Why SMT Reflow Soldering Oven Cannot Be Avoided By Electronic Assembling Firms

By Harriett Crosby


Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is a technology of soldering electrical components onto the pre-printed circuit boards. In order to make the whole process possible, SMT reflow soldering oven is usually used. This is a machine that employs high level of technology and bonding principles in its functionality. It is very complex but offers reliability and better alternative in the field of electrical assembly. This comes with advantages such as reduced board cost, controlled manufacturing and assembling process and reduced material handling.

This attaching electronics to PCB requires heating of soldering paste so that it attaches electronics on the pad on solidifying. This requires a complicated and an efficient technique, and there currently better technology to do this than an SMT reflow soldering model.

It involves joining of electrical components on to contact pads with solder paste and heat. In the process of highly controlled heating that take place in the oven, solder melts in the right position and permanently join the electrical components on PCB in the process.

Through a conveyor belt, the PCB and the mounted components are directed into the oven. This requires time and temperature precision to avoid destroying any of the components. There are four phases that these components pass through in the oven. In starts at preheat zone where time/temperature rate (ramp rate) is determined. This is important to the other zones too as it gives the correct temperature to be used. The melting point of solvent is also set here.

The second zone is the thermal soak zone. Removal of paste volatiles takes place here through a 60 to 120 second heat exposure of the PCB at a predetermined temperature. This is followed by the reflow stage, the stage in which the whole thing happens. Printed circuit board and components are exposed to the highest possible temperatures. The tolerable (liquidus) temperature for each of the component is determined and the maximum temperature is set just below it. This forces reduction between the surface tension between solder particles so that they melt at the point of contact on the pad.

The 4th zone is the cooling stage where control cooling ensures that the components are correctly placed and fixed. In all these stages, both heating and cooling process is keenly controlled to avoid any thermal shock that may damage the components or the PCB.

Most of these ovens use ceramic heaters as the source of heat. The heat flows to the assemblies through hot air using fan (radiation) or just the infrared electromagnetic radiation. As the new models are introduces, the techniques of heat transfers are improved.

These machines have gained favor with electronic assemblers for various reasons. These include simple methods of operating, faster production, high level of accuracy, produces much more component per unit time than any other method. In addition to this, depending on the model, it is possible to attach the components on both sides of PCB and there is efficiency in electricity utilization.

In order to remain relevant in electrical assembly industry, just like any other industry, it is important to use highly efficient and most up-to-date technology. There are latest models SMT reflow soldering oven that offers efficiency level that results to high productivity and profitability to a firm.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment