In a message dated 02/24/2000 8:26:28 AM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Board size is approx. 2.3" x 2.4"

 panel is 20-up   size is approx. 13" x 9.5"

 Production says it doesn't matter what size the panel is, they cannot place
0402
 on .031" material. Help!

 Material if FR4 double sided

 Tenison >>

Hi Tenison,

That is kind of a big panel...but still, the comment that a 0402 can't be
placed on 031" material just isn't true! if that were the case, there
wouldn't be the number of cell phones, PCMCIA modems, or digital camera's
that are out in the world today.

Sounds to me like there's something else going on. I'm really not that
familiar with a Multitroniks 6000, but when I went to their web page, they
boast that their current machines can place 0201's...I don't know how old a
6000 is, but I'm guessing that it can handle 0402's...that is unless there is
something wrong with the machine. Which brings up a point, has any of your
production people called Multitroniks? I'd bet if you were to call them and
tell them that your people are telling you the machine can't place 0402's on
.031" thick PCB's, you might hear from the "horses mouth" so to speak, that
your people are wrong.

A pallet or fixture maybe required as pointed out earlier. One place to check
out is:
http://www.spprecision.com/ they make some pretty good fixtures.

One last question, have you actually gone down and watched the machine run?
Or is someone just telling you it can't be done...in a situation like this, I
would like to see for myself just what was going on.

When I worked for Zevatech while exhibiting at NEPCON West 98, I was down on
the TAC line building a double-sided .020" thick PCMCIA card (it was in a
2-up panel) that had a bunch of 0402's (along with a micro-BGA, a standard
BGA and other stuff) in a flip-line without a fixture or pallet...it CAN be
done! It really wasn't that difficult either. Just have to make sure the
machines are set-up right. We only had 4-days to uncrate all the machines,
set them up and get them all talking to each other (there were 7-different
manufacturers of equipment in the line), and dial it all in before the
exhibit halls opened up for everybody...

-Steve Gregory-

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