STANDARDS
IPC-1782: The New Dawn of Electronics Traceability
Traceability is thought of as expensive, complex, unreliable, incomplete, a threat to business and different for everyone. Can a new standard for electronics overcome those hurdles?
by Michael Ford
COVER STORY
Was RoHS Worth It?
The EU’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances reached its ten-year anniversary in 2016, but not everyone was celebrating. A decade after the controversial mandate to ban lead went into effect, the R&D experts and administrators on the front line of the switch reflect on what was learned.
by Mike Buetow
EMS
Driven to Success
Even with autonomous vehicles in its sights and 21 straight profitable quarters behind it, Kimball Electronics is on anything but cruise control. How a one-time organ maker from America’s heartland became the Circuits Assembly EMS Company of the Year.
by Mike Buetow
TRANSITIONS
In Memoriam
Remembering those who left us in 2016.
CAVEAT LECTOR
What the Mentor deal could portend for EDA.
Mike Buetow
ROI
A verified waste of time.
Peter Bigelow
EMS
Jabil Steps Up
Move over Nike: A new plant in a new market has one of the world’s top ODM/EMS companies walking on air over its prospects.
by Mike Buetow
PROCESS CONTROL
How Stencil Design and Reflow Profiles Affect Variation in QFN Voiding Data: A Case Study
A review of several cases where changing the stencil design or reflow profile dialed in the variation of comparative results. Observed were the effects with both high-voiding and low-voiding pastes.
by Brook Sandy-Smith
Extending the Life of Printed Circuit Boards
Printed circuit boards don't last forever – even the most expensive ones. But plenty of steps can be taken to delay the need for repairs.
by ACS Industrial Services
CAVEAT LECTOR
Plugging the leaks.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Cybersecurity is all fogged up.
Peter Bigelow
COATINGS
Conformal Coating Challenges:Detection, Rework and Failure Analysis, Part II
Understanding coating chemistry dictates the removal strategy. Here, the authors investigate the challenges of conformal coating removal and a design of experiments to enable rework and failure analysis. Special cases where conventional detection of the conformal coating fails are also addressed.
by Priyanka Dobriyal, Suriyakala Ramalingam, Shu Lee Lim and Anil Kurella
PCBA CLEANING
Field Performance of pH Neutral Cleaning Agents, Part II
The second of a two-part series presenting three case studies on material compatibility and field cleaning performance of alternatives to alkaline cleaning agents. Each user had a different paste/flux vehicle and material compatibility constraints.Yet, based on the results, pH neutral cleaning agents can meet stringent cleaning requirements.
by Umut Tosun, Jigar Patel, Kalyan Nukala and Fernando Gazcon
CAVEAT LECTOR
Driven to excess?
Mike Buetow
ROI
Business planning.
Peter Bigelow
PCBA CLEANING
Field Performance of pH neutral Cleaning Agents
Since their introduction, pH neutral formulations have proven to be capable not only of removing these difficult post-reflow residues from complex board geometries, but do so without affecting material compatibility of sensitive components and at low concentration levels. Part one of a series on material compatibility and field cleaning performance of alternatives to alkaline cleaning agents.
by Umut Tosun, Jigar Patel, Kalyan Nukala and Fernando Gazcon
IPC Material Declarations: Sufficient for Automotive Electronics?
IMDS and IPC-1752A are different tools for reporting materials data, created by separate industries for different purposes. Suppliers of automotive electronics are obligated to use both, but should they?
by Derrik Snider
AUTOMATION
ROI of a Soldering Robot
When it comes to soldering, can a four-axis robot beat an experienced operator? An OEM takes on the question.
by Gary Goldberg
CAVEAT LECTOR
Breaking the (m)old.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Trying harder.
Peter Bigelow
PCBA CLEANING
Field Performance of pH neutral Cleaning Agents
Since their introduction, pH neutral formulations have proven to be capable not only of removing these difficult post-reflow residues from complex board geometries, but do so without affecting material compatibility of sensitive components and at low concentration levels. Part one of a series on material compatibility and field cleaning performance of alternatives to alkaline cleaning agents.
by Umut Tosun, Jigar Patel, Kalyan Nukala and Fernando Gazcon
AUTOMATION
ROI of a Soldering Robot
When it comes to soldering, can a four-axis robot beat an experienced operator? An OEM takes on the question.
by Gary Goldberg
Where Productivity Meets Profitability
Buyers’ and sellers’ insights on how variables like cycle time, uptime and quality affect profit, return on investment and manufacturing capacity.
by Jeff Mogensen
IPC Material Declarations: Sufficient for Automotive Electronics?
IMDS and IPC-1752A are different tools for reporting materials data, created by separate industries for different purposes. Suppliers of automotive electronics are obligated to use both, but should they?
by Derrik Snider
CAVEAT LECTOR
Seller beware.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Printing money.
Peter Bigelow
SURFACE FINISHES
Extreme Long-Term Printed Circuit Board Surface Finish Solderability Assessment
Could the surface finishes of a group of test specimens, found some 20 years after their fabrication, hold up to today’s testing measures? And what impact does finish thickness have on future solderability?
by Gerard O’Brien and Dave Hillman
CONSORTIA
iNEMI Roadmap Gets Industry Aligned
Industry leaders are fast at work on the iNEMI 2017 Roadmap, the biennial tome that serves as an answer to the ongoing question of what’s next for manufacturing technology. And while other industry efforts to chart the future are losing steam, iNEMI’s are still going strong.
by Mike Buetow
INSPECTION
Using Cross-Sectioning for PCB Assembly Qualification
Cross-sectioning, while destructive, can be beneficial to printed circuit board assembly qualification as a means to understand process capability and identify potential design and manufacturing concerns. But you have to know where to cut.
by Scott Mazur
CAVEAT LECTOR
Ungoverned.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Working with the next generation.
Peter Bigelow