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The purpose of this paper is to present challenges met during package-on-package (PoP) technology implementation in real surface-mount technology assembly processes.

The properties and behavior of different combinations of soldering materials, PoP components and soldering profiles were investigated, both in the laboratory and during production trials. The purpose of such an approach was identification of existing problems and challenges in lead-free PoP systems assembly as well as checking which soldering material designed to PoP is more suitable for this technology.

Technological trials are needed to select adequate soldering materials for PoP systems assembly, as laboratory tests of materials alone were not sufficient. The challenges of PoP technology were associated with the equipment utilized, the soldering materials, operational parameters and the soldering profile used for assembly. The localization of defects in PoP systems is very difficult and, in many cases, destructive methods have to be used on solder joints for the assessment and confirmation of failures.

This paper shows main materials and soldering challenges in lead-free PoP technology. In particular, the problem related with selection of soldering materials and soldering profiles for PoP was presented. Moreover, the issues that have to be taken into consideration during the planning of a PoP system assembly procedure are presented.

The purpose of this paper is to present a three-dimensional finite volume-based analysis on the effects of propeller blades on fountain flow in a wave soldering process and performs an experimental validation.

Solder pot models with various numbers of propeller blades were developed and meshed by using hybrid elements and simulated by using the FLUENT fluid flow solver. The characteristics of the fountain, such as flow profile, velocity vector, filling time, and fountain advancement, were investigated. Molten solder (Sn63Pb37) material, a temperature of 250°C, and a propeller speed of 830 rpm were applied in the simulation. The predicted results were validated by the experimental fountain profile.

The use of a six-blade propeller in a solder pot increased the fountain thickness profile and reduced the filling time. Moreover, a six-blade propeller design resulted in a stable fountain profile and was considered the best choice for current wave soldering processes.

This study provides a better understanding of the effects of propeller blades on the fountain flow in the wave soldering process.

The study explores the fountain flow behavior and provides a reference to the engineers and designers in order to improve the fountain flow of the wave soldering.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of solder powders sizes applied in soldering materials used for Package-on-Package (PoP) system manufacture as well as other factors on reliability and mechanical strength of created solder joints in three-dimensional (3D) PoP structures.

The design of experiments based on the Genichi Taguchi method were used in the investigation. The main factors covered different printed circuit board (PCB) coatings, soldering materials with solder powders sizes from Types 3 to 7 and soldering profiles. The reliability of 3D PoP structures was determined by measurements of resistance of daisy-chain solder joints systems during thermal shocks (TS) cycles. The mechanical strength of solder joints in 3D PoP structures was determined by measurements of a shear force of “Top” layer of 3D structures at T0 and after 1,500 TS. The ANOVA was used for results assessment.

The size of solder powders applied in soldering materials had small (10 per cent) influence on mechanical strength of solder joints in 3D PoP structures. Small size of solder powder had positive effect on solder joints reliability in 3D PoP structures. Especially important was the selection of solder paste for “Bottom” layer of 3D PoP system (influence 17 per cent). Incorrect soldering profile (influence 46 per cent) or wrong selected PCB coating (influence 35 per cent) can very easily reduce the positive impact of soldering materials on solder joints reliability. It was stated that as low as possible soldering profile and organic solderability preservative (OSP) coating in the case of single-sided PCB are the best for 3D PoP structures due to their reliability.

This paper explains how different sizes of solder powders used nowadays in solder pastes influence on reliability and mechanical strength of the solder joints in 3D PoP structures. The contribution, in numerical values, of soldering materials, soldering profile and PCB coating on 3D PoP structures solder joints reliability as well as recommendations improving reliability of 3D PoP structures solder joints were presented.

This paper aims to offer a convenient method to develop an oven recipe for a specific soldering profile in a reflow process. The method is devised to quickly achieve proper profile shape and heating factor Q_η, a measure of success for high reliability of the solder joints reflowed.

An in‐depth analysis of the heating mechanism and some experiments of the reflow soldering process are performed to research on how to realize a specific shape reflow profile were conducted.

Heating mechanism analysis and experiments demonstrate that the combinatorial parameters based method is feasible to do thermal profiling.

The mapping function among a particular configured PCBA, an oven used, a target reflow profile and an optimal range of the heating factor should be further established for fast and reliable production of reflow soldering.

Provides a methodology for designing an oven recipe for reflow soldering production.

An oven recipe can be quickly attained with the approach established in this paper, facilitating the formation of solder joints with high reliability during the reflow soldering process.

This paper aims to present a new method of real-time monitoring of thermal profiles applied in vapour phase soldering (VPS) reflow processes. The thermal profile setting is a significant variable that affects the quality of joints. The method allows rapid achievement of a required thermal profile based on software control that brings new efficiency to the reflow process and enhanced joint quality, especially for power electronics.

A real-time monitoring system based on computerized heat control was realized in a newly developed laboratory VPS chamber using a proportional integral derivation controller within the soldering process. The principle lies in the strictly accurate monitoring of the real defined reflow profile as a reference.

Very accurate maintenance of the required reflow profile temperature was achieved with high accuracy (± 2°C). The new method of monitoring and control of the reflow real-time profiling was verified at various maximal reflow temperatures (230°C, 240°C and 260°C). The method is feasible for reflowing three-dimensional (3D) power modules that use various types of solders. The real-time monitoring system based on computerised heat control helped to achieve various heights of vapour zone.

The paper describes construction of a newly developed laboratory-scale VPS chamber, including novel real-time profiling of the reflow process based on intelligent continuously measured temperatures at various horizontal positions. Real-time profiling in the laboratory VPS chamber allowed reflow soldering on 3D power modules (of greater dimensions) by applying various flux-less solder materials.

This study aims to focus on the surface mount technology (SMT) mass production process of Sn-9Zn-2.5Bi-1.5In solder. It explores it with some components that will provide theoretical support for the industrial SMT application of Sn-Zn solder.

This study evaluates the properties of solder pastes and selects a more appropriate reflow parameter by comparing the microstructure of solder joints with different reflow soldering profile parameters. The aim is to provide an economical and reliable process for SMT production in the industry.

Solder paste wettability and solder ball testing in a nitrogen environment with an oxygen content of 3,000 ppm meet the requirements of industrial production. The printing performance of the solder paste is good and can achieve a printing rate of 100–160 mm/s. When soldering with a traditional stepped reflow soldering profile, air bubbles are generated on the surface of the solder joint, and there are many voids and defects in the solder joint. A linear reflow soldering profile reduces the residence time below the melting point of the solder paste (approximately 110 s). This reduces the time the zinc is oxidized, reducing solder joint defects. The joint strength of tin-zinc joints soldered with the optimized reflow parameters is close to that of Sn-58Bi and SAC305, with high joint strength.

This study attempts to industrialize the application of Sn-Zn solder and solves the problem that Sn-Zn solder paste is prone to be oxidized in the application and obtains the SMT process parameters suitable for Sn-9Zn-2.5Bi-1.5In solder.

Several effects of the atmosphere in the soldering oven on both the soldering process itself and the soldering results are discussed. Experiments have been undertaken to compare the results of soldering in air and in nitrogen containing 10,100 and 1000 ppm oxygen, in which, e.g., discolouration, wettability, solderability after reflow, solder bridging and solder‐ball formation were investigated. Unmounted FR‐4 testboards with both an RMA solder paste of known high quality and a low‐residue paste were used. Mounted test boards were used to analyse the self‐alignment of components and to compare the levels of soldering defects obtained in air and in nitrogen. The test results show that a nitrogen atmosphere containing 1000 ppm of oxygen or less is sufficiently pure to realise improved soldering conditions for most types of components. For the low‐residue paste tested, 1000 ppm is too high, but 100 ppm is sufficiently low. All effects on the soldering process will depend on the amount of oxygen in the gas. To produce an oven atmosphere of nitrogen with a very low amount of O2 (e.g., <100 ppm) is rather expensive, if this oven is to work under production conditions. Will the extra cost of investment and gas consumption be worthwhile in view of a better production yield and higher product quality? The authors explain why they do not believe this to be the case.

The purpose of the present study was to review the thermo-mechanical challenges of reflowed lead-free solder joints in surface mount components (SMCs). The topics of the review include challenges in modelling of the reflow soldering process, optimization and the future challenges in the reflow soldering process. Besides, the numerical approach of lead-free solder reliability is also discussed.

Lead-free reflow soldering is one of the most significant processes in the development of surface mount technology, especially toward the miniaturization of the advanced SMCs package. The challenges lead to more complex thermal responses when the PCB assembly passes through the reflow oven. The virtual modelling tools facilitate the modelling and simulation of the lead-free reflow process, which provide more data and clear visualization on the particular process.

With the growing trend of computer power and software capability, the multidisciplinary simulation, such as the temperature and thermal stress of lead-free SMCs, under the influenced of a specific process atmosphere can be provided. A simulation modelling technique for the thermal response and flow field prediction of a reflow process is cost-effective and has greatly helped the engineer to eliminate guesswork. Besides, simulated-based optimization methods of the reflow process have gained popularity because of them being economical and have reduced time-consumption, and these provide more information compared to the experimental hardware. The advantages and disadvantages of the simulation modelling in the reflow soldering process are also briefly discussed.

This literature review provides the engineers and researchers with a profound understanding of the thermo-mechanical challenges of reflowed lead-free solder joints in SMCs and the challenges of simulation modelling in the reflow process.

The unique challenges in solder joint reliability, and direction of future research in reflow process were identified to clarify the solutions to solve lead-free reliability issues in the electronics manufacturing industry.

The purpose of the paper is to focus on the research into components with specific thermal properties and their influences on the reflow soldering process.

After a brief introduction, the paper gives an overview of the necessity of thermal management on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the possible effects on the manufacturing of electronic devices. In the next sections, different test boards are presented for investigations into different thermal effects during soldering. The last section deals with the influences of molded interconnected devices (MIDs) on the reflow soldering process.

The investigations show that components from the thermal management influence the reflow soldering process more or less. The highest impacts on the soldering process are from components with a thermal connection to the electrical component and its solder joint. All results from the investigations have in common that the thermal influence can only be compensated by increasing the temperature during soldering. However, this significantly increases the risk of overheating the electrical components or the PCB itself.

This paper shows only the influence of some of the effects caused by thermal management on the reflow soldering process. Furthermore, vapour phase soldering is not considered, but actual investigations are carried out on vapour phase soldering ovens as well.

Thermal management becomes more and more important with the increasing functionality of electrical components and electronic devices. This topic has been the subject of a large number of articles. However, this paper deals with influences that thermal management has on the soldering process during the manufacturing of the electronic device.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of offset angle in wave soldering by using thermal fluid structure interaction modeling with experimental validation.

The authors used a thermal coupling approach that adopted mesh-based parallel code coupling interface between finite volume-and finite element-based software (ABAQUS). A 3D single pin-through-hole (PTH) connector with five offset angles (0 to 20°) on a printed circuit board (PCB) was built and meshed by using computational fluid dynamics preprocessing software called GAMBIT. An implicit volume of fluid technique with a second-order upwind scheme was also applied to track the flow front of solder material (Sn63Pb37) when passing through the solder pot during wave soldering. The structural solver and ABAQUS analyzed the temperature distribution, displacement and von Mises stress of the PTH connector. The predicted results were validated by the experimental solder profile.

The simulation revealed that the PTH offset angle had a significant effect on the filling of molten solder through the PCB. The 0° angle yielded the best filling profile, filling time, lowest displacement and thermal stress. The simulation result was similar to the experimental result.

This study provides a better understanding of the process control in wave soldering for PCB assembly.

This study provides fundamental guidelines and references for the thermal coupling method to address reliability issues during wave soldering. It also enhances understanding of capillary flow and PTH joint issues to achieve high reliability in PCB assembly industries.