Archive for category M.O.L.E. MAP
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
Heat Flow Happens
Posted by Paul Austen in M.O.L.E. MAP, OvenCHECKER, OvenRIDER, Profiling, Reflow Oven Verification, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Musings, Thermal Profiling on May 24th, 2011
An often misunderstood concept is heat flow and how it can influence the temperature of the product being heated so here is Wikipedia’s definition of heat flow, followed by a discussion of our own on the subject.
Energy needs a conductor in order to flow
1) An energy difference between two objects.
and
2) There is a conductor to act as a bridge enabling the energy to flow.
Energy always flows through a conductor from an object of high energy to an object of low energy. In this illustration, the high-energy object is a moving hammer, the low energy object is the table and the conductor is a block sitting on the table.
When you hit the block with the hammer, the energy contained in the moving hammer is transferred to the block when it hits. Some is also conducted through the block and transferred to the table it is sitting on. However, because the block is not a perfect conductor, which is true for most things, some of the energy stays in block. That energy bounces between the molecules of the block like balls on a pool table.
Because the molecules rub up against each other, and there is friction between them, some of the moving energy of the hammer is converted to heat energy, which causes a rise in the block’s temperature. It all comes down to molecular motion in an imperfect conductor creating friction that raises its temperature. Therefore, temperature increase is a way of observing energy flow, and energy flow that causes a temperature rise is called heat flow. Read the rest of this entry »
Total Heat – Another way to analyze your thermal profile
Posted by Paul Austen in Extracting Parameters, M.O.L.E. MAP, Reading Profiles, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Profiling on January 21st, 2011
One of the most popular ways to determine if a thermal profile of an electronic assembly is within specification is to consider the limits placed on four measurements or parameters: Initial Ramp Slope, Soak time, Time Above Liquidus and Peak temperature. Keep these four parameters within the specified (solder paste) limits and you can be assured that you are soldering the parts without damaging them.
Figure 1 Typical thermal profile with the four traditional parameters within spec
There are other ways to look at a profile which can be helpful in determining if the profile may threaten components and showing if it is consistent, both across solder joints, and over time.
In the profile example above, the Time Above Liquidus (TAL)on solder joints 1 and 3 are within 2 seconds, yet channel 3 (from the data; plot not shown for visual clarity) had more readings at higher temperatures. This means that although this part may have the same time above 183ºC, more readings were at temperatures higher than channel 1; higher risk of damage. Also note that the peak temperatures were not far apart; 222.2ºC vs. 223.5ºC.
So we added a new measurement to the MAP software to not only show Time Above Liquidus, but also consider the temperature values during the TAL portion of the profile. This new measurement has several names: “Total Heat,” ” Area Under the Curve,” or “Stress Integral.” It combines the time element of Time Above Liquidus with the temperature measurements during that time to give the Total Heat the component experienced, expressed in degree-seconds.
Figure 2 Total Heat measurements (component 1 only shown for clarity)
In this case, even though the Time Above Liquidus values are within 2 seconds and the peak temperature is less than 2 degrees apart, the Total Heat values are 2278º-sec and 2628 º-sec which differ by 350 º-sec! This clearly points out that component 3 had to withstand more Total Heat than component 1 and this simple parameter can now be examined in an instant, using the latest; version 2.18j of MAP software.
Diverse Needs, Diverse Solutions – We’ve got an App for That!
Posted by Paul Austen in M.O.L.E. MAP, MegaRIDER, OvenCHECKER, OvenRIDER, Reflow Profiling, Thermal Profiling on March 29th, 2010
How many different MOLE profilers and Test Pallets does it take to monitor a reflow solder machine? It depends on who you are and why you are monitoring it? We just want to make sure there are as many tools as there are reasons for running a thermal profile. Here are a few good reasons:
1. “I’m from the Metrology lab and it’s time for the annual calibration of your reflow oven.” We’ve got an app for that. After you’ve finished with the oven’s calibration procedure, you can run the MegaRIDER-20 with a Process Test Pallet to see if the machine is uniform across the conveyor width and has the same heating capacity as it did the last calibration or maintenance.
2. “I’m the Manufacturing Engineer and our QC Department wants me to show that this oven is in control.” We’ve got an app for that. You probably need more information than the once a year Metrology profile can provide. So weekly you can an OvenRIDER and see that every zone in the oven is performing the same using X-Bar R charts to prove it.
3. “I’m on the New Product introduction team and I need a good recipe to solder a new board without killing the parts.” We’ve got an app for that. The Super M.O.L.E.® Gold thermal profiler will let you connect T/Cs to the board to see exactly what’s going on, thermally, on the areas where you and the designer have the most concern. Use the Prediction tools in the new MAP software to lock in the perfect recipe.
4. “I’m a Line Technician and I have to know my reflow oven is ready to run product without all the wires and circuit board stuff.” We’ve got an app for that. OvenCHECKER is one pallet loaded with the most powerful profiler on the market today. It takes no more time to run than the first production board and it lets you know if the reflow oven is ready or not. No downloading, no comparing numbers on a chart, just Go, or No-Go.
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.
GR&R as it applies to ECD products – OvenCHECKER™, OvenRIDER®, WaveRIDER® and MEGARIDER®
Posted by Paul Austen in G R&R, M.O.L.E. MAP on November 6th, 2009
Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (GR&R) studies are designed to show the amount of variation certain portions of the measurement system contribute to the total variation in measurement, often expressed in percent. There are many ways and products available to help you calculate these numbers, which range from a piece of graph paper to full blown software packages costing 1000s of dollars.
So let’s take a look at the values produced by a typical G R&R study and then see how they could fit with the data produced by the OvenRIDER® or OvenCHECKER™ software:
Appraiser Variation (AV%) – This is the percent of the total variation which we humans introduce because the measurement method may vary due to physical or subjective interpretation issues. Things like value interpolation between two tick marks on a ruler or how hard they squeeze a caliper around a part. This is the “Reproducibility” part of a measurement. The lower the measurement variation caused by the appraiser, the better its reproducibility and so almost anyone can do it and get the same or very close answer. If it is more than 30%, then there is too much variation from one person’s measurements to another’s. You will want to make sure they are following the procedure and not taking some shortcut.
Equipment Variation (EV%) – This is the percent of the total variation which is caused by the measurement equipment or tools used to make the measurement, like a ruler for length or thermometer for temperature. This is the “Repeatability” part of a measurement. The lower the variation caused by the equipment, the better its repeatability. Again, more than 30% means a good portion of the variation lies with the measurement tools.
Reproducibility and Repeatability (R&R%) – This is the combination of the AV and EV and is the percent of the total variation due to the tools and the people used to measure the parts. The measurement system, people and tools should produce a percent of less the 10% to know you have a good measurement system. Between 10% and 30% and you should work to improve the component(s) contributing the majority of the variation.
Part Variation (PV%) – This is the percent of the total variation which is caused by the parts being measured. This is where most of the variation should be found no matter how small the variation. After all, the part variation is what you are trying to measure, no matter how small. So expect to see this number in the 90% range, which means your parts are what is varying.
Total Variation (TV) – The TV is typically not given in percent and is a “standard deviation” like number where one can expect 99.73% of all the measurements to fall between +/-3 times the TV.
The form shows a typical example of a GR&R with sample data one way the values can calculated. How the numbers are calculated is not too important at this point. What they mean and how one can apply them to the data captured from an OvenRIDER® or OvenCHECKER™ is the real question.
So what does it take to do a GR&R?
- Two or more Appraisers – These are the people who are going to use the measuring tools to measure the parts.
- At least 5 sample parts – These are the things the manufacturing process is designed to produce.
- At least two trials measurements – This means measuring the same value from the same part at least two times.
How do these three things map into to the data produced by the OvenRIDER® or OvenCHECKER™:
- We have two or more appraisers, no problem!
- How about at least 5 sample parts? Well, what is the “part” we are making? We have an oven, and the oven has a recipe which was characterized to melt solder without killing the parts on your boards. So, the oven is set up to make … thermal profiles, or time vs. temperature graphs of a specific shape. We assess the shape in many ways, just like we could assess a bolt made by a screw machine. On the bolt we could measure its length, diameter, thread pitch, hardness, etc. On a profile, we measure the initial ramp slope, soak time, time above liquidous, peak temperature, etc. So the profile is the sample part, and one of the profile measures is the value we want to study. Let’s say, peak temperature. Then you run the RIDER through the oven at least five times to make at least 5 sample parts (profiles). So far so good.
- Now each appraiser is to take at least two trial measurements of the same value off the sample parts. So for a given profile, instruct each appraiser to measure the same value off the part (profile) at least two times. How? The software, which takes the data out of the profiler which was recorded from the RIDER, extracts that data from the profiles automatically. No matter how many times or who you instruct to ask the software to give you the peak temperature for a given profile, it will produce the exact same value. If you wanted to do it the hard way, and have each appraiser look at the profile graph using a straightedge and pen, and interpolate the peak value from the graph, you would likely get some appraiser caused variation. But no one in their right mind would do this.
What does this mean? It means that no matter what version of GR&R you use to run the math, the AV and EV will be 0%, leaving all the variation in the parts, which does not make for a very practical GR&R study.
But wait, could you just run the RIDER through the oven again to take a second trial measurement of the SAME profile (or part)? That is NOT a second measure of the same part. That would be producing another new sample part, not a second trial measure of the same part.
This is a typical problem with over half of the measurements we are asked to take in industry these days. It can only be measured once, and then it’s gone. If you want to pull to failure test a bolt as the GR&R studied value, you can only do it once, and then the bolt is broken. You can’t put it back together to make a second or third trial measure. It is the same with a profile. It happens in time and once the profile is produced, that specific profile at that instant in time cannot be measured again. It’s gone! You can only produce another profile (or part), which is not the same as measuring the same profile value twice.
So GR&R is not really the best method of assessing a RIDER product’s variation. The real question is, what is the accuracy of the instrument (the MOLE® thermal profiler), which is stated in the specification, and the variation in the RIDER sensors?
Great care is taken to manufacture sensors to a tight tolerance and tested to show that they have consistent response time to temperature changes. That, coupled with the fact that the materials do not break down or alter properties with use, makes it reasonable to accept any variation measured by the RIDER products lies most completely with the machine producing the profiles.
References and Tables:
“DataMyte HandBook Sixth Edition – A practical guide to computerized data collection for Statistical Process Control” by DataMyte Business, Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
Understanding Gage R&R by Rick Sloop, Quality Magazine, September 2009
Profiling ovens and processes with multiple conveyor speeds
Posted by Rex Breunsbach in M.O.L.E. MAP, Profiling, Solar Cell Manufacturing, Thermal Profiling on September 29th, 2009
BTU Tritan Solar Cell Furnace
Ovens used in the metallization of solar cells can have 20 or more heating and cooling zones. These ovens can become quite long if the conveyor speed in the initial curing and final cooling sections are the same as the firing section. By speeding up the conveyor speed in the firing section the oven can be shortened and temperature of the cells can be increased and decreased more quickly.
Multiple conveyor speeds are also encountered in food processing lines where the food product passes through a several machines running at different speeds.
ECD’s newest profiling software can accommodate multiple conveyor speeds. Most profiling software assumes the
Solar Cell Metalization Time-Temperature Profile
conveyor speed in all zones is the same. ECD’s new M.O.L.E. MAP® software version 2.18a allows entry of a different conveyor speed for each zone.
Proper positioning of oven zones on profile time-temperature data requires accurate knowledge of the conveyor speed. By knowing the sampling interval, length of each zone and the conveyor speed one can calculate how many temperature samples “long” a particular zone occupies.�
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