Solder Powder: 6 Particle Size Rules for Fine Pitch Solder powder is the metal fraction of a solder paste, and its size distribution is described by a type number that runs from type 3 down to type 7. The finer the powder, the smaller the aperture it can fill, and…

Hot Air Rework: 6 Nozzle and Preheat Rules Hot air rework is the standard way to remove and replace a surface mount part after the board has been built, and it is also the easiest way to damage the parts beside it. The tool heats a small area with forced…

Foreign Object Debris: 6 FOD Controls for PCB Assembly Lines Foreign object debris is any loose material on a board that should not be there, and it is one of the few assembly defects that can pass every electrical test and still fail in the field. A fragment of cover…

PCB Cycle Time Review: What Buyers and Engineers Should Check Electronics manufacturing has become a discipline of small details. Solder paste volumes, placement accuracy, temperature profiles and inspection limits all add up to the final result. This guide looks at PCB cycle time review from the perspective of a PCBA…

PCB Cycle Time Plan: Design and Assembly Considerations Modern electronics depend on boards that are assembled correctly the first time. Every product – a phone, a charger, a medical instrument or an industrial controller – relies on thousands of solder joints that must conduct current for years. This article explains…

Solder Mask Curing: Key Checks Before Release Solder mask curing is the sequence of tack dry, UV exposure and thermal bake that turns a printed liquid film into a hard, chemically resistant coating. Shorten a stage and the mask can pass a visual check while still being soft and under-reacted,…

PCB Cycle Time Data: A Practical Review for Manufacturing Teams Modern electronics depend on boards that are assembled correctly the first time. Every product – a phone, a charger, a medical instrument or an industrial controller – relies on thousands of solder joints that must conduct current for years. This…

Plating Throw: Key Checks Before Release Plating throw is the ratio of copper thickness at the centre of a hole to the thickness deposited on the surface of the same panel. A bath with good throw builds a hole wall that is nearly as thick as the surface copper, while…

Bad Mark: Key Checks Before Release A bad mark is a signal that tells the placement machine a unit inside the panel has already failed and must be left empty. The mark is applied after the electrical test or the inspection step that found the fault, and it travels with…

PCB Cycle Time Limits: Key Process and Quality Checks Modern electronics depend on boards that are assembled correctly the first time. Every product – a phone, a charger, a medical instrument or an industrial controller – relies on thousands of solder joints that must conduct current for years. This article…