Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1437606
DECEMBER 2021 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 33 • Works equally as well with FR-4 and other traditional boards but with a smaller footprint • Allows soldering on aluminum • Will work with no direct line-of-sight • Provides soldering on curved surfaces • Provides flexible/alternative product design options • No thermal stress on stacked microvias • Lower energy requirements • Selective control of soldering parameters • Optional N 2 processing area PCB007 References 1. "Use of Flash Lamps to Achieve Non-Equilib- rium Soldering and Assembly Utilizing Conventional SAC Alloys," by Vahid Akhavan, SMTA-International 2020 Proceedings #567, Chicago, Sept. 2020. 2. "PulseForge Flash Lamp Soldering using Con- ventional Soldering Alloys," by Rick Larson, SMTA Boston/Nutmeg Webinar, Sept. 14, 2021. 3. Flexible Circuit Technology, 4 th Edition, by Joseph Fjelstad. 4. "Photonic Soldering Temperature Sensitive Components with High Temperature Solder Alloys," Vahid Akhavan, #950, Proceedings of the 2021 SMTAI Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Happy Holden has worked in printed circuit technology since 1970 with Hewlett-Packard, NanYa Westwood, Merix, Foxconn, and Gentex. He is currently a con- tributing technical editor with I-Connect007, and the author of Automation and Advanced Procedures in PCB Fabrication, and 24 Essential Skills for Engineers. To contact Holden or read past columns, click here. Summary is new soldering process can accommo- date a substrate up to 300 x 400 mm with R2R possible. e new opportunities now possible are: • Use high-temperature solders for comparable quality – SAC-305, SnSb, etc. • Use of temperature-sensitive substrates for lower costs – PET, TPU, PVC, PPE, PEI, PVF, PEN, etc. • Solder multiple sized components at once • Potential for R2R handling • Achieve comparable results to reflow ovens but much faster Figure 5: Custom flash tubes, reflectors, power supplies, cooling, and exposure control ensure soldering without heating the underlying substrate. (Source: NovaCentrix) Figure 6: Equipment from batch scale to conveyorized production scale. (Source: NovaCentrix)