-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueProduction Software Integration
EMS companies need advanced software systems to thrive and compete. But these systems require significant effort to integrate and deploy. What is the reality, and how can we make it easier for everyone?
Spotlight on India
We invite you on a virtual tour of India’s thriving ecosystem, guided by the Global Electronics Association’s India office staff, who share their insights into the region’s growth and opportunities.
Supply Chain Strategies
A successful brand is built on strong customer relationships—anchored by a well-orchestrated supply chain at its core. This month, we look at how managing your supply chain directly influences customer perception.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Rework Challenges for Smartphones and Tablets
November 19, 2014 |Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Smartphones are complex, costly devices and therefore need to be reworked correctly the first time.
To meet the ever-growing demand for performance, the complexity of mobile devices has increased immensely, with 70% more packages now found inside a mobile device than just a few years ago. For instance, a 1080P HD camera with video capabilities is now available on most high-end smartphones or tablet computers, making their production more elaborate and expensive.
The printed circuit boards for these devices are no longer considered disposable goods, and their bill of materials start from $150, with higher-end smartphones going up to $238, and tablets well over $300.
The implementation of surface mount devices is crucial for smartphone manufacturers, offering increased component density and improved performance. For example, the newer style DDR memory integrated components use less power and work at twice the speed of former versions. It is not surprising that most component manufacturers now produce these surface mount devices as small as 1 mm square.
Mobile products generally use an epoxy underfill to adhere components to the printed circuit board to meet the mechanical strength requirements of a drop test. Reworking glued components is the most difficult application in the electronics industry, and must be addressed as a process.
Rework Challenges
The removal of a glued component from a PCB assembly requires a specific order of operations. The first step is to remove the glue fillet located between the component and the circuit board. Mobile products generally have many types of components glued to the PCB in order to meet the industry standards outlined in JESD22-B111 Board Level Drop Test Method of Components for Handheld Electronic Devices and JESD22-B110 Subassembly Mechanical Shock. The epoxy is applied to the components to prevent the common failure modes of cracks in the laminate, cracks near the intermetallic, and cracks in the bulk solder. The addition of the epoxy increases the robustness of the design and enhances reliability for the user.
Read the full article here.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2014 issue of SMT Magazine.
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Precision PCB Acquires Assets of Microplace
10/13/2025 | Precision Technologies Inc.Precision Technologies Inc., doing business as Precision PCB, a One-Stop PCB Fabrication and Assembly services company with 27 years of experience providing Quality, Reliability and Excellence in customer service, has acquired the assets of Microplace, Inc.
Interposers, Substrates, and Advanced Manufacturing
10/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007I attend a lot of industry trade shows and conferences. Lately, during conversations with technologists, I’ve noticed that there is some confusion about what exactly constitutes an interposer. One question I hear every so often is, “Are all interposers substrates?” The short answer to that question is no. But some interposers are, in fact, full substrates.
New Course Presents a Comprehensive Guide to IPC Standards
10/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Francisco Fourcade, electronics technology standards manager for the Global Electronics Association, has spent years helping companies understand and implement the standards that keep the electronics manufacturing industry moving forward. In this interview, he shares updates on ongoing standards development efforts and previews a new course, "IPC Standards: A Guide for the Electronics Industry,” which starts Oct. 14.
Zhen Ding Holding Posts September 2025 Monthly Revenue Report
10/10/2025 | Zhen Ding TechnologyZhen Ding Technology Holding Limited, a global leading PCB manufacturer, reported September 2025 revenue of NT$19,362 million, up 32.15% MoM and up 0.13% YoY, marking the second-highest level for the same period in company history.
Quilter Secures $25M Series B to Eliminate Manual PCB Design with Physics-Driven AI
10/09/2025 | BUSINESS WIREQuilter, the first and only company to publicly demonstrate fully autonomous PCB layout through physics-driven AI, announced $25 million in Series B funding led by Index Ventures.