The electronics manufacturing industry has always thrived on innovation but rarely has the pace of change and the intensity of challenges been as steep as they are today.  Shrinking form factors, rising performance demands, and supply chain disruption are converging at a time when customer expectations have never been higher. For leaders in electronics manufacturing, the question is not whether we will face challenges, it’s how we choose to overcome them.

At the center of this transformation is the rapid adoption of high-density interconnect (HDI) printed circuit board (PCB) technology. HDI allows for tighter routing, smaller components, and more complex interconnections. It is powering the rise of smartphones, medical wearables, electric vehicles, AI servers, and next generation aerospace systems. As HDI becomes the new standard, it introduces a cascade of complexities from design and fabrication to assembly and test. The stakes are high, and the margin for error is shrinking.

One of the defining challenges in HDI manufacturing is managing the reliability of microvias and via in pad (VIP) structures. These tiny, laser drilled holes make it possible to build up vertical interconnects in dense board layers, but they also bring new risks. Misalignment, incomplete via fill, and thermal fatigue are frequent failure modes that need to be managed. In an era where reliability is king, especially in automotive, medical, and defense sectors, addressing these issues directly is critical.

Design complexity goes far beyond via structures. High speed signaling and controlled impedance routing demand tighter tolerances than ever before. Signal integrity, power distribution, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, these are no longer engineering checkboxes; they are now make or break concerns for product success. Manufacturers must partner closely with design teams early in the development process to ensure that what is being designed can actually be built, tested, and scaled for high-volume production.

On the fabrication side, HDI has completely reshaped the landscape. Traditional PCB stackups are giving way to multilayer configurations with sequential lamination, filled microvias, and low-loss dielectrics. Each added layer and processing cycle increases cost, turnaround time, and  the risk of yield loss or scrap. Material choices, especially resin systems, copper foils, and solder masks, must be meticulously matched to the requirements of miniaturization, high frequency performance, and thermal stability.

Leaders in this space must be willing to invest not only in advanced equipment, but also in process discipline. Gone are the days of relying on wide manufacturing windows or single-layer debug cycles. Today’s builds demand tight process control, high-resolution inspection systems, and statistical validation at every step. That means implementing advanced X-ray inspection for hidden joints, solder paste inspection (SPI), and real-time reflow profiling to ensure thermal consistency. Just as important, it requires empowering teams with the tools and training needed to navigate the many nuances of modern assembly.

Yet the path forward is not all burden. These challenges present real opportunities for differentiation. Manufacturers who can master HDI, fine pitch placement, and high reliability assembly are in a position to lead. The companies that win in the next decade will not just be the ones with the biggest facilities or the lowest costs, they will be the ones that bring agility, intelligence, and precision to every layer of the process.

These challenges call for more than process improvements, they require a fundamental shift in how we validate capability at every step. In HDI, where tolerances are measured in microns and defects are invisible to the naked eye, success belongs to those who dream big — but think small. That mindset is exactly what guided my recent work with Shea Engineering on the SMTA High-Density test board.

Validating process capabilities is essential when working at HDI scale, where precision is paramount. In a recent collaboration with Shea Engineering, we tested the SMTA High-Density Interconnect test board to evaluate just how far current solder printing and assembly processes can be pushed. We printed solder paste on a statistical sample of ten boards and analyzed the results using SPI inspection data. To ensure accuracy, we then sent the stencils out for precise measurement of aperture size and position, comparing them directly against the original Gerber data.

The results were eye-opening. What initially appeared to be variation in solder paste deposition turned out to be small discrepancies in the stencil tooling itself at the 5-micron level. Our assumptions about process capability were, in fact, being skewed by manufacturing deviations in the stencil manufacturing process, not the SMT print process.

In HDI, there is no room for error. We must measure before we act and then measure again after acting to confirm suitability. Small deviations can cause major defects when you are working at submillimeter scale. Mistakes that might be manageable in conventional SMT builds become catastrophic at HDI dimensions. Precision is no longer a goal. It is the entry fee.

At the executive level, overcoming challenges means taking a long view. It means balancing today’s production pressures with tomorrow’s technology investments. It means building ecosystems, not just supply chains. And it means never losing sight of the end goal: delivering reliable, high-performance electronics that make a real difference in people’s lives.

For those of us who have built our careers in this industry, we know the road ahead will not be easy —but it never has been. That’s exactly what makes manufacturing, and especially electronics manufacturing, such a powerful and resilient field. Every challenge is a chance to lead. Every obstacle is an opportunity to innovate. And every breakthrough starts with the decision to take one step forward, even when the path is steep.

Now is the time for leadership, not only from the C-suite, but from every corner of the production floor, the engineering bench, and the supplier network.

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Doug Dixon is the CEO of 360 BC Group, Inc., a top marketing agency focused on the semiconductor and electronics industries. With more than 30 years of experience, Doug is known for developing innovative strategies that connect cutting-edge technology with market visibility. His expertise in Semiconductor Advanced Packaging, Power Electronics, Circuit Board Assembly, and Circuit Board Fabricationshapes the agency’s content and marketing efforts. Every year, 360 BC Group ghostwrites over 60 technical papers and contributes to major conferences, earning multiple Best Conference Paper Awards.

Doug is also a dedicated advocate for industry innovation, serving on the Board of Directors for both the PCEAand SMTA to help advance electronics manufacturing. Through his leadership, Doug drives growth and delivers impactful solutions at 360 BC Group, ensuring that technology and creativity work together to achieve success in a rapidly evolving market.

The post Precision Under Pressure: Leading Through Complexity in Advanced Electronics Manufacturing appeared first on What's New in Electronics.

Images above show typical solder shorts on a SOIC, chip components and pins on through hole component terminations

Solder shorts on wave soldering and selective soldering do occur for a variety of reasons. They are seen on through hall components and form on surface mount parts on the bottom side of the board. Let’s assume that the design is correct, we’ve done everything to optimise good design for surface mount or through hole soldering. I have to say there are loads of tricks that are not in the textbooks to reduce wave solder shorts

The reason that we can see shorts is solder hasn’t separated from multiple pins on the board it has not separated from the board cleanly. Quality or contamination within the bulk solder alloy can affect drainage characteristics, even if the processed parameters haven’t changed. The solder itself has changed over time, so look for contaminants which might affect its characteristics. Changes in the solder alloy percentage will impact the solder drainage. Please remember that some parts of what you are soldering is progressively dissolving into the bath. That is why we take solder samples for analysis every month or three months depending on production volume

Three examples of solder shorts above the first on a large PGA socket and was caused by the incorrect preheat temperature required for large mass component sinking heat. The second flag short caused by the excessive component pin length passing through the wave likely to have resulted in limited flux during pin drainage. The third was also limited flux left during separation of the terminations from the wave.

We hopefully all monitor the amount of flux we apply to the printed circuit board and the  effect of preheat on the board prior to going into the solder. Variability in the amount of flux which applied to the bottom side of the printed circuit board may affect drainage characteristics during the soldering operation and that then would lead to poor separation and solder shorts. So not enough solder draining off of the terminations to eliminate the excess and possibility of solder shorts.

If we have too much preheat, we can actually affect the flux’s characteristics. The flux can deteriorate, it may not allow the soldiers to drain as easily as it would have done if the process parameters were right to start off with. We can actually have too much flux, but that doesn’t necessarily relate to shorts, but too little flux or not enough activation of that flux or over activation will affect drainage. The simplest way to check flux application is to use a high temperature glass plate. In this way we can see coverage, the flux present after preheat and the amount of displacement over a single or double wave. Over the many years of running Wave Soldering Master Classes with Electrovert, then Speedline I was always surprised how many people had never seen glass plates being used. They are used and covered in my interactive wave soldering guide free to readers.

FREE Interactive Wave Soldering & Defect

Board assemblies should always be held fairly rigidly. They should not be allowed to flex; sag and they should not be allowed to move as the board goes through. If the board moves in the pallet or fingers, it’s going to give an inconsistent process and potentially cause solder shorts because the solder is not draining evenly. There will be different lengths of contact with the wave and with it a different heat transfer and flux displacement

Now in terms of setup the wave should be stable, it should be moving at the same speed as the board as it exits the wave or slightly faster just to promote that energy which is pulling the solder away from all terminations. When you are analysing wave soldering faults, there is no magical way of doing it. It’s using your eyes, watching as much as you can, I have used video and high-speed video photography over the years to look at how solder drains away from termination. To understand how I can improve the process because it’s very difficult if you can’t actually see what’s happening in a process. So those are just some of the things to consider when you’re looking at solder shorts and it’s exactly the same with selective soldering. But again, we’ve got, fortunately far more parameters. More processed variables we can actually change.

We are quite fortunate that with selective soldering we don’t have the same limited parameters and processes that we have options to change on wave soldering. But the key thing is getting those design process parameters right to start off with. And when you are running your prototype builds, keep an accurate record of shorts opens and the process parameters that you’re using. Consider process changes as you scale up production to get the best possible yield.

We have many Defect of The Month videos and WNIE Online articles which we hope will help you solve your process and product failures. We have listed a small selection from over 100 plus videos below created over many years with NPL, IPC & WNIE

BGA popcorning
Dendrite formation
Open solder joints
Solder skips
Coating bubbles
Ultrasonic damage
Missing components
Incomplete past print
Component cracking
Tombstone chips
Solder balls
Solder bead formation
Solder shorts
Sulphur corrosion
Crimp connection failures

 The list goes on and on, one month at a time.

FREE Wave Soldering Defect Poster Set

If you would like to download any of our Process Defect Guide booklets or my three soldering text books FREE just drop me an email bob@bobwillis.co.uk We also have and interactive guide to wave soldering and colour posters on wave soldering defects to use at your manufacturing site for training

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As a driving force for economic development, the manufacturing industry catalyzes efficiency, optimization, and productivity. But despite manufacturing’s pivotal role, the industry is grappling with a critical challenge that threatens its growth and stability: the widening skills gap.

According to this Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute report, a staggering 94% of executives acknowledge a noticeable skills gap in the US workforce. As of June 2023, there’s a shortage of almost 600,000 US-based stable manufacturing jobs. If left unaddressed, the manufacturing skills gap could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, with the potential to cost the nation $1 trillion in 2030 alone. These challenges persist worldwide as well—the global manufacturing labor shortage could exceed 8 million people by 2030. In the recent World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023, almost three in 10 manufacturing and service firms reported production constraints in the second quarter of 2022 due to a lack of workers.

This skills deficit has far-reaching implications, impacting customer demand, technological advancement, productivity and output, product quality, customer service, innovation, and international expansion. So, what exactly can be done to close this widening gap in the industry? This article explores the progression of technology in manufacturing, the effect of poor knowledge transfer on the skills gap, and how the right systems and technology can enable the connected worker—driving tangible progress in narrowing the gap for the entire industry.

The Tech Evolution and Growing Skill Requirements

The skills gap doesn’t just affect individual workers; it has a ripple effect on manufacturing operations as a whole. Delays, disruptions, and increased production costs are only a few of the direct consequences of insufficiently skilled or trained workers. A study by Accenture reveals that 64% of manufacturers believe the skills shortage has negatively impacted their ability to meet customer demand.

As manufacturing continues to make technological strides, the skill requirements for the workforce have similarly risen in technical complexity. Industry 4.0, characterized by integrating smart technologies, automation, data exchange, robots, and smart machines working alongside people, demands a workforce equipped with digital literacy, data analysis skills, and a proactive mindset. Preparing the workforce for this evolution is crucial to bridging the skills gap.

These digital shortcomings are substantiated by a Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute report, which specifies several functional areas that are most impacted by the skills gap. These include:

• Digital skills: Digital skills encompass a range of competencies related to using digital tools, software, and technologies. In manufacturing, this skill set most often pertains to data analysis, process automation, and the operation of digital systems.

• Technology use: Technological proficiency is a driving force in modern manufacturing. Using advanced machinery and other cutting-edge technologies is essential to enhancing efficiency, precision, and overall productivity.

• Supply chain management: In the manufacturing industry, supply chain management involves coordinating raw materials, production processes, and distribution networks. Effectively managing these processes ensures timely production, cost reductions, and operational efficiency.

• Problem-solving capabilities: In manufacturing, the day-to-day often involves overcoming complex challenges or unexpected setbacks. Because of this, problem-solving skills are essential for identifying and addressing issues in production, quality control, and process improvement.

Compounding this skills shortage is an aging workforce that will soon result in an institutional knowledge gap, which poses significant challenges in onboarding and retaining talent. According to Deloitte, 2.7 million baby boomers are expected to retire by 2025, creating a vacuum of experience and skills in manufacturing that needs to be filled. So not only does the industry need to attract new talent who can efficiently fill the skills gap, but it also needs to ensure that knowledge is adequately transferred from retiring workers simultaneously.

The Struggle for Information: Transferring Knowledge Between Workers

As the manufacturing industry witnesses the retirement of a substantial portion of its workforce, a pressing challenge emerges in the form of knowledge capture. The accumulated expertise and tacit knowledge held by veteran employees become vulnerable to loss, posing a threat to the continuity of efficient operations. The retiring workforce often possesses a wealth of experience and insights gained over years of service, yet the means to effectively capture and transfer this knowledge to the incoming generation of workers becomes a complex task. The lack of comprehensive knowledge retention strategies can lead to a significant skills gap, hindering the seamless transition of critical insights and best practices.

Simultaneously, younger workers entering the manufacturing sector encounter their own set of challenges. The conventional perception of manufacturing as a labor-intensive sector might discourage certain individuals from considering opportunities within the industry. Moreover, the perception of manufacturing jobs as being disconnected from modern technology and innovation can deter younger individuals who are more accustomed to digital environments. In addition, the fast-paced evolution of technology within the manufacturing landscape may overwhelm new entrants, making it essential for organizations to provide comprehensive training programs to bridge the gap between the skills these workers possess and those needed for modern manufacturing processes. Overall, the industry faces the dual challenge of preserving valuable institutional knowledge from retiring workers while actively engaging and preparing the younger generation for the evolving demands of contemporary manufacturing.

To mitigate these issues in information sharing, the efficient management of systems, training, and tools is truly vital for maintaining a well-informed and agile workforce. This allows knowledge to be seamlessly transferred as the makeup of the workforce changes. Striking the right balance between centralized (within the organization) and decentralized (individual) knowledge-sharing efforts is key, as this ensures information is up-to-date, accessible, and relevant while preventing it from being lost in personnel changes.

Collaborative platforms, learning initiatives, and more digital-focused teams are powerful tools for managing and transferring knowledge and can help manufacturers achieve this balance. However, their efforts are often hindered by outdated systems and a lack of integration in the manufacturing environments they work in. Investing in better processes and systems that facilitate collaboration, version control, and real-time updates can empower digital workers to contribute more effectively to knowledge management.

Technology’s Impact on the Connected Worker of Tomorrow

The right technology solutions can bridge the skills gap by enabling efficient work processes and facilitating skill development in a scalable way. Leveraging a composability approach in manufacturing solutions enables the creation of personalized and real-time, context-aware work instructions that can dynamically adapt to changing production variables, reducing downtime, and preventing costly mistakes. Composability, as a system design principle, revolves around the inter-relationships of components, allowing for their selection and assembly into diverse combinations that meet specific user requirements. Embracing composability can empower the connected worker and transform their interactions with manufacturing execution systems (MES), real-time work instructions, IoT integrations, and personalized user interfaces. Because of this, the connected worker can now operate in an environment where instructions align seamlessly with the evolving context, enhancing overall operational efficiency. This vast access to contextualized data gives operators actionable insights to facilitate informed decision-making. It allows connected workers to respond proactively to emerging trends, identify areas for improvement, and drive continuous innovation.

In addition, harnessing the true potential of automation and other advancements plays a pivotal role in managing knowledge and improving efficiency within the manufacturing sector. Implementing smart knowledge management systems that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) can streamline information retrieval, reduce errors, and enhance overall productivity. For example, AI-driven systems can analyze historical data to predict future challenges, enabling proactive decision-making. Manufacturers at the forefront of the industry already know this. According to a study by McKinsey, leading manufacturers are 25% more likely to leverage advanced analytics and artificial intelligence in their operations.

But staying ahead in an evolving industry requires more than technology—it demands a strategic solution that puts people first. Navigating the transition to Industry 4.0 involves adopting new technologies and defining a human-centric approach to connected frameworks.

According to a report by PwC, successful manufacturers are 50% more likely to prioritize human experience in their digital transformation initiatives. Creating frameworks that enhance the worker experience is critical for attracting and retaining top talent. These frameworks should prioritize continuous learning, collaboration, and a supportive work environment, combining the best technology and the human workers who power it. The merging of human and machine collaboration creates an exciting environment that can even be leveraged during the recruiting process, providing multiple career paths that may not have been possible before. This path empowers workers and positions them for success from day one.

Leveraging an MES that Drives Efficiency to Shrink the Skills Gap

Tackling the manufacturing skills gap requires a multi-faceted approach that combines strategic workforce planning, technological innovation, knowledge sharing, human-centricity, and a commitment to a collaborative work environment. Addressing these requirements starts with ensuring the right system is in place to enable more efficient and connected operations. Modern Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) provide real-time insights, intelligent analytics, and a composable approach to designing personalized user experiences to bolster efficient workflows, streamline knowledge management, and enhance worker capabilities. It should give the teams tailored information and real-time feedback that enhances decision-making and productivity, enabling manufacturers to not only bridge the skills gap—but thrive in an era of constant change.

The post Closing the Manufacturing Skills Gap: How Manufacturers Can Leverage Technology to Mitigate Workforce Challenges appeared first on What's New in Electronics.

The first image above shows underfill between a BGA package and the PCB. The second shows a microsection through the component and the PCB with underfill visible. Our third image shows a BGA with adhesive corner bumps.

Other methods of bonding parts to PCBs are generally used today because they are a cheaper solution. These are edge or corner bumps. Some engineers use underfill materials to increase the mechanical strength in terms of drop performance. These materials do not control the expansion rates simply reduce failures during drop testing. If we talk about traditional underfill material what you don’t want are voids because if you’ve got voids, then you’re not getting the same benefits on joint reliability. In addition, you want to try and eliminate voids because of flux residues or contamination that may be present underneath the component.

The images above show excessive voids or bubbles in the underfill. The second image shows large voids around the solder joints after the component had been mechanically removed from the surface of the PCB

Voids and active flux might potentially create corrosion and you’re not actually achieving a homogeneous coverage of the balls, the PCB, and sealing that gap between the package and the PCB. You may not be able to eliminate voids totally, but you’ve got to think about these as process defect issue. 

Voids can occur during the curing process because of some volatile material which is present in the solder mask surface. That’s one of the reasons why quite often underfill process is directly after reflow, when the board is still theoretically in a dry state. I say theoretically because just reflowing a product won’t get rid of all the moisture. Some companies will bake PCBs right at the very start of the process to eliminate outgassing from the solder mask. But they may apply the underfill very close to the end of the reflow process. This takes advantage of the residual heat in the board assembly to aid the speed of fill 

The first two images above show testing of a solder mask surface for gassing. The high temperature optically clear oil is used to show if bubbles are present when heating the PCB. The third image shows a thin glass slide on the PCB with underfill and voiding present

Some solder masks if you test them will exhibit gassing. You can just put a droplet of oil on the surface, heat the board up and look underneath the oil. It’s the same as my old outgassing test that I’ve used many times in industry workshops. Just the oil on the surface of the resist will show you if any volatile material is coming out. Hopefully you don’t have any voids. Unfortunately there are not really any international standards to say what voids are acceptable and unacceptable, and that’s something you need to confirm with your product supplier or your contract manufacturer and possibly test products to see whether voiding is an issue to you in your application or not. 

Thank you for listening to Defect of the Month. My name’s Bob Willis, and hopefully you’ll be joining us for more defect of the months videos in the future. Thank you very much.

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Many thanks to everyone that has already supported my Prostate Cancer charity project with a donation. There is still time to donate even after you have read all the books from cover to cover FREE!!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/bob-willis-roboticsolderingbook

Here are links to my new Robotic Soldering Inspection & Defect Guide plus all the other titles

Flipbook online viewing link only https://designrr.page/?id=316645&token=4149456357&type=FP&h=4976

Download the Robotic Soldering book only (9meg) https://www.bobwillis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Robotic-Soldering-Final-Master-Copy-Nov-10-2023.pdf

Download all of my soldering books & defect guides (64meg) https://www.bobwillis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Bob-Willis-Library-2023.zip

It was great fun conducting interviews for WNIE TV at Productronica Germany 2023. I got to speak to many new innovative companies plus old friends from the industry with their latest developments. Many thanks to Chloe and Mark in the background doing all of the technical bits. Three days of also flying the flag for Prostate Cancer UK with a little bit of very subtle marketing for a great charity. All of my interviews are again to watch on WNIE TV.

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MES solutions represent a manufacturing conundrum. The most complex of operations need to be prepared and executed in the simplest ways. Aegis’ FactoryLogix breaks the mold on Smart MES technology, using composable interfaces to easily invoke sophisticated operational logic, based on our built-in, robust data model. The shortest time to the greatest value. 

Differentiation in manufacturing is brought about by how things are done, specifically, how things are done better than your peers. Since the third industrial revolution, we have enjoyed automation, in the form of machines, where everyone has the same opportunity to select and buy whatever hardware they feel is best. Differentiation then comes in how the machines are used, for example, configurations, changeovers, work allocation, and many other things that are left by the machine vendor for the customer to decide, but all based on the machine specification that all customers share.

In the Industry 4.0 software world, the situation is the same, but less mature, simply because software automation is a far newer technology as compared to machine automation. We learned some time ago that bespoke or customized machines, whilst appearing more effective when dedicated to a narrowly defined specific task, soon became obsolete as requirements changed. The MES software industry has grown up in an accelerated way, learning from the experience of the machine industry. There is a sweet-spot where the benefits of using “out of the box” software, balances with the ability to support differing needs and situations.

The drive towards simplicity in MES is misleading, as most of the benefits around MES represent automated decision-making across a wide variety of areas of manufacturing, all running in real-time. What is needed is the ability to rise above the level where seemingly thousands of options are continuously offered, and thousands more seem to pop-up as events happen, and instead, be able to simply describe what is wanted. This is, after all, not the first time that a circuit board will have been assembled, following some plan, a design and BOM, and selected production configuration, for the needed information to be created for assembly operators and programs for machines. MES solutions typically either appear to be way too complicated, as all of the options, even those never needed, distract the user, creating a complex and protracted work-flow, requiring Ph.D. level attention span, or are too simple, providing only the most basic of choices, leaving significant work to be sorted out and resolved on the shop-floor, often with compromise. Neither of these approaches is good, and for many, should not be acceptable.  Having too many steps and options results in mistakes being made, but being too simplistic, that is without an underlying data model and ontology logic, creates the potential for mistakes and turbulence on the shop-floor and also creates the opportunity for mistakes and lost productivity. 

The sweet-spot in the equation is found with FactoryLogix, which automates routine decision-making, taking care of the details whilst engineers and operators focus on their daily tasks, knowing that their decisions are supported, through the robust, built-in data-model and underlying Smart logic, based on production conditions. 

An example of being simple on the outside, and Smart on the inside, can be seen in FactoryLogix when preparing data for assembly. Creation of both paperless work-instructions and machine instructions, is product design-driven, with a merged bill of materials. FactoryLogix has the “digital twin” of the product, and knows the details about each production configuration that may be used, automated or manual. The workflow is simply to decide which configuration is to be used for each product. Even this is supported through FactoryLogix Adaptive Planning, that shows opportunities, dependencies, and results from the range of choices available. Interactive, multi-media work-instructions are then generated automatically, based on the composed interface, design detail, and operational profile, so that operators can focus on the most easy, efficient, and mistake-resistant way to execute their tasks. There is no need to get stuck into manually manipulating and processing data, to provide user interfaces with hundreds of choices that only distract from the operation, making it seem complex and difficult. Making theses tasks easy to perform, promotes flexibility and agility in manufacturing, in that key production allocations decisions need not be made so far in advance, and may be changed at any time should that be better for factory optimization. Easier use of MES, with Smarter built-in decision-making support, has a significant impact on the factory as a whole.

The same is true in another example related to materials. Knowing that materials need to be prepared and replenished from time to time is a task as old as manufacturing itself. There is no excuse to be taken by surprise when something needs to be done. FactoryLogix knows the material stocks in use on the machine. The rate of consumption and spoilage is being measured, based on the BOM and continuously measured cycle-time of each product. FactoryLogix knows the precise location of materials needed in the near-term, and knows how much time is required for optimized material logistics solutions, again, whether manual or automated, to get the selected material, bring it to the machine, set it up and verify it, such that the machine does not stop due to material exhaust conditions. All of this data does not need to be pushed to and processed by the logistics operator, who only needs to get the trigger, to know where to go, and what to do. Making it easy to follow the work requirement, knowing that what they are doing is exactly what is needed, relieves operator stress, and enables flexibility for operators to fulfill a variety of roles. Another example of how simple MES, with built-in automated Smart decision-making, creates a benefit to the whole factory operation. 

Many other examples exist, where composability of simple operations works together with the Smart data-model within FactoryLogix. Quality and performance, on-time delivery are always priorities of the Smart, IIoT-based manufacturing engine, continuously collecting data, contextualizing it with product, configuration, planning and progress information. Software automation works continuously, with shop-floor control-orientated analytics there to inform and alert to opportunities for improvement and correction based on contextualized events, without the need to manually hunt through data, or create software coding, to find the root causes of issues. Composed analytics reports are there to focus on KPIs of interest, to provide knowledge of good operation, and draw attention to potential future problems.

Aegis FactoryLogix is unique in the industry to offer such composability, that simplifies routine engineering, operation, and logistics tasks, and yet also provides the built-in assurance of contextualization of events and automated decision-making, based on real-world conditions of the product, production configuration, and live information from all machines and processes.

FactoryLogix is an MES solution, quite unlike others in the industry. Simple on the outside, and Smart on the inside. 

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It’s very important that if you are going to clean products prior to conformal coating or clean products because you’re using an activated flux or possibly a customer wants you to clean their product, the important thing is you should confirm that all the components and the materials you are going to be using are compatible with the total cleaning process. The product designer is the guy who should make that happen, hopefully. If not, you as the process engineer need to confirm the components are compatible

So you must know what cleaning material or process is going to be used and test components. It’s not necessarily good enough to just accept the fact that a component supplier has said the components are compatible in their specification. You must prove it because you want to know that you’re not going to experience failures. Over the years, I’ve tested many, many components for cleaning compatibility with water, with semi aqueous and of course solvent cleaning systems when we used those high volume inline cleaning applications. A lot of people take it for granted that components are compatible. Well, that’s not necessarily the case. There are the obvious things, which probably are compatible, which are surface mount components. So if we are looking at BGAs, QFPs, QFN plus chip resistance and capacitors, all these parts generally are compatible, they’re sealed. There should not be any impact as long as the cleaning process is in control

However, it’s more likely to be through whole components that may have issues. So fundamentally, you want to look at the component to make sure there’s no openings. If it’s an electro mechanical part, then it must be fully or temperedly sealed in some way to prevent any liquid getting inside. Because if you are using, for instance, a semi aqueous process that’s mildly acidic before you use the aqueous part of the process to clean it and leave it in a neutral state it can corrode. You don’t want anything getting in a seal component anyway, because whatever material penetrating in may affect the operation of that particular part. One of the simplest ways of confirming compatibility of components, particularly through whole parts, is weight gain, weight loss. You first determine the cleaning material, the cleaning cycle time you’re going to be using, and then you test some parts , perhaps five or six parts

You weigh them very accurately. First of all, you put them through the process and then you weigh them afterwards. You can of course, simulate this in a laboratory situation with a beaker of the test fluid, the fluid you’re actually going to be using at the temperature you’re going to be using it at and submerge the parts. If its ultrasonic cleaning, then there really there needs to be some ultrasonic agitation within your test set up. So you weigh the parts to start off with. You reweigh the parts after the cleaning and drying part of the process is complete and see if there is any weight gain. That’s a pretty easy way of finding out. Some solvent and semi aqueous cleaners have been seen to attack some plastics and need to be checked. A couple of other things to look out for are markings being removed or nomenclature on PCBs plus anything else that may change like solder mask color due to absorption

Solder mask absorption with any solvent is particularly an issue. If you’re going to clean a board, then you are going to print solder paste straight away. The material that’s been absorbed by the mask may affect the successful reflow of the paste.  (Watch Bobs video on Non Reflow of Solder Paste)  Component compatibility, please think about it, it’s logical, but really it’s the purchasing and design team that must define component compatibility requirements with the assembly process. When you are a contract manufacturer, it is a little bit more difficult, which I’m sure you’ll understand, but please make sure your test parts, check parts or get confirmation they’re compatible with your process from the customer. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to the channel, like the video, and of course, ring the bell and we’ll send you notifications of any new videos that are released. My name’s Bob Willis, and thank you very much for tuning in for Defect of the Month

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In addition, the low temperature materials are available in solder paste for reflow soldering but are limited in cord wire for hand soldering and rework and repair. But they are available if you search them out. The main reason there is limited availability is the brittle nature of tin/bismuth solder alloys. They are difficult to draw to the wire gauges ideally required in electronics manufacturing, ideally 0.6 – 1mm

Now what I wanted to talk about on this particular video are solder balls. I haven’t really had any problems with reflow of paste. I also haven’t had too many problems with selective and wave soldering. But where I’ve been using cord wire with low temperature materials, particularly on robotic soldering, I’ve noticed quite a high level of soler balling. 

Examples of solder balling due to spitting during the soldering operation

Now this is a process issue, something you can look at, modify and overcome. It’s not a robotic soldering problem, but it depends on how you implement the technology with any contact soldering operation. The key thing is making sure operators are trained to use solder wire with the correct feed rate and the temperature of the soldering iron must be set correctly. Trying to go fast, faster and faster because with some cored alloy, you might find that the solder spits resulting in solder balls. We have seen this in the past during the implementation of lead-free technology and other technologies you may well find more evidence of spitting with certain wire brands but it’s how you use them. 

If you add cored solder wire directly to the tip in a robotic soldering situation, you may see flux and solder spitting leaving solder balls on the product, you don’t want to have random balls that are not held in place. Random solder balls can be anywhere on the assembly which would not be acceptable in the automotive industry or to IPC. There are a couple of things to consider first look at the process, look at preheating that you could introduce, which a lot of robotic soldering systems don’t have. You can use preheating from the blanket of nitrogen that you introduced around the soldering iron tip. This can actually improve temperature balance and the degree of spitting you might see and may make the process slightly more efficient as well. But one of the things that I’ve found that is the most beneficial is scoring the wire into the flux core 

Example of cored wire after indenting with the feed wheel. The x-ray image shows the wire

Some robotic soldering systems allow you to score or indent the surface of the wire. This prevents explosions of solder when you are going through the robotic soldering operation, and I’ve illustrated this on video clips during this online video presentation. Now what we’re talking about is just indenting into the wire as part of the process. This is part of the process of feeding/indexing the wire in the first place in an automated system. If you indent into the wire and the indent goes into the core of the flux within the wire itself. When the wire goes from a solid state into a semi-liquid, there’s not that explosion of energy. The flux can escape from the surface before it actually becomes a liquid. Consequently, you are much less likely to get that explosive reaction. So as part of your trials speak to your supplier, evaluate the materials to start off with and look to that function of indenting wire. It certainly does improve performance and the incidence of solder balling quite significantly. My name’s Bob Willis with another Defect of the Month, and I’ll see you next time

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What’s New in Electronics  caught up with organisers Steven Hewitt (Rockwell Automation) & Michael Ford (Aegis Software) to find out more about the event….

Q: This event is focussed on Sustainability, why did you decide to tackle this now?

A: Increasing concern around sustainability improvements and reporting requirements, is being felt by manufacturers across the UK. With very little specific and impartial help available, there is a frustration as to how to go forward in a practical and cost-effective way. We wanted to create an event that would focus on providing UK manufacturers with insights into current best practices and discuss their specific needs.

Q: What expertise will there be at the event? 

A: There will be manufacturers who have implemented energy and sustainability initiatives themselves already, technology experts who understand great ways to solve some of the problems, implementation experts and consultants who can help guide on how to get the results you need. Hopefully there will be a few academics too, sharing some of the leading edge thinking around the topics.

Q: Is the focus specifically relevant to the challenges that industry and manufacturing face regarding energy, CO2 and sustainability?

A: Yes, although there are many other dimension that the world needs to consider and act upon (like transport and home heating) we hope that industry can at least do their bit around the material and energy consumptions directly under their own control.

Q: Will there be opportunities for Q&A and discussion?

A: As a group organising this event, we bring a certain perspective and understanding, but we expect that attendees will bring with them many interesting cases and examples for consideration and discussion. The presentations act as a starting point.

Q: This is a MESA event, an organization that supports digitization in manufacturing, but is a non-commercial organization. How does that make the event so much more compelling?

A: It can be difficult to find truly impartial advice. MESA is unique in that it brings together those in the industry who are closely involved in technologies and solutions, but in a forum that is strictly non-commercial. Attendees will gain insight and knowledge based on our experience and skills, without any bias.

Q: What do you intend to be the key values as takeaways form this event?

A: We would like attendees to feel far more empowered about how they approach the specific sustainability challenges that they face within their own organisations. Having the right knowledge and confidence is important in order to make the appropriate changes that result in conformance and compliance of evolving needs, but also with ideas on how to create benefit for the organization, based on cost savings related to sustainability, such as the reduction of energy.

Please register now for this event, as places are strictly limited:

https://members.mesa.org/maincalendar/Details/mesa-uk-sig-energy-and-sustainability-conference-799289

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This month, I’d like to talk about incomplete solder paste reflow. Now we all know hopefully what solder paste is? It’s a mixture of solder alloy, flux, solvent and a vehicle to allow paste to be printable for a long period of time. Solder paste is being used in millions of kilos worldwide. Solder paste non reflow can be simple when we just haven’t got the temperature right as shown in the examples below

So if you’ve got a solder alloy to reflow, you have to be 20-40C degrees over the reflow temperature to allow the products you are soldering to get up to a satisfactory reflow temperature. So that’s not holding the solder paste reflow back, but making sure that the solder paste is at reflow temperature for a period of time to make sure you’re getting good wetting, flux activation of the materials and of course minimizing any voids that might be present on area array packages. So, there are certain things we do. We temperature profile a product to make sure that joints in particular areas are at reflow temperature for the period of time necessary, and we can then judge the quality of the solder joints optically or with x-ray. That’s the fundamental process. If it doesn’t get up to reflow temperature or only just reaches temperature and it’s not there for long enough, then we are not going to have proper reflow and you’ll be able to see this in the joint quality

Sometimes you’ll see particles, spheres of the solder sitting on the surface, not completely reflowed. You might see what I call warts and spots on solder joints, particularly BGAs. This is where the solder place hasn’t coalesced into a solder joint. Similar to the example BGA joint above. Fundamentally if you see a board where the solder paste has not reflowed, it may not just be temperature related. There are two other issues that can also occur. First of all, let’s talk about the temperature related issue. If you reflow a product and you have too long a period of time at the preheat stage or the temperature just below reflow prior to going into reflow. Long soak times you can actually exhaust the fluxing action sometimes called “Graping” and was often seen during the introduction of lead-free, on very small paste deposits for 0201 and 01005 chip components or where nitrogen or vapour phase was not used for reflow. Consequently, all the solder paste particles will not coalesce. They will not join together to create a homogeneous solder joint. I show a few examples above based on my experience with this defect. 

The other non-reflow example is where we have reflow temperature and another variable. One of the variables I see is where paste is mistakenly printed onto a circuit board directly after a wipe off or wash operation to remove paste. Solder paste print may not be satisfactory in terms of print quality or volume. Whenever you clean a printed circuit board, particularly if you use a solvent cleaner, you’ve got to make sure that that solvent has evaporated from the surface. The board should be held for a period never printed directly after cleaning. Some solder masks can absorb solvent during cleaning before second stage assembly or a print reject.  

So, what potentially happens? You print the board, you place the components, you put it through reflow. Evaporation of the solvent from the surface of the board deactivates or effects the successful reflow of the solder paste. You might see this on specific areas or it may be all over the board surface. 

Most commonly non-reflow, it’s just the temperature is wrong, but just think about that cleaning operation and that impact on the flux material. 

If you are running pin in paste, intrusive reflow, sometimes you can get perfect joints and they look good. But right on the tips of the pins, you can see some paste particles have not reflowed and you’re think that’s strange. Well, again, it’s that situation where the solder paste is sitting on the end of the pin as it goes through reflow. It will see elevated temperature for a longer period of time than the bulk of the paste volume in the hole. So in that situation, the preheat and soak temperature just below reflow is having an impact on the flux’s ability to allow the paste on the tip to reflow? 

Always take time to think through logically why a defect might occur and hopefully you can solve your process problems. My name’s Bob Willis with Defect of the Month hopefully you’ve enjoyed this series. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel and you can see many more defect solutions over the coming months

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