News Release from: Cookson Electronics
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 19 September 2005
Solder preforms work with pick and place lines
Tape and reel packaged solder preforms allow measured amounts of solder to be deposited accurately, selectively and without special equipment.
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Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials has launched tape and reel packaged solder preforms that allow measured amounts of solder to be deposited accurately, selectively and without special equipment. Because the design trend is towards miniaturisation, particularly in the telecomms and portable computer market, the reduced solder deposits on boards often have to be supplemented when larger components are to be attached. But trying to add extra solder gives its own problems.
Board space is limited so to print larger pads means a risk of bridging.
How about changing to stepped stencils and rubber squeegees?.
Besides the technology shift this brings quality issues (possible paste scooping and bleed) and with higher levels of flux in the increased paste deposit there's the risk of solder balling near fine pitch components.
To apply components after reflow involves accurate hand soldering or an additional dispense operation and secondary reflow process (similarly with adding an extra pad before printing).
Such operations can cause significant quality problems.
The potential inaccuracies of hand soldering; defects on mixed technology boards where printing solder paste into through holes is difficult to measure, and when the geometric limitations of step stencilling make it difficult to cater for odd sized components.
With Exactalloy preforms, solder is deposited in the right place and in the right volume using standard pick and place equipment, and reflowed normally, a highly efficient and effective solution to these increasingly common problems.
Working with pick and place equipment manufacturers, Cookson Electronics developed a range of solder preforms which are tape packaged and applied in the same way as standard SMT components.
Quite simply, the revolutionary idea means extra solder volume can be achieved in consistent, strategically placed, measured amounts, leading to less risk of defects.
Tape and reel preforms improve process efficiency by dovetailing into the existing SMD process using standard stencils, metal squeegees, pick and place and reflow equipment.
The preforms are placed onto the printed pads, so increasing the solder volume, but without the need for any additional flux which could cause solder balling, and means no special storage is required.
The system eliminates extra pre- and post-soldering operations and allows freedom for PCB design where fine pitch devices are close to larger components.
Cookson Electronics preforms are available in a choice of alloy (including lead-free), shape and size to suit each application.
They are manufactured from high purity electronics grade solder and available on reels suitable for all leading pick and place equipment including Siemens, Fuji, Mydata, Assembleon, Panasonic, Europlacer etc.
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