Automatic Reflow Profiling and Data Analytics

With the advent of i4.0 and Smart Factory, there has been a great deal of technology put into SMT lines that are manufacturing the very technologies we use today.  Data analytics has become paramount and anyone that is collecting the correct data will have proper process control to support SPC, Cpk, and Ppk data to suffice customer requirements. There has also been a great deal of focus on the front end and the backend data for the SMT process.  We are concerned about the printing process for precise volumetric printing to the point where Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) equipment has almost become a standard on the surface mount line.  We have even put a great deal of technology into the back end of the process with (AOI and X-Ray) to look at every solder joint and void the board may have.  This paper will talk about the reflow oven and how automatic profiling has also become a necessary tool for data analytics and troubleshooting as well as taking the guess work out of oven profiling.  An automatic profiling system (reflow process inspection) will automatically collect the thermal data at the board level for precise process control and allow traceability for every board that has been through reflow with the actual Thermal Profile, SPC, and Cpk stored for every board.