The first IPC standard that originated outside the US, IPC-7527 ‘Requirements for Solder Paste Printing,’ is also the first standard ever developed that focuses on the application of one of the industry’s most basic infrastructure elements – solder paste.
Recently released, IPC-7527 was the brainchild of Task Group Nordic (TGNordic), IPC’s volunteer standards development group in Scandinavia. The new standard will help companies assess and improve their solder paste printing processes, which could bring significant improvements in quality and reliability.
IPC-7527 covers the many aspects of solder paste application, from initial placement on the board through production and testing. To equipment operators, it serves as a reference guide with more than 50 photos packed into the 15-page standard.
“It [IPC-7527] provides the operators with a standard that will help them make the right decisions when they face issues in production, and no professionals or specialists are present,” says Steven Juel Hansen, co-chair of the IPC Solder Paste Printing Task Group and production engineer at Vestas Control Systems A/S, based in Hammel, Denmark.
While there are standards that detail what a completed assembly should look like, IPC-7527 is the first one to provide requirements for what the printed solder paste should look like and how far off centres can be before they are considered defects.
It covers everything from basic squeegees to jet dispensers and needle dispensers to closed print heads. In addition, the standard provides information on automated paste inspection using either cameras or lasers.
As Kris Roberson, IPC manager of assembly technology, explains, the standard also does a nice job of bringing out common problems, like solder that has rooftops or saddle shapes instead of a nice brick form, and it suggests solutions so those issues can be fixed.
For more information contact Nkoka Training, +27 (0)12 653 2629, [email protected], www.nkoka.co.za
| Tel: | +27 12 653 2629 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.nkoka.co.za |
| Articles: | More information and articles about NKOKA Training (IPC) |
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version