-
- 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
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Ibiden Opens Ono Plant to Expand AI Server IC Substrate Production Capacity
10/14/2025 | IBIDENIBIDEN Co., Ltd. announces that it held the opening ceremony for its Ono Plant on October 10, 2025 in Ono Town, Ibi District, Gifu Prefecture. Construction work and preparations for mass production at the plant had been underway.
Würth Elektronik Participates in EU Initiative PROACTIF for Cutting-edge Drone and Robotics Solutions
10/14/2025 | Wurth ElektronikWürth Elektronik is a partner in the visionary EU project PROACTIF, funded under the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU). The international consortium of 42 partners from 13 countries aims to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty i
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.
The Right Approach: Electro-Tek—A Williams Family Legacy, Part 1
10/15/2025 | Steve Williams -- Column: The Right ApproachThere is no bronze bust in the lobby or portrait in the conference room of Electro-Tek's founder—my Dad, Charles “Chuck” Williams—so with the facility closing last year after 56 years, I feel it is time to tell the story. Chuck Williams founded Electro-Tek in 1968 in our basement, eventually moving into the second floor of an old 1913 building in downtown Milwaukee that is still standing (the first of three eventual facilities).