SPEEDLINE TECHNOLOGIES ASIA Autumn 2001

Uptime Asia
A publication of Speedline Technologies Asia
Issue No.6 Autumn 2001

WELCOME FORTHCOMING
SEMINARS
W elcome to Issue 6 of ‘Uptime Asia’. As many Asian companies seek to stabilise
their businesses in a weakening global economy, equipment manufacturers are
continuing to look for ways to help their customers maximize their productivity In the next few months, we will be
and optimize their return on investment. organizing a series of technical
At Speedline Technologies Asia, we are doing just that. Forming the core of our seminars across Asia. Targeted at any
programme is the latest in our series of technical seminars. Allied to this, we will
be participating in a number of tradeshows around Asia between now and the end
process engineer or manager within the
of the year. electronics or semiconductor assembly
Details of all these activities can be found inside this issue, along with some fields, these seminars are free of charge
technical articles to help you keep abreast of the latest in assembly process
and are by invitation only. (see below
technology.
Lastly, we have provided you with a summary of personnel updates, so that you for details of how to register for your
know whom to contact in Asia if you have any questions on spare parts, training, free invitations).
marketing, or indeed any other matter. The first seminar on our schedule
We continue to wish you all the best in the current economic climate, and trust
that the information in this issue of Uptime Asia will continue to help you maximize is on 12th September 2001, during the
your manufacturing productivity. Nepcon Shenzhen show in South
If you require any further information about Speedline’s technologies China. This will take place at the Multi-
and equipment at any time, you will find a form on the back page of
this newsletter. Please fill this in, photo-copy it, and fax it back to us. Function Room Hall C, Hi-Tec Fair
Alternatively, if you prefer, you may send us your contact information to: Exhibition Center, and will be a joint
asiamarketing@speedline.cookson.com. seminar with Speedline’s sister
We look forward to hearing from you.
Good Business. company Alpha Metals; the main topic
to be covered at this seminar will
|be lead-free manufacturing and
technology.
Also planned for September is
Bob Stevens another Shenzhen seminar on 13th
Sector Vice President, Speedline Technologies Asia
E-mail: bstevens@speedline.cookson.com
September 2001, organized by
Speedline’s China distributor,
American Tec Co Ltd. In this seminar,
COME AND SEE US Speedline will cover two topics: 0201
fine pitch printing , and Implementing
During the next two quarters, the latest Speedline equipment will be displayed at a number of Value Added in Production Line
tradeshows across the Asia region. Here’s a taster of what you can expect to see over the next few
months. (covering advanced SMT dispensing).
If you’re interested in attending
DATE SHOW LOCATION MACHINES
any of these forthcoming seminars,
17th Sep to SEMICON Taiwan Taipei World Trade Center, ACCEL: MicroCel, MicroPro, please send us an email to:
19th Sep 2001 Booth 892 CAMALOT: XyflexPro, Matrixx, Vortexx
FOCUS: Complete BGA production line asiamarketing@speedline.cookson.com,
5th Dec to SEMICON Japan Makuhari Messe, Chiba ACCEL: MicroCel, MicroPro, quoting ‘SEPTEMBER SEMINARS’ in
7th Dec 2001 CAMALOT: XyflexPro, Matrixx, 1818 your subject line and indicating which
12th Dec to Protec Japan Makuhari Messe, Chiba CAMALOT: XyflexPro date you will be attending (12th or 13th
14th Dec 2001 ELECTROVERT: Omniflo 7
MPM: UP1500, UP3000 Ultraflex or both), name, company name and fax
number. Please email to us by 7th September
If you need more information about what we’ll be exhibiting, or if you wish to make an
appointment for a personal demonstration, please email us at:
2001 for us to fax you an invitation.
asiamarketing@speedline.cookson.com, quoting ‘2001 EXHIBITIONS’ in your subject line. Act now as seats are limited.

Speedline Technologies
A COOKSON ELECTRONICS COMPANY
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UPTIME ASIA
SPOTLIGHT ON APPLICATIONS
BY: ANDY BECKER, VICE PRESIDENT, ECD INSTRUMENTS GROUP; MARC C. APELL, REFLOW PRODUCTS MANAGER, SPEEDLINE ELECTROVERT
Classic PCB Thermal Profiling of the
Reflow Solder Process
THE BENEFITS OF CLASSIC PCB
THERMAL PROFILING
Classic PCB profiling involves connecting
thermocouples from your PCB assembly to a data
recording profiling instrument and running the
assembly through your reflow oven. Profiling has
two primary objectives: determining the correct
process settings for a given printed circuit board
(PCB) assembly, and verifying process consistency
to ensure repeatable results. By viewing the
actual temperatures (thermal profile) of your PCB
while it travels through the reflow oven, you are
able to verify and/or correct your oven settings
to achieve optimum quality for your finished
product.
Classic thermal profiling of PCB’s will:
1. ensure optimum, consistent quality of your
finished PCB assemblies
2. substantially reduce PCB scrap rates
3. improve PCB production rates and yields, and
4. improve your overall profitability
THE REFLOW PROCESS
During the reflow process, heat is applied within
the oven to bring the assembly to the proper
soldering temperatures without damaging the
product. In order to verify the process of reflow
soldering, a profiling device is used to determine
process setup. A profile is a visual data log of the
time and temperature of each sensor as it runs
through the heating process. By reviewing this
profile, you can visually see exactly where and
how much energy is being applied to the product,
allowing you to make appropriate changes to
optimise your process.
A typical reflow profile is made up of several
different stages: initial ramp, soak, spike to
reflow, reflow and cool down of the product. As a
general rule of thumb, temperature slopes in the
range of 2-4°C are desirable to prevent damage
to the board and/or components caused by
heating or cooling too rapidly.
During the heating of the product within the
oven, many things occur that will affect the
quality of the assembly. The initial ramp is a
quick rise in temperature as the product enters
the oven. The objective is to bring the paste to
the desired soak temperatures required to begin
the activation of the solder. The most desirable
Speedline Technologies
A COOKSON ELECTRONICS COMPANY
Autumn 2001
soak temperature is just under the melting point TYPICAL TENT PROFILE
of the paste material (183°C for eutectic solders),
with a soak time of between 30-90 seconds.
The soak zone has two purposes: to bring the
board, components and material to an even
temperature close to the melting point of the
solder paste to allow for an easier transition into
the reflow zone; and to activate the flux on the
assembly. At soak temperatures, activated flux
begins the process of cleaning the pads and leads
of oxidation, leaving clean surfaces for the solder
to adhere to. Spike to reflow is another transition TYPICAL SOAK PROFILE
where the assembly temperature is risen above
the melting point of the solder and a liquidous
state of the paste occurs. Once the solder paste
is above the melting point, the assembly enters
the reflow zone, commonly referred as the Time
Above Liquidous (TAL). This is a critical state
within the oven because the temperature
gradients on the assembly must be minimised
and the TAL must be kept within the parameters
specified by the paste manufacturer.
We also reach the ‘peak’ temperature of the Desired profiles will differ based on the type
product during this period (the point at which of solder paste used within the building of the
the assembly reaches the maximum temperature assembly. Depending upon the chemical makeup
within the oven). Caution must be used not to of the solder paste, the manufacture will suggest
exceed maximum temperatures and heating rates the best profile in order to achieve maximum
of any temperature-sensitive components on the performance. This information may be found by
board. For example, a typical tantalum capacitor contacting your paste manufacturer. The most
has a maximum temperature rating of 230°C. common types of formulations include Water
Ideally, all points on the assembly should reach Soluble (OA), RMA and No-Clean solder pastes.
the same peak temperature at the same time and
rate to ensure that all parts are subjected to an THE MECHANICS OF PROFILING
identical environment within the oven. After the Classic PCB Profiling System Components
reflow zone, the product is cooled to solidify the A classic printed circuit board (PCB) profiling
solder joints and prepare the assembly for future system consists of the following components:
processes. Controlling the cooling slope is also
critical as cooling too quickly may damage the 1. a data-collecting profiling instrument which
assembly and cooling too slowly will increase the travels through the oven gathering thermal
TAL and may cause brittle solder joints. information from your PCB
There are two common types of profiles that 2. thermocouples which are attached to critical
are used in the reflow soldering process. They components on your PCB and then connected
are commonly referred to as the soak and tent to the traveling profiling instrument
profiles. The soak profile is as described above, 3. a protective thermal barrier to hold the profiler
where the assembly is subjected to the same and protect it from the heat inside your oven, and
temperature for a period of time. The tent 4. a software program which allows you to view
profile is a continuous ramp of temperature your collected data in a format that quickly
from the time the assembly enters the oven verifies solder results and/or identifies out-
until the assembly reaches the desired peak of-control trends before they adversely affect
temperature. your final PCB product.
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UPTIME ASIA
Thermocouples
Type K are the most commonly used
thermocouples in the electronics industry. There
are a variety of techniques to attach
thermocouples to the components of your PCB.
The method depends upon the type of PCB being
processed, as well as user preferences.
Thermocouple Attachment
High Temperature Solder provides a very strong
physical connection to the PCB. This method is
commonly used in an operation that can afford
to sacrifice a dedicated reference board for
profiling and process verification. Caution should
be used to ensure that a minimum amount of
solder is applied to avoid affecting the profile.
Adhesives can be used to secure the
thermocouple to the assembly. This usually results
in a positive physical connection of the
thermocouple junction to the assembly.
Drawbacks include the possibility of the adhesive
failing during the heating process, removal at
the conclusion of the profile and residue left on
the assembly. Again, caution should be taken to
use a minimum amount of adhesive as adding
thermal mass can affect the results of the profile.
Kapton or Aluminum Tape is easy to use, but
provides the least secure method of attachment.
Profiles done using tape will often show a rather
jagged profile due to the thermocouple junction
lifting from the contact surface during heating.
Ease of use and lack of residual or destructive
effects to the assembly make this is a popular
method.
Pressure Type Thermocouples are now
available as well. These devices clamp to the edge
of a circuit board and use spring tension to hold
a thermocouple junction firmly in contact with
the assembly being profiled. These pressure probes
are quick and easy to use, and are non-destructive
to the PCB.
Thermocouple Placement
Because the outside edges and corners of an
assembly will heat up faster than the center, and
components of greater thermal mass will heat
more slowly than components of lesser thermal
mass, a minimum of four thermocouple
placements are recommended. One thermocouple
should be placed toward an edge or corner of the
assembly being profiled, one on a small
component, another toward the center of the
board, and a fourth on a component of higher
mass. Most profilers have five or six channels and
additional thermocouples can be placed on other
parts of the board of interest, or on components
at risk to thermal shock or high temperature
damage.
Speedline Technologies
A COOKSON ELECTRONICS COMPANY
READING & EVALUATING
PROFILING DATA
Solder paste manufactures typically have profile
recommendations specific to their paste
formulations. These recommendations should be
used to determine the best profile for your process
and compared against actual assembly results.
Steps can then be taken to alter machine settings
to deliver the best results for the specific
assembly.
CLASSIC PCB REFLOW THERMAL PROFILE
New tools are now available to PCB assemblers
which make it easy to design a target profile for
a specific combination of solder paste and reflow
oven. Once designed, this target profile can simply
be called-up by the machine operator and set to
automatically run on the reflow oven, based on
that specific PCB assembly.
WHEN TO PROFILE
Profiling is especially useful when starting with a
new assembly. Oven settings must be determined
to optimise the process for high-quality results.
As a diagnostic tool, a profiler is invaluable in
helping determine the causes of poor yields and/
or high rework.
Profiling can uncover inappropriate oven
settings or assure that settings are appropriate
to the assembly. Many facilities run a profile on
standard reference boards or with a machine
quality management profiling instrument
everyday, or at the beginning of each shift, to
verify oven operation and avoid potential
problems before they happen. These profiles can
be stored in hard copy or electronic format and
used as part of an ISO program or to perform
SPC operations on machine performance over
time.
Care should be taken with the assembly used
for profiling. This assembly may degrade over time
from mishandling or repeated exposure to reflow
temperatures. It is not uncommon for the board
of a profiling assembly to delaminate over time
or for thermocouple attachments to become loose.
Autumn 2001
This should be expected and accounted for by
examining the profiling device prior to each run
for any damage that may skew the results. The
key is to ensure that your measuring device is
capable of delivering accurate results.
CLASSIC PCB PROFILING VS. MACHINE
QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROFILING
While the most popular type of thermal profiling
involves using a traveling profiler and
thermocouples to monitor PCB component
temperatures, profiling is also used to ensure that
the reflow oven is continually operating at its
optimal settings. A variety of self-contained
machine profiling instruments are available to
provide you with a daily check of your key reflow
oven parameters, including air temperature, heat
flow and conveyor speed. These instruments also
provide the opportunity to quickly identify any
out-of-control trends before they adversely affect
the quality of your finished PCB assembly.
PROFILING THE WAVESOLDER PROCESS
While this article has focused on the reflow
solder process, classic PCB profiling can also
be performed on assemblies as they pass
through a wavesolder machine. Techniques and
profiling benefits are similar to those utilised
and obtained for the reflow process. In
addition, you are able to select from a variety
of self-contained profiling instruments designed
to allow you to collect data from your
wavesolder machine to quickly identify any out-
of-control trends and be certain of consistent
day-to-day and shift-to-shift operations.
SUMMARY
Thermal profiling is a key element in the
assembly of PCBs, both to determine process
machine settings and to verify process
consistency. Without measurable results, your
control over the reflow process is limited.
Consult your paste vendor and review
component specifications to determine the best
profile parameters for your process. By
implementing a regular regimen of both classic
PCB profiling and machine quality management
profiling you will be able to lower your PCB
scrap rates while improving quality and
throughput. As a result, your total operating
costs will be reduced, resulting in a substantial
improvement in profits.
If you have any questions about any if the points
raised in this article, please send us an email to:
asiamarketing@speedline.cookson.com, quoting
‘PCB THERMAL PROFILING’ in your subject line.
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 UPTIME ASIA Autumn 2001

POINT OF CONTACT DO YOU WANT TO BE FREE

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FROM THE HASSLES OF

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CAMALOT 4398 IS THE SOLUTION.

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Activity Contact Email

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Regional Management (Asia Pacific) L.W.Kho lkho@speedline.cookson.com

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Business Management (Korea) J.H.Lee jhlee@speedline.cookson.com

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Key Accounts Management S.S.Kwa skwa@speedline.cookson.com

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Application Process John Carbajal jcarbajal@speedline.cookson.com

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Technical Services & Training Management Steven Ng sng@speedline.cookson.com A ll information is now available at our

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Spare Parts Management Halim Hannan hhannan@speedline.cookson.com website www.speedlinetechnologies.com.

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Marketing S.M.Fong fseeming@speedline.cookson.com

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coat your complex assemblies and pcbs

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Sales Order Korene Sum ksum@speedline.cookson.com

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precisely with no need for masking and

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Finance Jasmine Phuah jphuah@speedline.cookson.com demasking. So, if you’re interested in

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For any other enquiries, phone us on (65) 286 6635, or just drop us an email with throughput, drop us an email at:

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KEEP IN TOUCH NEW PRESIDENT AT SPEEDLINE

TECHNOLOGIES INC.
If you would like more information on any aspect of Speedline
Technologies Asia, including products, servicing packages, spare
parts, new machine options, software upgrades, Technology
Speedline Technologies Inc. has appointed Pierre de Villemejane as its new
President. He joins Speedline’s parent organisation Cookson Electronics,
Days or technical support, please complete the following form: where he has been senior vice president of strategic management and
marketing since 1999.
At Cookson Electronics, de Villemejane was responsible for strategic
planning and merger and acquisition activities, as well as setting marketing,
NAME: .............................................. JOB TITLE: .................................................. technology and intellectual property strategies. Pre-
viously, he headed corporate finance and planning for
COMPANY: .............................................................................................................. Cookson Group plc. Pierre first joined the Cookson
Group in 1992 as a Strategic Analyst, and has held a
ADDRESS: ............................................................................................................... number of positions in strategic planning before being
promoted to the Group Head of Corporate Finance and
........................................................... COUNTRY: ..................................................
Planning with worldwide responsibility in 1994. He
moved to the US in January 1999 as Senior Vice
President of Strategic Management and Marketing for
www.speedlinetechnologies.com

TEL: ................................................... FAX: .............................................................

Cookson Electronics Division (CED), working out of
CED headquarters in Foxborough, MA. His most recent initiative was to design
E-MAIL: .................................................................................................................... and lead the E-Business transformation program for Cookson Electronics.
Mr. de Villemejane said, “I am joining Speedline Technologies during a
I WOULD LIKE A PERSONAL MACHINE DEMONSTRATION pivotal time for the company and the industry as a whole. The market
conditions of 2001 have impacted the way business is conducted in this
I WOULD LIKE A SALES ENGINEER TO VISIT ME industry. I have extreme confidence in the long-term growth of Speedline
Technologies, as we are in the enviable position of having a base of best-in-
PLEASE SEND FUTURE COPIES OF THIS NEWSLETTER class products, respected brands and passionate employees.
TO ME BY E-MAIL He continued, “At Speedline Technologies, we are positioning the way
we in which do business so that we can strengthen our product portfolio,
PLEASE ADDRESS ALL FUTURE COPIES OF Uptime Asia to: serve our customers better, redefine our key processes more efficiently, and
invest wisely in technology. With this strong foundation in place, we will
Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr: ................................................................................................ focus our efforts on renewing and delivering on our mission of empowering
Job Title: .......................................................................................................... customers to adapt their businesses to succeed in an increasingly complex,
global economy,” continued de Villemejane.”
Pierre de Villemejane’s appointment is part of the company’s continuing
PLEASE PHOTO-COPY, COMPLETE AND FAX BACK TO US ON (65) 289 9411 strategy to better serve its customers, meet current market challenges and
OR YOU MAY E-MAIL YOUR INFORMATION TO US (QUOTING “Uptime Asia, position itself for long-term growth. In April 2001, the Company integrated
Issue 6” IN YOUR SUBJECT LINE) to asiamarketing@speedline.cookson.com and centralised its manufacturing, R&D and marketing functions worldwide
and across its major brand lines - ACCEL, CAMALOT, ELECTROVERT and
MPM.

Speedline Technologies
A COOKSON ELECTRONICS COMPANY
4