Surface-mount range suits small-batch work

A Tony Chapman Electronics product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Oct 7, 2003

The Essemtec range of prototype and small batch surface mount electronic production equipment is ideal for the population of surface mount PCBs.

The Essemtec range of prototype and small batch surface mount electronic production equipment is ideal for the population of surface mount PCBs.

The complete line consists of a screen/stencil printer, pick and place system and a reflow oven.

The screen/stencil printer is used for the accurate deposit of solder paste onto the pads of the PCB by using a squeegee and normally a metal stencil.

The thickness and diameter of openings within the stencil dictates the amount of solder paste to be applied to each pad.

Using a stencil printer users will apply the correct amount of paste every time - something not possible with hand soldering.

The pasted PCB is then moved to a pick and place system which enables the operator to select the desired component and place it onto the correct pasted pads of the PCB.

One of the many advantages with using a P and P system is that the component is not touched by hand or tweezers and therefore is static safe.

The last item in the production line is the batch oven reflow, within which the now populated PCB runs through a reflow cycle where all the solder paste melts and forms strong soldered joints between the PCB and components.

Using a reflow oven will provide much better results than soldering by hand, as the PCB and the components are all brought up to reflow temperature together: this removes hot spots and thermal stress from the PCB.