NPL defect of the month
13 October 2010
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
October’s featured NPL defect covers cracking of the conformal coating as shown in the acoompanying figure, which was found after the circuit board assembly was returned from the field for investigation. This printed board assembly was in a medical application produced in a tin/lead assembly process in medium volume.
Some form of contamination under the mask had led to cracking on the coating. There was no evidence of corrosion or electrical failure on the sample board assembly. Large amounts of no-clean flux have been seen to cause lifting, not corrosion on boards. This is probably due to expansion and contraction of the material during thermal cycling. This movement of the material can lead to cracking of some brittle masks.
It would be necessary to review the board cleanliness and the coating compatibility with the intended application. Temperature cycling is probably the cause for the cracking but something under the mask must have caused it to expand and contract. If a mask is cracked it cannot provide suitable protection to the surface of the board. If a no-clean flux was the root cause the volume of material left on the surface of the board during assembly would need to be reviewed.
Dataweek’s latest featured NPL defect video, which covers the topic of ‘toe fillets’ encountered with QFP gullwing terminations, is available at www.dataweek.co.za/video.
Further reading:
Smart RFID labelling
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Brady’s ‘RFID Labels/Smart Labelling’ offering positions itself as a turnkey way to attach a digitally-enabled identity to physical assets.
Read more...
Generative AOI programming
MyKay Tronics
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Mycronic’s PCB Assembly Solution division has announced the launch of GenI, an industry first solution designed to liberate electronics manufacturers from the complexities of traditional Automated Optical Inspection programming.
Read more...
AI-based visual inspection system
ZETECH ONE
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
As industries embrace the era of smart automation, Siemens has introduced a groundbreaking innovation – the Inspekto AI-based visual inspection system.
Read more...
Transparent rigid PCBs launched on PCBWay
PCBWay
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
[Sponsored] PCBWay is thrilled to announce a highly anticipated new service - transparent rigid PCBs – a combination of technology and aesthetics.
Read more...
20 years of precision, progress and purpose – the Jemstech journey
Jemstech
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Twenty years ago, Jemstech began as a small, determined venture built on technical excellence and trust. Today, it stands among South Africa’s leading electronic manufacturing service providers.
Read more...
An argument to redefine IPC class definitions for class 1, 2, & 3 electronics
MyKay Tronics
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
One of the most critical aspects of electronic assembly reliability is cleanliness. Contaminants left on a circuit board after the reflow process can lead to failures through mechanisms such as electrochemical migration or corrosion.
Read more...
Large platform stencil printer
Techmet
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
GKG’s large platform stencil printer, the P-Primo, is designed to meet customer’s ultra-large printing requirements by supporting board dimensions up to 850 x 610 mm.
Read more...
Press-fit component inspection
MyKay Tronics
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
In electronics manufacturing, optical inspection of press-fit components is crucial to ensure the quality, reliability, and performance of the final assembled product.
Read more...
A new era in wire bond inspection
Techmet
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Viscom is developing a 3D wire bond inspection system that incorporates substantially improved sensors, a high image resolution, and fast image data processing.
Read more...
High-speed, high-resolution material deposition system
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
ioTech recently unveiled the io600 inline digital laser material deposition system at productronica 2025.
Read more...
printer friendly version