Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for placing solder balls on electronic pads on a component or substrate, such as for a ball grid array (BGA) applicator. The BGA applicator utilizes a foil(s) that is treated to provide color to the surface; the color is used to assist in inspection of the solder spheres. The solder balls can transferred to the electronic pads by holding them to openings in the foil by applying a holding force such as a vacuum applied to the solder balls through the openings in a foil. Optionally, a second material can be placed against the foil where the secondary material holds solder spheres to the apertures. After locating the solder balls to the electronic pads of a component or substrate, the solder balls are released and placed on the electronic pads by removing the holding force such as by deactivating the vacuum.

Abstract: A method for fluxless brazing of unclad aluminum includes forming first and second components to be joined of unclad aluminum; etching selected surface areas of the components; depositing an elemental metal on the selected surface areas; abutting the first and second components along the etched surfaces forming a junction; applying an aluminum filler about the junction; and heating the components and filler and bonding the components and filler.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for assembling solder balls in a selected one of several different patterns for delivery to connector pads on an integrated circuit package, or other receiver, includes a universal template containing holes at locations in an aggregate pattern of all hole locations for the several different patterns, and includes a subtemplate for each individual different pattern that contains posts at locations for insertion from the rear of the template into holes therein at locations where no surface recess is desired. The universal template may remain aligned with an assembly jig or holder of packages while only the subtemplate is changed to change the surface pattern of holes into which solder balls may then be distributed.

Abstract: A substantially rectangle shaped frame for holding a flat-shaped electrode unit 7 is fixed to a rear panel 2 at four intermediate parts of the frame and is elastically held by a resilient retaining member 55a- - - 55d and 56a- - - -56d at four corners of the frame. Thereby, an engagement between the rear panel 2 and the flat-shaped electrode unit 7 via the frame is stably retained regardless of difference in degrees of deformations thereamong.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for attaching a demountable flexible module to a circuit board, and includes the following steps: providing a circuit board having at least one, preferably a plurality, of gold plated metal balls disposed thereon; providing a flexible module having at least one, preferably a plurality, of gold plated vias disposed therein; positioning an elastomer stop over the circuit board; positioning the flexible module over the balls; applying pressure to the flexible module for a time sufficient to form a line contact between the gold plating on the vias and the gold plating on the metal ball of the circuit board, wherein the module is removable without heating the module. The process does not use solder to attach the module to the board, and requires substantially less than 2000 psi, and preferably less than 400 psi, to attach the module which produces little, if any, deformation to the flexible module.

Abstract: A wire-bonding machine includes a heat block for supporting a lead frame during wire-bonding. A clamp mechanism in the machine clamps leads of the lead frame during wire-bonding by fixedly holding sets of the leads against the heat block one set at a time. A wire-bonding tool wire-bonds leads clamped by the clamp mechanism to bond pads on an integrated circuit die. By clamping leads of the lead frame in separate sets, the machine provides improved clamping for lead frames with leads requiring clamping in different planes.

Abstract: A continuous hot rolling method including the steps of: cutting the tail portion of a preceding material in a steel product and the front portion of a succeeding material in the steel product to form butt faces; previously determining the thickness of scale created on the butt faces to determine the proportion of the weight of the scale; calculating the amount of oxygen dissolved in a weld molten zone, determining a deoxidation capacity of a deoxidizer for deoxidizing the above amount of oxygen; allowing the butt faces to abut against each other to form a butt area; applying a laser beam to the butt area to form a weld molten zone; incorporating the deoxidizer having the above deoxidation capacity into the weld molten zone; and hot rolling the molten joined steel product.

Abstract: A capillary for use in wire bonding has a wire feed bore extending from a top end of the capillary toward a capillary tip. A cavity in the capillary tip is adjacent to and contiguous with a chamfer in the wire feed bore. The cavity defines cavity walls and a recessed tip surface. The cavity can be substantially cylindrical. The recessed tip surface can be tapered relative to a horizontal axis. The portion of the capillary tip outside of the cavity defines a wedge surface which is used for wedge bonding. The cavity allows for precision small ball bonds which are strong and which have an even bonding surface distribution. The cavity molds the ball bond into a shape substantially similar to the shape of the cavity. Although there is some flash of wire metal out from the cavity, the flash is minimized and the ball bond diameter is held to a minimum by the molding effects of the cavity. The size of the ball bond is dependent only on the size of the free air ball.

Abstract: A soldering member includes an elongated heating element for soldering a series of connectors. The elongated heating element of the soldering member is flexibly supported via a rigid base for adjusting the orientation of the heating element to align with a series of connectors rigidly supported for soldering. A method of using the soldering member is also described.

Abstract: A flux formulation without a surfactant is available for use in the assembly of electronic circuit boards as a no-clean formulation. The formulation includes a flux solution having a fluxing agent consisting essentially of one or more weak organic acids and a solvent consisting essentially of water. The flux solution serves to transport the fluxing agent before deposition thereof upon a soldering site for reliability improvement engendered by a lack of hygroscopic residue and for avoidance of environmental degradation engendered by a lack of volatile organic chemicals (VOC's). The method includes the steps of heating the flux solution and dispersing it as a fine spray.

Abstract: A machine and method for bonding puncture-type conductive contact members of an interconnect to the bond pads of a bare semiconductor die includes the use of one or two ultrasonic vibrators mounted to vibrate one or both of the die and interconnect. A short axial linear burst of ultrasonic energy enables the contact members to pierce hard oxide layers on the surfaces of the bond pads at a much lower compressive force and rapidly achieve full penetration depth.

Abstract: A multiple circuit board package employing solder balls and method and apparatus for fabricating same is described. Two or more printed circuit boards and a plurality of electronic devices are joined together using solder balls. Alternatively, three or more printed circuit boards are joined together using the solder balls. A novel and improved solder ball connection is disclosed, along with a fixture for aligning and fixing the disposition of the pads and the solder balls during a heating cycle in which the circuit boards are placed under pressure while the solder balls are re-flowed for making an electrical connection.

Abstract: A robotic welder designed to efficiently weld a workpiece together which includes a three-sided structure to support a plurality of workpiece components, and an index and rotating mechanism designed to move the work support surfaces into a desired position. The welding system is designed to minimize idle time of the welding operations and to increase the efficiencies of the operators during the operation of the welding system.

Abstract: A vertical pipe column assembly procedure involves the simultaneous welding and ultrasonic testing activity by using a plurality of welders progressing peripherally around a joint with the ultrasonic testing work similarly progressing peripherally around the joint between the welders. The temperature rise from welding activity is reduced by only partially completing the weld at a selected joint, then lowering the joint by the usual process of lowering or driving it downward one section length and completing the weld deposit at a lower work station. At the lower work station, ultrasonic testing again proceeds simultaneously between the peripherally progressing welders. An optional step used to improve joint strength, usable at selected joints needing the most strength, involves the application of an axial pull on the section above the finish welding activity. This axial pull places an axial stress in the partially completed weld.

Abstract: A method for preparing and assembling a planar reinforcement for a concrete element according to a pre-determined design plan, wherein a full-sized plan including the position and type of each element in the reinforcent to be achieved is mapped onto a working surface (30) having two reference directions, a suitable reinforcement element is positioned in each of a plurality of crossing points. The method is characterised in that one or both of the mapping and assembling operations are performed by a tool attached to the carriage of a robot (10), said carriage (10) having at least two degrees of freedom parallel to the reference directions. The method further comprises storing all the design plan data in a storage area of the robot, and using the robot to move the carriage (10) automatically in accordance with said data.

Abstract: A method of making a golf club head by brazing certain ceramic materials to certain metals utilizes certain brazing alloys so as to provide upon cooling a compressively loaded component of said golf club head.

Abstract: A low temperature method of sharpening the emission tip of a field emission display includes the step of oxidizing the silicon substrate and the emission tip in an atmosphere of oxygen and ozone at temperatures below 800.degree. C. The oxidation step forms an oxide layer on the emission tip without significant flow of oxide or silicon during oxidation. The oxide layer is subsequently etched to expose the emission tip.

Abstract: A soldering iron tip includes a removable Invar shield covering a copper core plated with other metals. In one embodiment, the core is plated with iron and, outside a working section of the tip, with nickel and chrome. In another embodiment, the core is plated with chrome.

Abstract: A method and system for introducing flux onto at least one surface of a solder pump achieve their objects as follows. A solder pump nozzle is submerged into a flux reservoir. In response to such submersion, the flux in the reservoir is actively introduced into the solder pump nozzle. In one embodiment, the active introduction is achieved by creating a negative pressure in a solder pump nozzle such that flux fills a vacated volume. The created negative pressure is produced by moving a solder column, contained within the solder pump nozzle, under the influence of an applied electric current and an applied magnetic field.

Abstract: A method has been formed for direct solder "bumping" of wafers, chips and interconnection pads or traces on hard to solder surfaces such as aluminum and indium tin oxide. It has been discovered that conventional solders modified by the addition of a light reactive metal can be jetted in the form of microdroplets onto a hard to solder substrate and that the modified droplets will wet and bond to the surface of the hard to solder substrate. This makes it possible for the first time to create solder bumps on bare uncoated hard to solder substrates such as aluminum and indium tin oxide without the need for first applying a different surface which conventional solder will wet.