-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueCounterfeit Concerns
The distribution of counterfeit parts has become much more sophisticated in the past decade, and there's no reason to believe that trend is going to be stopping any time soon. What might crop up in the near future?
Solder Printing
In this issue, we turn a discerning eye to solder paste printing. As apertures shrink, and the requirement for multiple thicknesses of paste on the same board becomes more commonplace, consistently and accurately applying paste becomes ever more challenging.
A Culture of Thriving
One cannot simply command thriving; it must be nurtured, developed, and encouraged. In this issue, we explore strategies to improve your working relationship model—both internally and externally. In this culture of thriving, your business will grow in the process.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Taking the Gremlins Out of Your Process
April 13, 2016 | Stephen Las Marias, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Every step in your assembly line—bareboard loading, solder paste printing and inspection, pick and place, reflow, optical inspection, testing, unloading the assembly, and panelization—is supposed to be designed to perform optimally for you to have an efficient, reliable, robust and reproducible process.
However, and as isolated as they may seem, "gremlins" sometimes appear and mess up the results of a batch, keeping operators and line engineers figuring out what seems to be wrong in their process.
In our recent survey, we asked our subscribers about their pain points when it comes to their processes, whether they need further automation for more control, and what they would like to know more about with regard to improving their process engineering.
Among the greatest challenges cited were equipment issues, materials, soldering and rework, changeovers, quality, and last but not least, management.
When it comes to equipment, some of our respondents consider the never-ending introduction of new machines as a challenge—despite these machines being designed to streamline the production. Perhaps one reason for this is the lack of time for thorough testing of a new process or machine prior to releasing to production.
Respondents also said there is a lack of data acquisition systems with appropriate sensors for data logging over periods of time, and a need for systems to analyze big data to help their process innovation.
For soldering and rework, the pain points include ensuring a robust soldering and rework process for assembly, soldering BGA components, and solder printing.
The frequent production switches among different products are also among the biggest challenges. This leads to quality issues such as time-to-market pressures, respondents say, which cause them to hurry and possibly overlook key process parameters. Still on quality, the respondents say there is also a need to identify all critical-to-function parameters without having to resort to very high sample sizes.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of SMT Magazine.
Suggested Items
All Flex Solutions Invests in Assembly Inspection Automation
10/17/2024 | All Flex SolutionsAll Flex has acquired an Omron VP9000 3D Solder Paste Inspection System and an Omron VT-S1080 3D Automatic Optical Inspection System for their flexible circuit assembly facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. These acquisitions are one part of All Flex Solutions’ four-year SMT Roadmap to expand the scale and capability of their assembly operations.
TopLine to Exhibit 'Drop-in Replacement' for BGA at Electronica
10/16/2024 | TopLineTopLine Corporation will exhibit its latest technology solutions at Electronica in Munich, Germany, November 12 – 15, 2024, in stand B4.428.
Indium Experts to Present at International Electronics Manufacturing Technology Conference
10/15/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation is proud to announce its participation in the upcoming International Electronics Manufacturing Technology Conference (IEMT), taking place October 16-18 in Penang, Malaysia.
Bransys Acquires Two REHM VisionXP+ Nitro 3850 Reflow Ovens
10/14/2024 | BransysBransys Group, a leading provider of comprehensive PCB design and assembly services, is pleased to announce the addition of two REHM VisionXP+ Nitro 3850 Type 834 reflow ovens to its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
The SD11 Inkjet Printer and Ventec Giga Solutions
10/10/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineVentec expanded last year to provide greater portfolio solutions to its customers, all of which are aligned with Ventec’s core business in laminates and distribution products. I sat down with Ventec Giga Solutions’ Commercial Director Leigh Allinson, who is deeply rooted in both the PCB and supply chain sectors. He explores the innovative realms of the company and its cutting-edge SD11 inkjet printer. Leigh brings insight into the fabric of the electronics manufacturing industry through the lens of pushing technology limits and delving into the strategic expansions of Ventec Giga Solutions.