Product category:
Sensors and Data Acquisition
News Release from: Sensor Products | Subject: Pressurex
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 25 October 2007
Pressure film boosts capacitor
reliability
Pressurex tactile surface pressure-indicating film is used to ensure manufacturing tolerances for capacitors produced by SB Electronics.
As an innovator of film capacitor technology, SB Electronics designs and manufactures products that are on the cutting edge of today's demanding electronics applications To maintain continuous improvement of its manufacturing processes, David Bryan, Manufacturing Engineering Manager for SB Electronics, recently specified Pressurex, a tactile surface pressure-indicating film from Sensor Products
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 22 Jun 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Analysis of contact uniformity in PCB assemblies and verifying planarity or flatness between semiconductor wafers and bonding heads was, until recently, a largely inaccurate and unscientific process.
Tactile force-indicating sensor film
Pressurex from Sensor Products is a tactile force-indicating sensor film that comes in the form of a large thin sheet.
Many of SB Electronics' radial lead products are designed to take up the minimum amount of space on printed circuit boards.
This is often done by flattening the round capacitor profile in a pressing operation between aluminium plates.
A higher than expected yield hit led the quality department to contact engineering to troubleshoot and improve the process.
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Sensor Products Inc has developed Pressurex Pressure Points tactile force indicating films.
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The Tactilus electronic pressure mapping sensor system is an ideal aid for designers of fuel cells.
"After histograms indicated that some of our tighter tolerance parts (+/-1% capacitance) were going out of spec, and making some initial dimensional measurements, I needed to visually determine the tactile surface pressure", says Bryan.
Bryan inserted the film which he had ordered in Super Low pressure range of 5-25kg/cm2) between the press plates during a product run and saw the uneven distribution of pressure between the capacitors.
As a result, he could prove the press plates weren't flat and were causing uneven pressure distribution.
Bryan continues to use standard tools such as gauges and callipers, but is asking that Pressurex be included as an on-going ISO quality control protocol.
In the past, he had used the film to evaluate bolted flange designs for custom fittings in vacuum systems.
The film has many uses on a multilayer printed circuit board assembly, including analysing contact uniformity, verifying flatness (planarity) between semiconductor wafers, and revealing problems such as overloading of connector contacts, standoffs and component solder joints.
It is ideal for dozens of industrial applications, such as assessing surface contact inconsistencies in clamps, connectors, heatsinks and heat sealing elements.
Pressurex is available in seven different ranges that measure pressure from 0.14 to 3000kg/cm2) It allows for rapid and easy determination of compression magnitude and distribution.
When placed between two contacting or mating surfaces, it instantly and permanently changes different shades of red, with the colour change directly proportional to the actual pressure applied.
Precise pressure magnitude is easily determined by comparing the resultant colour intensity to a colour correlation chart (conceptually similar to interpreting litmus paper).
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