free flux residues on populated circuit assemblies using innovative cleaning fluid and batch cleaning equipment designs....

Publisher: Austin American Technology

What Cannot Be Cleaned In a Stencil Cleaner

Sep 18, 2009 | Steve Stach, Austin American Technology

The stencil cleaner can be one of the most versatile tools on the manufacturing floor. It can be used to clean electronic modules in various stages of the manufacturing process. In fact, an automated stencil cleaner can clean just about anything you come up against in your PCB assembly process....

Publisher: Austin American Technology

Fluid Flow Mechanics Key To Low Standoff Cleaning

Sep 18, 2009 | Harald Wack, Ph.D., Umut Tosun, Naveen Ravindran, Sylvain Chamousset, Joachim Becht, Ph.D.; ZESTRON, Steve Stach, Austin American Technology Corp.

In recent years, various studies have been issued on cleaning under low standoff components; most however, with incomplete information. It is essential to revisit and describe the latest challenges in the market, identifying obvious gaps in available information. Such information is crucial for potential and existing users to fully address the cleanliness levels under their respective components. With the emergence of lead-free soldering and even smaller components, new challenges have arisen including cleaning in gaps of less than 1-mil....

Publisher: ZESTRON Americas

Non-Contact Streaming Technology Enhances the Dispense Process

Sep 16, 2009 | Speedline Technologies, Inc.

The dispensing industry within electronics manufacturing represents a very diverse marketplace indeed; many different materials can be applied in many different ways. One high-growth area in this market is underfill, driven by the explosive demand for hand-held devices (HHDs). This segment is comprised of popular consumer goods, such as cell phones, mp3 players, GPS navigators, PDAs, portable games and ultra-mobile PCs. A new, non-contact dispense technology, known as Streaming, has recently been introduced to specifically address the incumbent needs associated with underfill....

Publisher: Speedline Technologies, Inc.

Screen and Stencil Printing Processes for Wafer Backside Coating

Sep 09, 2009 | Mark Whitmore, Jeff Schake.

Stencil printing equipment has traditionally been used in the surface mount assembly industry for solder paste printing. In recent years the flexibility of the tool has been exploited for a wide range of materials and processes to aid semiconductor packaging and assembly. One such application has been the deposition of adhesive coatings onto the backside of silicon wafers....

Publisher: ASM Assembly Systems (DEK)

The Redesign of a High Reliability Avionics Power Supply

Sep 09, 2009 | Paul Nickelsberg, President and Senior Engineer with Orchid Technologies Engineering and Consulting

Power supply design for avionics has become an area of increased activity over the past few years. New to the market are industrial quality, high current, lithium based battery systems. Available from a wide variety of vendors, these batteries are characterized by their low weight and high- energy availability......

Publisher: Orchid Technologies Engineering & Consulting, Inc.

Model Management for Predictive Accuracy

Sep 02, 2009 | Accuracy Competence Management, Assembléon BV.

The current trend of miniaturization in products and substrates is expected to continue in most advanced electronic products. Telecommunication and computer applications typically need high density connection boards incorporating smaller passive components, finer pitch IC’s and area array packages. The key factor in the technically successful evolution is the development of new interconnection processes, such as the use of conductive adhesive with very fine grained inter-connection materials....

Publisher: Assembléon

AOI-AXI Duo Improves Product Yield

Aug 26, 2009 | David Upton

Automated optical inspection (AOI) and automated X-ray inspection (AXI) have been around for some time in various configurations and both have played a role in improving the quality of circuit boards. While some companies opt for one technology over the other, each form of inspection contributes its own unique benefit to the manufacturing process....

Publisher: Nordson YESTECH

De-fluxing Eases

Aug 19, 2009 | Mike Konrad, President, Aqueous Technologies

There are several advantages to using a contract assembler. One of which is maintaining the ability to dictate desired results. Therefore, how those results are achieved becomes someone else's concern. When you combine this with the fact that many contract assemblers are not accustomed to saying "no," you become a witness to the birth of innovation....

Publisher: Aqueous Technologies Corporation

The Environmental Impact of Pick-and-place Machines

Aug 12, 2009 | Sjef van Gastel

Energy labels are a key part of global attempts to reduce consumption of environmental resources. They inform customers of the future consequence of their purchases. There are now many national and other energy labels covering houses, cars, lamps, washing machines and dryers, air conditioners, etc. The EU Energy using Products (EuP) directive also is working on classifying industrial applications to set rules for future energy reductions. These rules are at least three years away; until then, there are no energy labels for industrial manufacturing equipment....

Publisher: Assembléon

Defluxing Déjà vu

Jul 29, 2009 | Michael Konrad, President, Aqueous Technologies Corporation

While the origin of the phrase "may you live in interesting times" is widely disputed, the fact that we indeed live in an interesting time is certainly not. While record bank failures and declines in stock values, only rivaled by the Depression era, wreak havoc on consumer confidence, the economic trickle-down effect translates to reductions in production output and ultimately the consolidation of many industries, including electronic assembly....

Publisher: Aqueous Technologies Corporation

Joule Heating Effects on the Current Carrying Capacity of an Organic Substrate for Flip-Chip Applications

Jul 22, 2009 | Varaprasad Calmidi, Irv Memis.

This paper deals with the thermal effects of joule heating in a high interconnect density, thin core, buildup, organic flip chip substrate. The 440 μm thick substrate consists of a 135 μm thick core with via density of about 200 μm. The typical feature sizes in the substrate are 50 micron diameter vias is the core/buildup layers and 12 micron thick metal planes. An experimental test vehicle is powered with current and the temperature rise was measured. A numerical model was used to simulate the temperature rise in the TV....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

01005 Assembly, the AOI route to optimizing yield

Jul 15, 2009 | Cathy Combet, Ming-Ming Chang, Product Managers, Vi TECHNOLOGY, France.

The increasing demand for smaller & smaller portable electrical devices is leading to the increasing usage of extremely small components in the SMT assembly lines. With the introduction of 01005 packages in mass production, all the different stages of the line are facing new challenges: from board design, through component placement to reflow process. Each stage introduces some specific types of defect which are considered impossible to repair due to the small size of the package. AOI has become an essential tool to enable good yield in the assembly of 01005....

Publisher: Vi TECHNOLOGY

Using Hansen Space to Optimize Solvent Based Cleaning Processes for Manufacturing Electronic Assemblies.

Jul 09, 2009 | Steve Stach.

Sometimes you just cannot clean with water. Good examples of this are: circuits with batteries attached, cleaning prior to encapsulation, ionic cleanliness testing, and non-sealed or other water sensitive parts. High impedance or high voltage circuits need to be cleaned of flux residues and other soils to maximize performance and reliability and, in these types of circuits; water can be just as detrimental as fluxes. When solvent cleaning is called for, Hansen solubility parameters can help target the best solvent or solvent blend to remove the residue of interest, and prevent degradation of the assembly being manufactured. In short, using this approach can time, manufacturing cost and reduce product liability....

Publisher: Austin American Technology

Thermal Residue Fingerprinting: A Revolutionary Approach to Develop a Selective Cleaning Solution

Jul 01, 2009 | Steve Stach, Austin American Technology Harald Wack, Ph.D., Umut Tosun, Naveen Ravindran, ZESTRON America, John M. Radman, Daniel D. Phillips, Trace Laboratories East

During the last 5 years, the processes to remove flux residues especially for lead-free and challenging geometries have demonstrated new cleaning obstacles which have to be overcome.i A new methodology has been recently developed to further increase the propensity for successful cleaning.ii At the core of this method is the thermal identification of the residue matrix. Thermal energy changes the physical state, i.e. transitions between liquid, solid and gas phases. By taking advantage of such specific information during phase transitions, the cleaning process can be tailored to such settings, which in turn increases the cleaning success significantly....

Publisher: ZESTRON Americas

A New Angle on Printing

Jun 25, 2009 | George Babka, Scott Zerkle; Assembléon Americas, Frank Andres, Rahul Raut, Westin Bent; Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials, Dave Connell; Research in Motion.

Although blade contact angle is a critical stencil printing parameter, screen printers have so far been unable to vary it "on-the-fly", in software. The recently released Assembléon/Yamaha YGP printer has changed this, and has made new application research possible to study a crucial 01005 process variable for feature printing that previous researchers have ignored.

We have designed the first robust solder paste printing process for 01005 components that uses only a single printer and stencil. We have studied transfer efficiencies across all the major parameters, with important results for reliable high-density equipment assembly. Our findings show that a variable blade contact angle can print fine features with wider process window, and reduce overall process variation between boards produced from a line....

Publisher: Assembléon

The Call for Halogen-Free Electronic Assemblies

Jun 17, 2009 | Karl Seelig, Michael Burgess.

The increased interest in halogen-free assemblies is a result of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) exerting pressure on electronic equipment manufacturers to eliminate halogens. The NGOs primary focus is on resolving global environmental issues and concerns. As a result of an increase in the enormous "e-waste" dump sites that have begun showing up around the world, NGOs are pushing consumer electronic manufacturers to ban halogen-containing material in order to produce "green" products. Not only are these sites enormous, but the recycling methods are archaic and sometimes even illegal.

This stockpiling and dumping has created growing political and environmental issues. In order to deal with this issue, the question of why halogens are a focal point must be addressed....

Publisher: AIM Solder

Drop Shock Reliability of Lead-Free Alloys - Effect of Micro-Additives

Jun 11, 2009 | Ranjit S Pandher, Brian G Lewis, Raghasudha Vangaveti, Bawa Singh

The shock reliability of solder joints has become a major issue for the electronic industry partly because of the ever increasing popularity of portable electronics and partly due the transition to lead free solders....

Publisher: Cookson Electronics

Cree® XLamp® LED Thermal Management

Jun 11, 2009 | Cree, Inc.

XLamp LEDs lead the solid-state lighting industry in brightness while providing a reflow-solderable design that is optimized for ease of use and thermal management. Lighting applications featuring XLamp LEDs maximize light output and increase design flexibility, while minimizing environmental impact. This application note serves as a guide to understanding thermal management of XLamp LEDs and minimizing the effects of elevated junction temperatures....

Publisher: Cree, Inc.

Soldering of SMD Film Capacitors in Practical Lead Free Processes

Jun 02, 2009 | Matti Niskala, Product Manager; Evox Rifa Group Oyj, a KEMET Company.

Today the lead free soldering process is a must in commercial electronics and it is also coming more and more important in automative and industrial electronics sectors in the near future. The most common choices for lead free solders are different Tin-Solder-Copper (SAC) alloys. Processes using SAC solders cause extra stress, because of increased process temperatures, especially to the plastic materials....

Publisher: KEMET Electronics Corporation

New Precision Coating Deposition Method for Photovoltaic Manufacturing

May 28, 2009 | Stuart Erickson, President; Ultrasonic Systems, Inc.

Considerable effort is ongoing to improve the efficiency and to move towards high-volume manufacturing of photovoltaic cells. Much attention has been focused on developing in-line processes to replace the current batch processes. A critical process to improve the performance of solar wafers is the application of Dopants. The basic requirement for this process is an automated method for applying a very thin, uniform film of Dopant to the silicon wafer as part of an in-line manufacturing process....

Publisher: Ultrasonic Systems, Inc.

Flexible Termination - Reliability in Stringent Environments

May 21, 2009 | John Prymak, Corey Antoniades, Peter Blais, Allen Hill, Ken Lai, Mark Laps, Kevin Lynn, Reggie Phillips, Corey Riedl, Axel Schmidt, Bill Sloka, Paul Staubli; KEMET Corporation.

Failure due to board flex cracks persists as the dominant failure mode in multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCC). (...) This paper is intended to show the impact of temperature cycling, high-temperature life tests, and multiple bend exposures to the MLCC with this flexible termination....

Publisher: KEMET Electronics Corporation

Tackling SMT Enemy Number One - Raising The Standard of Solder Paste Application

May 14, 2009 | MYDATA automation

Is screen printing technology able to keep pace with rising quality demands and increasingly complex board layouts? Or, is new jet printing technology ready to fill the gap? A comparison study between the two methods reveals some interesting differences. Screen printers offer some possibilities for optimizing solder paste deposits, but optimization is far easier and quicker with the jet printer. At the same time, the ability to print individualized deposits on every single pcb pad may be the ultimate answer to the growing quality challenge....

Publisher: Mycronic Technologies AB

Solder Phase Coarsening, Fundamentals, Preparation, Measurement and Prediction

May 07, 2009 | Crina Rauta, Dr. Abhijit Dasgupta and Dr. Craig Hillman, DfR Solutions.

Thermal fatigue has been one of the most serious problems for solder joint reliability. Thermo-mechanical fatigue failure is considered to be closely related to micro-structural coarsening (grain/phase growth). Factors that influence the phase growth are studied and measurement methods are discussed, including the preparation of the eutectic solder sample for phase size measurement. Three categories of models used to predict grain growth in polycrystalline materials are presented. Finally, phase growth in solder during high temperature aging and temperature cycling and its use as a damage correlation factor are discussed....

Publisher: DfR Solutions

Exposing the Myth: The Value of Branding in B2B Markets

Apr 30, 2009 | Protean Marketing Inc.

A brand is the most important strategic asset your business will ever possess. Yet ask even the most experienced marketer and they will struggle to communicate the concept in a single sentence. Furthermore, if you were to approach the majority of today's business-to-business organisations, they would probably tell you that branding finds little application in a market allegedly filled with dispassionate decision makers. However, an increasingly competitive market landscape is eroding this reality - if, indeed, it ever existed. B2B marketing must follow the example of its consumer-focused counterpart and embrace the notion that a strong brand has the power to differentiate, build and protect those it represents in the face of incessant commoditization....

Publisher: Protean Marketing Inc

Reliability and Failure Mechanisms of Laminate Substrates in a Pb-free World

Apr 30, 2009 | Kevin Knadle.

This presentation surveys the most significant via and via-related laminate failure mechanisms from past to present using data from current induced thermal cycling (CITC) testing, failure analysis, and other sources. The relative life and failure modes of thru vias, buried vias, and microvias (stacked vs. non-stacked) are compared, along with the affect of structure, materials, and peak temperatures on the above. The origin of via-induced laminate failures such as "eyebrow cracks" and Pb free related internal delamination is also explored....

Publisher: i3 Electronics

SMT Preventative Maintenance: Nozzles

Apr 23, 2009 | Zach Shook, Marketing Director; Count On Tools, Inc.

No SMT equipment can place accurately and run efficiently without quality nozzles and feeders. These two factors are the core of the pick and place process. If the machine is either unable to pick parts consistently or hold on to the components during the transport from feeder to PCB, defects will result. ...

Publisher: Count On Tools, Inc.

How to Profile a PCB

Apr 22, 2009 | P. John Shiloh, John Malboeuf.

An optimal reflow profile is one of the most critical factors in achieving quality solder joints on a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly with surface mount components. A profile is a function of temperatures applied to the assembly over time. When graphed on a Cartesian plane, a curve is formed that represents the temperature at a specific point on the PCB, at any given time, throughout the reflow process....

Publisher: DDM Novastar Inc

Dealing with the Top Five Factory Floor Productivity Killers in the PCB Industry

Apr 16, 2009 | Dr. Henry Jurgens; Valor Division of Mentor Graphics Corp.

The worldwide electronics industry has sales of $750 billion, two thirds of which is accounted for by PCB assembly. PCB manufacturing is characterised by an obsessive drive for increased productivity in the context of three significant industry drivers: shorter product lifecycles, more complexity, outsourcing...

Publisher: Mentor Graphics

If you bear the cost of your product's failure, shouldn't you have a say in ensuring it's success?

Apr 09, 2009 | ECD

Evidence has come to light that increased solder process temperatures, specifically for lead free solder, are dramatically shortening life expectancy of components; failures do not show up during initial test, but much later on in the products life, ...

Publisher: Electronic Controls Design Inc. (ECD)

Economical Aluminum Substrates Make Light Work of Visible LED Circuits

Apr 09, 2009 | Tom Morris, Applications Engineering Manager; T.T. Electronics IRC Advanced Film Division.

Advances in solid state light emitting diodes (LEDs) over the last several years have opened new applications for these devices. Traditionally used only in low power, low light output applications, modern high power LEDs are finding their way into a wide variety of applications. LEDs for lighting applications offer several advantages over traditional incandescent lighting methods...

Publisher: IRC, Inc - Advanced Film Division of TT electronics, plc

A Compliant and Creep Resistant SAC-Al(Ni) Alloy

Mar 27, 2009 | Dr. Benlih Huang, Dr. Hong-Sik Hwang, and Dr. Ning-Cheng Lee; Indium Corporation of America.

The Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) alloys have been considered promising replacements for the lead-containing solders for the microelectronics applications. However, due to the rigidity of the SAC alloys, compared with the Pb-containing alloys, more failures have been found in the drop and high impact applications for the portable electronic devices, such as the personal data assistant (PDA), cellular phone, notebook computer..etc...

Publisher: Indium Corporation

Ten Steps Toward More Successful Projects

Mar 25, 2009 | Mike Weekes.

Have you ever been asked to lead a project to fix a problem, implement a new technology or some other initiative? It can be intimidating. Just because you, yourself are a good problem-solver, doesn't mean you have the capacity or drive to work with a team to achieve a goal. Often the secret to success lies in up-front preparation. Here are ten things you can do to help assure that when the project is done, it will have the effective results your leadership team is looking for....

Publisher: Whataboutquality LLC

A HDMI Design Guide For Successful High-Speed PCB Design

Mar 25, 2009 | Thomas Kugelstadt, Senior Systems Engineer; Texas Instruments Inc.

This article presents design guidelines for helping users of HDMI mux-repeaters to maximize the device's full performance through careful printed circuit board (PCB) design. We'll explain important concepts of some main aspects of high-speed PCB design with recommendations. This discussion will cover layer stack, differential traces, controlled impedance transmission lines, discontinuities, routing guidelines, reference planes, vias and decoupling capacitors....

Publisher: Texas Instruments

How Clean Is Clean?

Mar 19, 2009 | Michael Konrad, President; Aqueous Technologies Corporation

Over the past several years, post-reflow defluxing of circuit assemblies has gained in popularity. Microminiaturization of components and boards, combined with higher expected reliability and increased product liability, have contributed to the prominence of defluxing. Lead-free solder paste - with its higher reflow temperatures and negative effects on flux - increase the likelihood of post-reflow defluxing to increase a product's reliability and aesthetic appearance....

Publisher: Aqueous Technologies Corporation

Startling Results From Reliability Testing

Mar 13, 2009 | Lars Wallin, Project Manager Live Production Events at EP shows at the Stockholm Fair IPC European Representative.

Open product reliability testing in Stockholm, Sweden in January as part of a live production event generated some quite startling results. It was apparent that many components simply cannot handle the high reflow temperatures of a lead-free soldering process, and that many surface-mount machine suppliers are battling significant problems with QFN packages and other components that are mounting edgeways (bill boarding). However, some suppliers have achieved good results....

Publisher: Mycronic Technologies AB

When It Comes to Cost Reduction, Variation and Waste are the Enemy

Mar 05, 2009 | Mike Weekes.

In a recent survey of 89 organizations conducted by Whataboutquality.com, respondents were asked what few key characteristics defined quality, in the eyes of their customer, the most popular response was: the product or service met my requirements. The next two most popular responses were: it worked like I expected and it was a good value, worth what I paid for it (...) So how do you continue to exceed customer expectations and simultaneously reduce costs? There are two paths to take. You can find and reduce the variation in your process and you can eliminate as much of the non-value-added waste in your operation....

Publisher: Whataboutquality LLC

Imbedded Component/Die Technology (IC/DT®)

Feb 26, 2009 | Mark McMeen.

STI has developed a patented1 packaging technology coined Imbedded Component/Die Technology (IC/DT®) to integrate multiple subsystems within an electronics assembly into a single, advanced, high-density assembly. Imbedded Component/Die Technology (IC/DT®) enables the manufacturing and assembly of smaller, lighter, and more technologically advanced high density CCAs through imbedding unpackaged components in a 3-D laminate substrate with integrated thermal management...

Publisher: STI Electronics

SnCu Based Alloy Design for Lower Copper Dissolution and Better Process Control

Feb 13, 2009 | Peter Biocca, Senior Engineer, Technical Manager; Kester ITW,

To meet the market demand for a best-in-class, low-cost leadfree alloy for wave, selective and dip soldering...

Publisher: Kester

Coating Drug-eluting Arterial Stents Using Ultrasonic Spray Nozzles

Feb 04, 2009 | Harvey L. Berger

One proven method used to treat clogged arteries employs tubular, mesh-like metal structures, known as stents, inserted into an affected artery to relieve the blockage. Bare metal stents often cause a condition called restinosis, the buildup of scar tissue around the stent, causing re-blockage. To counter this, polymer coatings containing drugs that are released over time are used to inhibit restinosis. Applying coatings to stents, which have intricate geometries, is challenging. Using ultrasonic atomizing spray nozzles has proven effective in achieving continuous and uniform coatings. This paper describes the unique nozzle designs employed, the methodology used, and the results obtained....

Publisher: SONO-TEK CORPORATION

Can You Afford Not To Improve in 2009?

Jan 29, 2009 | Michael Weekes.

Times are tough! Sales are down around the globe and it's getting more and more difficult to make a buck in the electronics industry. We all now have our cell phones and our big HD TV Screen at home so little of our materialistic world is unsatisfied. So how do we keep the doors open in 2009, let alone assure our future in the 21st Century?...

Publisher: Whataboutquality LLC

Hybrid Drying Technology for In-line Aqueous Cleaning of Lead-Free Assemblies

Jan 21, 2009 | Dirk Ellis

This paper describes a new approach to drying circuit board assemblies that significantly reduces the cost of ownership of an aqueous cleaning system. Drying performance is increased through a hybrid drying process that reduces energy input, exhaust requirements and sound levels. The combination of high temperature blow-off and convection brings the flexibility to tailor drying performance to fit the product's drying requirements....

Publisher: Speedline Technologies, Inc.

Pushing the barriers of wafer level device integration: High-speed assembly, the case for MicroTape.

Jan 21, 2009 | Gordon Christison

Over the last 10 years, the adoption of wafer-level packaging (WLP) has expanded to a wide range of semiconductor devices applied in a crosssection of industries from Automotive to Mobile Phone, Sensors to Medical Technology....

Publisher: Siemens Process Industries and Drives

Creating Solder Joint Reliability with SnCu Based Solders Some Practical Experiences

Jan 15, 2009 | Peter Biocca, Senior Market Development Engineer, Kester.

Tin-silver-copper has received much publicity in recent years as the lead-free solder of choice. SAC305 was endorsed by the IPC Solder Value Product Council in the United States as the preferred option for SMT assembly; most assemblers have transitioned to this alloy for their solder paste requirements. The SAC305 alloy due to its 3.0% content of silver is expensive when compared to traditional 63/37 for this reason many wave assemblers are opting for less costly options such as tin-copper based solders for their wave, selective and dip tinning operations....

Publisher: Kester