Abstract: A flux application device is disclosed that allows users to solder copper pipe together with just one hand, thus the flux application device combines a brush and flux into one unit. The flux application device comprises a nozzle, a reservoir which typically comprises flux and is in fluid communication with the nozzle, and a brush head for applying the flux. The reservoir is a flexible reservoir containing flux that is secured to the nozzle to deliver the flux to a user. The flexible reservoir can be a reusable reservoir that a user would manually fill with flux, or a pre-filled replacement tube of flux.

Abstract: A substrate manufacturing apparatus manufactures a ball-mounted substrate and has a ball mounting apparatus which includes a ball vacuum chucking apparatus including a vacuum chucking head that carries out a vacuum chucking process to chuck balls at edges of inlets formed in a vacuum chucking surface and which mounts the balls vacuum-chucked by the vacuum chucking head on a substrate, the ball vacuum chucking apparatus further including: a holding vessel that holds the balls; and a vacuum chucking/holding unit that vacuum chucks and holds the balls held in the holding vessel on a front end thereof, and carrying out a supplying process that brings the vacuum chucking/holding unit that holds the balls on the front end thereof and the vacuum chucking surface of the vacuum chucking head relatively close to supply the balls to the vacuum chucking head while air is being drawn through the inlets.

Abstract: A paste coater that can apply an amount of a solder paste to small-diameter bump electrodes at a narrow pitch is described. A paste coater includes: a transfer roller, supported by a sub frame; a roller drive mechanism for rotating the transfer roller; a paste storage unit for storing paste to be supplied to the surface of the transfer roller; a squeegee having a distal edge, parallel to the rotary shaft of the transfer roller, separated by a gap from the distal edge to the surface of the transfer roller; a squeegee holder for holding and including biasing means for pushing the squeegee in a first direction thereby widening the gap; and a gap adjustment mechanism with biasing means for pushing the squeegee in a second direction thereby narrowing the gap.

Abstract: A process for recovering a solder contaminant from a substrate surface with a wick structure comprising a plurality of heat conductive metal strands and a desoldering flux comprising a mixture of a first component of a partially polymerized rosin having a melting point of at least 98° C., a second component which is present in the desoldering flux formulation in an amount which is no more than the amount of the first component and comprises an ester of a polyhydric alcohol and benzoic acid, and a third component, which is present in an amount which is less than the amount of the second component, and comprises an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. The solder contaminant is contacted with the wick structure in the presence of the desoldering flux and the wick structure and the solder contaminant are heated to melt the solder contaminant to cause the melted solder to flow into the wick structure in contact with the heat conductive metal strands.

Abstract: A tooling frame with an ability to adhere to tin is disclosed, which is a frame structure used to support a circuit board passing through a stannic furnace to be soldered. The tooling frame is characterized in that a tin adhesive apparatus having a tin adhesive material is mounted at an appropriate location of the tooling frame so as to suck surplus tin on said circuit board both after the circuit board is transported through the stannic furnace for tin filling and during tin shedding and to improve quality of soldering.

Abstract: The solder paste printing method of the present invention mounts a solder paste containing therein as a solder material a Sn—Zn system solder on a mask, and urges the solder paste to make rolling over the mask from one end thereof toward the opposite thereof by means of a squeegee to thereby fill the solder paste into apertures formed in the mask. At this time, by maintaining moisture contained in the atmosphere surrounding the solder paste at a value equal to or less than a predetermined value, as the solder paste is suppressed from causing an increase in the viscosity thereof due to the reaction with the moisture in the surrounding atmosphere during the solder paste printing process, the rolling ability of the solder paste during the printing process can be kept, and attachment of the solder paste to the squeegee can be prevented.

Abstract: A method and a device for placing a multitude of shaped parts of solder material (20) on a bond pad arrangement (29) of a substrate (23), said bond pad arrangement comprising a multitude of bond pads (28), and for subsequent re-melting of the shaped parts of solder material on the bond pads (28), with arrangement of a template device (21) comprising a multitude of template apertures (27) for accommodating shaped parts of solder material (20) opposite a substrate (23) comprising a bond pad arrangement (29), such that the shaped parts of solder material are associated with the individual bond pads (28); and application of laser energy to the shaped parts of solder material (20) accommodated in the template apertures (27) using a laser device (39) arranged at the rear of the template device (21) such that said laser energy is applied to the shaped parts of solder material through the template device.

Abstract: A circuit board manufacturing system has a paste source, a circuit board processing apparatus, and a controller. The circuit board processing apparatus includes a carrier configured to receive a circuit board having (i) a section of circuit board material and (ii) virgin metallic surface mount pads supported by the section of circuit board material. The circuit board processing apparatus further includes a paste distribution assembly coupled to the carrier and to the paste source. The paste distribution assembly is configured to dispose a paste from the paste source onto a surface of the circuit board. The carrier further includes a surfacing assembly coupled to the carrier. The surfacing assembly is configured to move the paste over the surface of the circuit board to remove a portion of each virgin metallic surface mount pad. The controller is configured to selectively start and stop operations of the paste distribution and surfacing assemblies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing solder paste on a printed wiring board has a stencil with a pattern of multiple apertures. The pattern aligns with a through-hole in the printed wiring board when the stencil is in physical contact with the printed wiring board. A squeegee arrangement applies solder paste through the multiple apertures in the stencil through the through-hole of the printed wiring board to the upper surface of the printed wiring board for securely mounting electronic components to the upper surface of the printed wiring board, for providing a thermal path for the heat sinks of the electronic components and for providing a low inductance electrical path to ground for the electrical components.

Abstract: An automatic soldering mechanism is for jetting a solder jet flow to a printed-circuit board to carry out a soldering of the printed-circuit board. The automatic soldering mechanism comprises a solder tank for storing a molten solder and a solder jetting nozzle section for jetting the solder jet flow higher than a melt surface of the molten solder within the solder tank in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: An automated method of applying flux to substrate on which a semiconductor chip is to be assembled in a flip chip configuration by applying a controlled amount of flux to the substrate by a brush that applies the flux to the substrate in a programmed pattern of strokes thereby overcoming the surface tension of the flux/substrate surface. The programmed pattern of brush strokes is determined empirically for the specific combination of substrate and chip that is being assembled and is thus repeatable and operator independent. The empirically determined program also determines the amount of flux that will be applied to the substrate for the specific combination of substrate and chip being assembled. The empirically determined program is applied to a mechanical stage that moves the brush and to a flux reservoir by a CPU.

Abstract: A transfer fluxing apparatus is provided. The apparatus is a flux reservoir for holding flux, a compliant pad attached to an opening in the flux reservoir and a means for controlling deposition of flux onto the compliant pad. The apparatus can be attached to an automated component placement machine. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the control means is a valve located within the flux reservoir. The valve is opened by applying pressure to a plunger that extends through the compliant pad. When the plunger is pressed, the valve opens, and flux falls onto the compliant pad. Flux then passes through the pad to a component placement site. A method for automated fluxing and to component placement also is provided.

Abstract: A heated apparatus, positioned in the X, Y, and Z directions, for forming fine lines of molten material on a substrate. The apparatus includes a pen having a refractory tip wetted with material in a molten state. The tip is attached to a V-shaped heater to form a heater assembly. The ends of the V-shaped heater are welded to the pins of a three lead TO-5 package base. The pen is then mounted on an apparatus adapted to direct writing. To that end, the pen is attached to a supporting device capable of moving in the X, Y, and Z directions. When the welding point of the tip/heater assembly reaches the melting point of the material to be deposited, it is dipped in a crucible containing the material in a molten state. The welding point nucleates a minute drop of the molten material, forming a reservoir. A thin film of material flows from the reservoir and wets the tip, which is then brought in contact with the substrate upon which the desired pattern is to be formed.

Abstract: A material (21) is transferred to an electronic component (32) using a transfer apparatus (10). The transfer apparatus (10) has pins (13) that pass through openings (19) in a cavity plate (16). The pins (13) and the openings (19) in the cavity plate (16) form cavities (20) that are filled with the material (21). The pins (13) are then extended from the cavity plate (16) to transfer the material (21) from the cavities (20) to the electronic component (32).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bonding components with a brazing material is described in which atmospheric plasma with active species is created by gas discharge generated in a gas capable of discharge at or about atmospheric pressure, and a portion of a component is exposed to the atmospheric plasma, thereby surface treating it. Prior to, simultaneously with, or following the surface treatment, bonding is accomplished with a brazing material. Surface treating the portion of the component allows using solder and, for example, a low-corrosive or no-rinse flux, or no flux, in an efficient bonding process. Furthermore, unwanted organic substances, for example, left over flux, may be removed by exposing the component to surface treatment, for example, after bonding is completed, or, if the component has residual undesirable organic substances, for example, left over from its manufacture, surface treatment may be performed prior to bonding.

Abstract: An applicator (300) provides a tool for depositing processing media (510), such as a tacky flux agent, on predetermined surface areas (715) of a circuit substrate (705). The applicator (300) has a portion formed from a flexible compressible material with a surface (302, 325) patterned to have projections (325) that correspond in location to the predetermined surface areas (715) of the circuit substrate (705). The applicator (300) is preferably formed by polymerizing resin material using an image that corresponds to the circuit substrate (410, 420, 430).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying flux to a series of metallization contacts or plated contact pad a substrate exposed by an apertured solder mask, employs a compressible transfer pad. A central flux pick-up area is formed on the transfer pad bottom surface. The bottom surface may be spherical and may include a cylindrical post onto which a predetermined amount of flux is transferred, such as by dipping the pick-up area into a reservoir of semi-liquid paste flux. The transfer pad is then positioned over and compressed on the solder mask such that the picked up flux on the flux pick-up area of the transfer pad is pressure forced by compression of the transfer pad through apertures in the solder mask directly and successively into all the series of depressions formed on the substrate until all the depressions are substantially filled with flux.

Abstract: A desoldering wick is made from an elongated strip of woven wire mesh slit from a sheet of woven fabric. The wire mesh is folded longitudinally for forming a ribbon having a width less than the width of the strip and having multiple thicknesses of wire mesh with a plurality of spaces between adjacent layers of mesh. The surface of the wire mesh is wettable by molten solder and may be coated with a solder flux for enhancing wetting. A variety of embodiments have folded woven fabric to make three or more thicknesses of wire mesh and are folded so that both slit edges of the strip are inside of the ribbon. Large area desoldering wicks are in the form a pad with a flat face and at least one edge folded approximately normal to the flat face. A ribbon desoldering wick is mounted in an insulating tube for faciltating holding the wick.

Abstract: A dispenser has a tube and a tip portion having a flat passage communicated with the tube and an elongated opening at a lower end thereof. The flat passage has a constant sectional area over the entire axial length thereof, so that the solder flows in the passage at a constant rate.

Abstract: A dispenser (100) for solder flux includes a first solder flux reservoir (110) with a dispensing tip (118) at one end thereof for dispensing solder flux (112) in response to a frictional pressure applied to the tip. A second solder flux reservoir (102) is also included having a dispensing channel (106) for dispensing solder flux (104) responsive to a pressure applied to the flux (104) within the second solder flux reservoir (102).

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically brazing the opposed ends of a capillary tube respectively to connecting parts of a bulb and a diaphragm unit and a method of making the apparatus are provided, the apparatus comprising a rotatable table and a plurality of work stations disposed in spaced apart relation about the table and each having an operating device, the table having a plurality of fixtures each being adapted to hold an assembly of the bulb and diaphragm unit in a fixed relation relative to each other with the capillary tube assembled to the connecting parts thereof, the table being adapted to index through the work stations so that the devices at the work stations can each perform its specific operation on the respective assembly disposed at that particular station during a predetermined dwell time in the movement of the table, the device of one of the stations comprising a movable arm for applying a flux to the assembly, the device of another of the stations comprising a movable arm for preheating each ass

Abstract: An automatic spot soldering machine incorporates apparatus for automatically sequencing through operations for forming soldered joints at a predetermined position. The sequence includes preforming a quantity of solder from a length of solder wire and positioning it on the joint, and lowering a soldering iron into position for a predetermined period of time. The solder wire is advanced and retracted by a reversible clutch incorporating a rotatable disk and a concentric clamping ring.

Abstract: A printed circuit board is fabricated by a series of steps which eliminate the necessity of post soldering cleaning of the printed circuit assembly. The board is fabricated by positioning components on the top surface and uniformly applying a hydrophobic flux to the conductor surface of the board. The board is then passed through the crest of a wave of solder at a controlled temperature and for a controlled time. The solder wave is a single wave with a bidirectional flow. The application of the hydrophobic flux according to the methods and the subsequent wave soldering of the board enables removal of the board directly from the solder flow, and storage of the board for future use.

Abstract: A desoldering wick formed of tin-coated copper strands braided together. The wick is coated with a flux solution which includes a coloring agent such as a dye. In use, the extent to which molten solder has traveled along the wick is visually indicated by a color demarcation line between the portion of the wick still having colored flux thereon and the portion of the wick from which the colored flux has been discharged. The latter portion can then be cut off and discarded.

Abstract: A metal wick to be used for the absorption of molten solder is deoxidized and flux coated by a process that does not involve the application of heat to the wick or the flux. In one embodiment the wick is cleaned by heating in a reducing atmosphere and is then immersed in a coating bath containing a solution of a rosin flux in an organic solvent. On leaving the bath the welted wick enters a low-pressure chamber in which the solvent rapidly evaporates at room temperature. In another embodiment the deoxidized wick is coated with comminuted solid resin by electro-static means.

Abstract: Apparatus for affixing surface enlarging, transversally corrugated metal strips to elongate metal basic profiles which are advanced in the direction of their longitudinal axes whilst simultaneously being joined by a joining compound to the wave crests on one side of the corrugated metal strips. The apparatus provides a furnace for heating the basic profile to a temperature which exceeds the melting point of the joining compound, a device for advancing the metal strip longitudinally externally of the path of the basic profile while applying the joining compound to the crests and solidifying a suitable portion of the compound at respective crests by conducting heat away from the compound through the strip to material.

Abstract: An apparatus for soldering a plurality of flat conductors on a board consisting of a head with a soldering element and of a mechanism for relative displacement of the board and head. The soldering element has a working surface unwetted by the solder wherein, according to the invention, there is incorporated an elongated portion wetted by the solder and disposed at an angle to the line of relative displacement of the board and head. Said portion serves to spread the solder over each lead while being moved at a constant rate from lead to lead in succession.