A profile identification system for surface mount printed circuit board assembly

Reflow soldering using InfraRed (IR) and/or convection is a popular method used to attach surface mount components to the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The quality of the solder joints produced by reflow soldering is a function of the temperature parameters set for the operation. Identifying the appropriate thermal profile for an IR radiation/convection oven for a specific PCB assembly is a complex problem in which several variables and control parameters need to be considered. The complete understanding of the interrelationships among the various domain parameters is required to obtain high yields for the processes requiring heating (reflow soldering and/or curing) in the PCB assembly process. A knowledge based approach was used to design and implement a profile identification decision support system for the surface mount PCB assembly domain. This system can help a process engineer determine the thermal profile for reflow soldering and/or for the curing of adhesive and/or conformal coats.