The implementation of lead-free solder into electronic manufacturing centers has generated high interest in identifying equipment to support such transitional endeavors.

Over the past 20 years Selective Solder Equipment has been recognized and utilized by the electronic manufacturing industry as a cost-effective soldering process for plated thru-hole applications and readily supports high-mix / low quantity production demands.

The percentage of thru-hole components is miniscule to the percentage of SMT components; recent sampling of new commercial product designs indicates SMT component packaging at 97.7% and Plated Thru- Hole component and interconnects packaging at 2.3%.

When sampling bill of materials of High Reliability Printed Circuit Board Assemblies, the percentage of Plated Thru-Hole components and interconnect packaging, increases. Often, these thru-hole components and interconnects are processed as a secondary manufacturing operation. The process requires a well defined, repeatable procedure and product final inspection is paramount to meeting the ever increasing standards of quality.

Today, leading selective soldering manufacturers, by understanding the process requirements of lead-free materials of electronic manufacturing, offer advanced equipment to meet production thru-put variables, provide repeatable process controls and reduce manufacturing processing costs by reducing waste and touch-up.

Many selective solder manufactures offer dual-fluxing systems, noclean or water soluble, and interchangeable solder pots. These features fulfill the market demands for cost reduction by reducing change over time and achieving flexibility to coincide with production work orders requiring lead-free or tin-lead solder.

To address the issues of solder shorts, solder bridging and inconsistent lead-protrusions of plated thru-hole components and interconnect packages, selective solder manufacturers have developed standard and when required, custom designed solder nozzles to optimize the process of soldering.

To successfully identify a selective solder machine, a number of features and subsequent benefits must be part of the selection process:

• Flexibility to accommodate multiple flux compounds which reduces change-over and equipment down time. Interchangeable dedicated solder pots for tin-lead and lead-free applications which help prevent cross contamination of solder alloys.
  
  
• Solder pots equipped with internal solder pump and solder delivery system to support repeat processes and reduce setup times. Implementation of process automation tools and programmability to reduce set up times and optimize thru-put of product.
  
  
• Open-top work area to accommodate assembled circuit boards regardless of top side configuration, attachments; cables, harnesses, daughter boards.
  
  
• Precise control of solder stream to reduce or prevent disturbance of surrounding SMT components or plated thru-hole lead protrusions.
  
  
• PC-based control system to archive legacy solder points and parameters to reduce time in setup, process validation and first article inspection.
  
  
• User friendly provisions to develop unique parameters for circuit board component up-grades or component change-out.
  
  
• Utility requirements, equipment foot-print and work height; all critical factors when placing the unit onto the manufacturing floor.

For additional information on the A.C.E. Production Technologies Line of Selective Soldering equipment or to schedule a demonstration, please contact Robert N. Berta, American Competitive Institute, by telephone at 610-362-1200 ext 253 or via e-mail at rberta@aciusa.org.