Abstract: A substrate that is not lying flat on its substrate tray can present significant process problems when a vacuum pickup attempts to pick up the substrate and fails due to the lack of a proper bond forming between the pickup and the substrate. The substrate left behind on the substrate tray could require human intervention. Intervention slows down the manufacturing process and increases costs. A method and apparatus to ensure that substrates are lying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad is disclosed. A plate with protrusions is raised into a substrate tray with holes. The protrusions lift the substrates up off the bottom of the substrate tray and ensure that they are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad.

Abstract: A substrate 110 that is not lying flat on its substrate tray 100 can present significant process problems when a vacuum pickup attempts to pick up the substrate and fails due to the lack of a proper bond forming between the pickup and the substrate 110. The substrate 110 left behind on the substrate tray 100 could require human intervention. Intervention slows down the manufacturing process and increases costs. A method and apparatus to ensure that substrates are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220 is disclosed. A plate 320 with protrusions 320 is raised into a substrate tray 100 with holes. The protrusions 320 lift the substrates 110 up off the bottom of the substrate tray 100 and ensure that they are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220.

Abstract: A substrate 110 that is not lying flat on its substrate tray 100 can present significant process problems when a vacuum pickup attempts to pick up the substrate and fails due to the lack of a proper bond forming between the pickup and the substrate 110. The substrate 110 left behind on the substrate tray 100 could require human intervention. Intervention slows down the manufacturing process and increases costs. A method and apparatus to ensure that substrates are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220 is disclosed. A plate 310 with protrusions 320 is raised into a substrate tray 100 with holes. The protrusions 320 lift the substrates 110 up off the bottom of the substrate tray 100 and ensure that they are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220.

Abstract: A substrate 110 that is not lying flat on its substrate tray 100 can present significant process problems when a vacuum pickup attempts to pick up the substrate and fails due to the lack of a proper bond forming between the pickup and the substrate 110. The substrate 110 left behind on the substrate tray 100 could require human intervention. Intervention slows down the manufacturing process and increases costs. A method and apparatus to ensure that substrates are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220 is disclosed. A plate 320 with protrusions 320 is raised into a substrate tray 100 with holes. The protrusions 320 lift the substrates 110 up off the bottom of the substrate tray 100 and ensure that they are laying flat when presented to the vacuum pickup pad 220.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for removing solder ball connections from electrical circuits are disclosed. The apparatus and methods comprise a solder ball removing tool 20 having a multiplicity of raised ribs 22 defining a contact surface 24 and made up of heat conductive material having a melting point above the melting point of solder. There is also included a heating source 30 for heating at least a portion of the multiplicity of raised ribs 22 to a temperature sufficient to melt the solder and yet below the melting temperature of the conductive material. The tool 20 is preferably supported or constructed such that the contact surface is tilted so that the melted solder will run down the raised ribs into a collecting pan 46.