Proflow ATx meets complex mass production needs

A DEK product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team May 14, 2010

DEK's Proflow ATx enclosed print head technology has been adopted by an electronics company because of its ability to meet complex mass production requirements.

As a specialist in design, production and product management, the electronics solutions company had strict evaluation criteria that the DEK system successfully met and, in some cases, exceeded.

The company wanted to assess the Proflow ATx technology's ability to withstand the challenges of large-scale production.

The DEK customer also set out to test the system's ability to handle the product complexity it manages on a frequent basis, which often includes fine pitch components such as 0402s and 0201s.

In a bid to improve print process quality, capacity and capability, the DEK system's printing performance was evaluated against conventional squeegees, along with its ability to reduce solder paste wastage and enhance cycle time.

During the evaluation, Proflow ATx achieved all of the company's core targets for quality, throughput, solder paste usage and wastage.

For example, tests saw solder paste wastage reduced by more than 2,100g per week.

Utilising DEK's Hawkeye print verification tool, printer throughput exceeded the target level of 14 seconds per board by 10 per cent.

Offline 3D inspection was also performed to ensure that the required paste volumes and heights were being deposited to fully meet the required quality standards.

The Proflow enclosed print head technology is claimed to provide efficient materials transfer, high throughput rates, high process yields, low material wastage and good process control.

Being containing in a sealed environment, as opposed to being exposed to air as with traditional squeegee applications, enclosed head printing affords the environmental and cost-saving benefits of lower material waste.

The Proflow ATx system is dedicated to the deposition of advanced materials, providing the ability to mix and condition materials and deliver uniform performance control.