Archive for category Thermal Profiler
Unusual Component Lead Contamination
Posted by Paul Austen in M.O.L.E. MAP, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Profiler, Thermal Profiling on August 26th, 2011
Today’s blog post originally appeared in Circuitnet on August 22, 2011
http://www.circuitnet.com/articles/article_83073.shtml as a response to an Ask the Expert Question. We think it’s worth repeating here as well.
Subj: Unusual Component Lead Contamination
We suspect the issue visible on the attached image is due to contamination on this component lead. We only see this issue on one component type, and only on one side of the component.
Can you offer any comments? E.W.
REPLY FROM PAUL AUSTEN, OF ECD:
Here is one possible cause to check on before you apply the failure to the component.
As with most solder quality problems, it is best to make sure the solder thermal profile, as required for good soldering for you specific solder paste, is being met. Do not assume that a general thermal profile for this board is the same everywhere on the board.
Make sure the thermal profile on or very near each end of this component is as needed. I have heard of components as small as this stand up on one end and then lay back down again during the solder transition into the liquid state (AKA: liquidous, or liquidus) because one end of the part heated faster than the other by a few fractions of a second. By the time the component lays down again, it is too late for best wetting.
To look for this possible time delay in the heating of the component’s ends with your thermal profiling software, make sure the profile peak alignment tool in the profiling software is turned off so you can see instant by instant the temperatures measured at each end of the part through the liquidous point of the solder. If one end is hotter than the other during this time, this may be part of the problem.
The cause of the temperature difference may be because one end of the part was on a pad that had no (or poor) thermal relief compared to the other. Typically, you need both pads of a component to be thermally equivalent. It may be that the board design needs to changed, or it may be as simple as running the board through the oven process turned 90 or 180 degrees to the current orientation.
However, turning the board 90 to 180 degrees may introduce other production or thermal issues on other components. None the less it may be worth trying.
Paul Austen, Senior Project Engineer
Electronic Controls Design Inc
paul.austen@ecd.com
Paul Austen is a 30 year veteran Senior Project Engineer with ECD in Milwaukie, Oregon. Paul has seen and worked with the electronic manufacturing industry from many points of view, including: technician, designer, manufacture, and customer.
What’s New – July: M.O.L.E.® MAP 2.20a Release
Posted by Ray Pearce in M.O.L.E. MAP, Ray's Blog, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Profiler, Thermal Profiling on July 29th, 2011
Since the advent of the CPU, electronic products have been getting “smart.” And now, to the extent that software and an internet connection make it possible, even appliances which most of us would consider to be a block of steel and plastic with a singular function, such as a refrigerator, are now capable of keeping inventory, reminding you to go shopping – even placing delivery orders to restock! Yes, when you really think about it, it’s often the software that enables and drives product innovation and answers the question “What if we could….?” The latest ECD software is a perfect example. It allows us to give our profiling equipment the very capabilities that customers have had on their wish lists. A M.O.L.E.® can’t order you lunch, but here’s “What’s New.”
This month ECD announced availability of the new 2.20a version of M.O.L.E.® MAP software. Introduced in 2007, MAP (Machine-Assembly-Process) received multiple innovation awards, and is now the software platform for ECD’s entire line of thermal profilers: SuperM.O.L.E.® Gold 2, MEGAM.O.L.E.® 20, V-M.O.L.E.®, SuperM.O.L.E.®, Gold and PTP® VP-8
This version release coincides with the new SuperM.O.L.E.® Gold 2 availability and implements inputs from our Software Advisory Board (yes, we have one!) So without further ado, here are the top 5 new features and benefits of M.O.L.E.® MAP 2.20a.
- AutoPlay
This new feature auto-detects your M.O.L.E.® type and quickly links your plugged-in M.O.L.E.® to perform these basic tasks:
- View the status of your M.O.L.E.®
- Setup your M.O.L.E.® to perform a data run
- Download your most recently recorded data
- Start M.O.L.E.® MAP
This instant USB access eases the learning curve for the novice and focuses the operator on the basic profiling tasks at hand, shielding them from the full feature set of the software.
- Improved Navigation
When you do open MAP, the “Welcome” screen now displays links to recently used Directories and recently viewed Profiles. Quickly resume your previous work session by clicking where you left off with this convenient new feature.
- Bulk Import of Previous M.O.L.E.® Files
Speaking of Profiles, you will probably want to import your libraries of SuperM.O.L.E.® Gold profiles (from SMGSPC) into MAP, which converts the .mdm file into the new .xmg format.
This MAP version implements group importation of existing .mdm and collaborative .xmg profile data. With a simple click-shift and drag, you can now move the contents of old Workbooks (an SMGSPC term) into new Directories, M.O.L.E.® MAP’s term for the currently viewed data in the Spreadsheet Tab.
- PDF Printing to File and Email
Another way to collaborate your process engineering work between EMS/OEM is to provide documents to operators in PDF format. The new MAP integrates PDF printing with an improved Print Selection dialog to accomplish portrait or landscape orientation directly to Email or a File. Great when your customer demands hardcopy proof!
- Free Self-Serve Web Authorization and Automatic Upgrade Notification
Last but not least, licensing fees and pay authorization have been replaced with free “Self-Authorization” through the ECD website. We give you a 31-day window to go to the Help menu, select “Authorize” then click on “Web Authorize”. After you fill out the web form and agree to standard terms, our site sends you an email with your software unlock key.
It’s as simple as that! Plus, you will be notified of new releases in the future. We always want you to have the advantages of our current release. Thank you for reading this month’s What’s New!
Free MAP 2.20a download is available at ECD DOWNLOADS. (Check out the Readme file for the entire list of Rev 2.20a M.O.L.E.® MAP improvements!)
Till next time,
Ray Pearce
ECD Sales Engineer
ray.pearce@ecd.com
MOLE® Thermal Profiler Calibration – Why and When?
Posted by Paul Austen in Thermal Musings, Thermal Profiler, Thermal Profiling on July 26th, 2010
MOLE® Thermal Profiler Calibration – Why and When?
Calibration of electronic measurement instruments is a necessary process, even though most electronic equipment is very stable and somewhat “resistant” to the effects of environment and changes due to aging.
Q: So why calibrate if my MOLE is “in spec” every time I send it in for calibration?
Because calibration is not so much an adjustment process but rather a proofing process that shows, over time, that your MOLE has been in calibration and thus should remain in calibration, because you have a track record to prove it. Documented history of a MOLE’s performance is the only way to claim your MOLE is in calibration at any given instant.
Most good labs will tell you that when your MOLE is calibrated, it is compared to standards , typically standards that have traceability to NIST, and if it is shown to be measuring within its specified accuracy they will not make any attempt to “adjust” it. Only if it is “on the edge,” which usually means it is getting to the last 10% to 20% of the specified accuracy limit, will they make any adjustments. Your MOLE may still be “in spec” and thus “in calibration,” when the lab received it, but getting close, so they will adjust it closer to the middle of the spec. range.
If it is out-of-spec when received by the lab, then a red flag goes up and calls into question every measurement made since the last calibration! The lab will tell you how far out of spec it is, and you can decide if its measurements during that time affect the quality of the measurements made more than can be tolerated, or if they are “close enough” to still be acceptable.
Q: So, when should the MOLE be calibrated?
The number one best time to calibrate the MOLE is on a regular time-based interval, which is recommended once a year. However, there are other events which may cause you to want to seek calibration at other times of the year, such as:
- When the MOLE is subjected to rough treatment like a fall to the floor,
- When your MOLE is accidently “over heated” ,
- When you are starting a new product introduction and you are characterizing an oven and new assembly to find the right recipe,
- When a new customer’s contract stipulates you use equipment that has been recently calibrated,
- When your in-house quality program requires a calibration interval.
Getting your MOLE calibrated is easy and we want to make sure you are always making the highest quality temperature measurements.
The Fastest Way to Know Your profile is “OK”
Posted by Paul Austen in Extracting Parameters, M.O.L.E. MAP, Reading Profiles, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Profiler, Thermal Profiling on February 25th, 2010
Now there is a way to verify that your profile requirements are being met in less time than you ever thought possible. The letters in the name M.O.L.E.® thermal profiler have always stood for Multi-channel Occurrent Logger Evaluator. Now the patented* “OK button” feature truly makes “E” in MOLE a reality, because now the MOLE profiler can automatically compare the measured temperature profile to your pre-programmed profile requirements.
The ECD V-MOLE with patented one button “OK” profile evaluation
(The OK Button is also available on the 20-channel MEGAM.O.L.E.™ thermal profiler, and OvenCHECKER™ )
Taking only seconds, the MOLE can tell you and your oven operators if the profile just measured is in or out of specification with the universally understood Green for good (GO!) or Red for bad (STOP!).
You get to set the specification limits for any or all of the four most popular profile parameters:
- Ramp Slope
- Time Between temperatures
- Time above Liquidous
- Peak Temperature
…and you can choose which of the MOLE’s input channels to include, up to 20 channels on the MEGAM.O.L.E.™, and three on the V-M.O.L.E.™ thermal profilers.
The Specification Table in MAP Software
Using the MAP™ Profiling software, enter your specification limits for the four profile parameters in the Upper and Lower Limits table in the “Target-10 OK” tab. These values will automatically be sent to the MOLE profiler when you use the Verify Process Wizard to confirm that a previously characterized oven recipe is still performing within specification.
MAP™ Profiling Software Target-10 OK Profile tab
Once programmed, the MOLE profiler can be used many times (up to 96 times) to Verify your oven is producing the same profile, without reconnecting to your computer. Simply run the profile and press the “OK Button” on the MOLE. No more running back to the PC software to download to see the results. One push of the OK button, and you get your answer…Go, or No-Go. It’s that simple!
*U.S. Patent Number 7653502.
Thermal Profiling in the Solar Industry
Posted by Rex Breunsbach in Solar Cell Manufacturing, Thermal Profiler on August 7th, 2009
Reach For the Sun
Solar Cell manufacturing has been around for a long time; however the materials and process have changed drastically in the past few years and will continue to evolve as the technology and need for Renewable Energy grows. The costs of manufacturing and the risks associated with the ever changing processes can strain the ability to maintain yields and improve quality. Proving these new manufacturing processes, then achieving the repeatability and yield needed for production have always been a challenge.
ECD’s suite of profiling tools allow detailed Characterization of these advanced processes during the R&D phase. During production ramp-up good thermal thermal profile data drives yield improvement leading to maximum profitability. In production these same tools can quickly Verify that the optimum manufacturing process is being maintained.
Thin Film Solar
ECD has many types of customers in the Solar Cell manufacturing industry. They include start-ups, university research departments and production facilities, located around the globe.
The application areas that we have been able to identify are among the following:
Silicon Metallization:
Thermal profiling is used to optimize the drying, rapid firing and following cooling process in the oven.
Silicon Diffusion:
Thermal profiling is used to optimize the heating, high temperature diffusion and cooling process in the oven.
Thin film Solar Cells:
Done on glass and other substrates, this process is similar to Diffusion process, but at lower temperature.
Profiling Equipment Requirements:
Minimum profiler thickness is important – Many of the ovens designed for solar manufacturing provide little vertical clearance for the profilers. Thermal barrier requirements vary and in some cases, time and temperature do not allow pass-thru profiling. In most cases 3 channels of thermal data are sufficient for process verification as all areas of the silicon heat similarly. Thermocouple attachment can also be tedious, with mechanical pressure being the most common contact method.
We look forward to the continued growth and success of the Solar industry and we would like to invite all solar industry participants to work with us and discover how we can help you reach your performance goals.
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