Dear TechNetters,
While attending the last APEX show, I was surprised to find vapor phase
soldering equipment essentially non-existent.  At least the high end,
conveyorized machines were not to be found.  The equipment being peddled for
no-lead SMT soldering is pretty much 'improved' convection reflow stuff.
With our convection reflow oven we have to run about 40 C. above melt point
to reliably solder our more difficult high layer count boards with large
BGA's (about 30% of our business).  If we built these with 'no-lead'
processing (which may be required soon) I  expect the boards would be
approaching 250 C.,  which our organic boards and parts would not tolerate.
It seems to me, in-line vapor phase soldering with a smooth transition into
the vapor chamber, would offer many advantages.  If we could find a thermal
liquid with a boiling point of 225 or 230 C., we may be able to solder
'no-lead' pastes with only a 10 or 15 C. delta and not worry about melting
down parts.  Also we would be in an easily controlled inert atmosphere to
reduce oxidation.
Am I missing something in this analysis that is obvious to everyone else?
Help?  Where have all the vapor phase machines gone?
Jim Kittel
L-3 Communications

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