In a message dated 1/29/99 12:01:03 PM Pacific Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<< Hey, we loved solder balls at my former employer.  That was a normal and
positive part of process routine.  If we saw no solder balls, there*s
something wrong and questioned every operators; *who and which one deviated
from our normal process routine?* We collected tons of solder balls from our
in-line cleaner and dumped them in solder pots.  Sizzling and death smell of
water and balls were fun to watch.  Surely tons of those balls escaped thru.
the sewer.  I catch them at my next life. >>

Haw Matt! What a hoot!...an' you say I'M the storyteller! Funny ain't it? I'll
bet there's a lot of people out there that look at solderballs as only a
negative thing...betcha' ya'll didn't know that solderballs do have some
positive aspects to them too. Fact is, I'll bet there's a bunch of companies
out there that use solderballs as a means of scheduling preventative
maintenance on their inline cleaners. I know I've worked at companies that
did.

     That was the only way I could get the production managers at those places
to give me any time with the machines so I could clean the filters and
whatnot. Didn't make no difference to show them an ionograph printout that
read a measly 50µ gm/NaCl sq.in... that was just a piece of paper. "Whatchoo
talking about Steve? Lemme see that board. Hmmmm, looks clean to me. Keep
runnin', gotta ship dammit!" They needed something that they could SEE with
their own two eyeballs....

     After I finally learned the ropes, I saved some of the solderballs so
when it really came time to do my PM's, I would take a few and plant em' on a
board or two; "Look Boss, darn cleaner is messing up again...lookit all the
solderballs!"

     So the morale of the story is; "If it weren't for solderballs, poor
cleaners would never get taken care of."


-Steve Gregory-

P.S. Boy, for some reason my cheek is really sore now...maybe I shouldn't talk
with my tongue in there so much! (GRIN)

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