Courses address electronics manufacturing challenges.

Press Release Summary:



Held on September 24, 2009, the professional development program at IPC Midwest Conference and Exhibition will offer half-day courses lead by industry experts providing practical, real-world solutions to printed board manufacturing and electronics assembly challenges. Topics will cover stencil printing process; advanced component packages/processes; PCB assembly yield troubleshooting; LGA/QFN design, assembly, and rework; final finish compatibility; solder joint reliability; and more.



Original Press Release:



IPC Midwest Courses Present Case Studies and Practical Solutions to Electornics Manufacturing Challenges



BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, July 20, 2009 - Respected industry experts are coming to the Midwest to provide practical, real-world solutions to today's printed board manufacturing and electronics assembly challenges as part of the professional development program at IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition. Held on Thursday, September 24, half-day, in-depth courses will address some of the industry's most critical issues.

S. Manian Ramkumar, director of the Center for Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly at Rochester Institute of Technology, will present two courses. "Stencil Printing Process for Solder Paste Application," will provide a thorough understanding of the solder paste print process and its influence on yield with an in-depth look at stencils, solder paste, process parameters and characteristics, inspection, and defect identification. "Advanced Component Packages and Processes," will introduce SMT users to the classifications, construction and assembly process for advanced component packages, including BGAs, CSPs, flip chip, wafer level CSPs, COB, TAB and MCMs.

In "Troubleshooting Your PCB Assembly Yields," Bob Willis, owner of a training and consultancy firm based in England, will cover today's most common process problems and solutions. Coursework includes methods for investigating the root causes of failure related to the selection of PCB materials, surface finishes and soldering materials, etc. In his practical, how-to course, "LGA and QFN Design, Assembly and Rework Guide," Willis will review each step of the implementation process for LGA (land grid array) and QFN (quad flat no-lead) devices and present results of practice process trials.

As the industry continues the transition to lead-free, solderable finishes that protect bare copper prior to assembly are increasingly important. Michael Carano, a vice president at OMG Electronic Chemicals, will reveal what companies must do to be successful with lead-free finishes in "Final Finishes and their Compatibility with Lead-Free Assembly."

In "Fundamentals of Solder Joint Reliability," Werner Engelmaier, president of Engelmaier Associates, will explore the mechanisms underlying thermally induced solder joint fatigue, combined with the temperature-, time- and stress-dependent behavior of solder. Participants will practice using an acceleration model to extrapolate results from reliability tests.

With component packaging technology decreasing in size and increasing in interconnection density and functional performance, traditional six sigma process controls are insufficient to achieve a high yielding manufacturing process. In "DFM for Manufacturing," Dale Lee, DFX process engineer with Plexus Technology Group, will introduce design for matched process (DFMP), with examples of yield improvement through manufacturing tooling design, SMT and PTH assembly process matching and environmental controls.

Assessment of lead-free solder joint reliability requires the use of efficient accelerated thermal cycling profiles coupled with reasonably accurate acceleration factors (AFs) that allow for the extrapolation of failure times from test-to-field conditions. Using reliability test data and predictive models developed for standard SnAgCu (SAC305/396) assemblies, Dr. Jean-Paul Clech, president of EPSI, will review test procedures in "Accelerated Thermal Cycling and Acceleration Factors for Lead-Free Surface Mount Assemblies." He will also cover the basic ingredients and methodologies needed to develop AF or life prediction models for lead-free soldered assemblies.

For more information on the professional development courses or instructors at IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition, visit IPCMidwestShow.org/professional-development-courses. Course registrants can save up to $100 if they register before August 21, 2009. A free Exhibits Only Pass is available to pre-registrants. To register, visit www.IPCMidwestShow.org.

About IPC
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

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