The Ultimate Guide to Infrared Reflow
2023-12-05
As the social economy progresses, there's a trend toward miniaturization in electronic products, even extending to the inclusion of chip components in bathrooms. Traditional soldering methods no longer align with the evolving needs of electronic product development. Hence, numerous companies are actively researching reflow techniques that cater to the production demands of the new era.
In the welding process, initially, chip capacitors, chip inductors, surface-mount transistors, diodes, and similar components constituted the majority. However, as science and technology have advanced, accompanied by the introduction of various surface-mount components and mounting devices, reflow soldering technology has undergone significant enhancements. This has resulted in an expanded scope of application, now prevalent across virtually all domains within electronic product manufacturing.
This guide serves as your compass, navigating the intricacies of Infrared Reflow, ensuring your products are crafted with precision and efficiency that set new benchmarks in this ever-evolving industry.
In the welding process, initially, chip capacitors, chip inductors, surface-mount transistors, diodes, and similar components constituted the majority. However, as science and technology have advanced, accompanied by the introduction of various surface-mount components and mounting devices, reflow soldering technology has undergone significant enhancements. This has resulted in an expanded scope of application, now prevalent across virtually all domains within electronic product manufacturing.
This guide serves as your compass, navigating the intricacies of Infrared Reflow, ensuring your products are crafted with precision and efficiency that set new benchmarks in this ever-evolving industry.
What Is Infrared Reflow?
Infrared reflow is a soldering process used in electronics manufacturing to attach and secure components onto printed circuit boards (PCBs). This method relies on the use of infrared radiation to heat and melt the solder paste, creating a strong and reliable connection between the components and the PCB.
What Is the Purpose of Infrared Reflow?
The purpose of infrared (IR) reflow in electronics manufacturing is to facilitate the soldering process, enabling the secure attachment of components to printed circuit boards (PCBs). This method employs infrared radiation to heat the solder paste, creating a controlled environment that allows for the melting and subsequent solidification of the solder, forming strong and reliable connections between the components and the PCB.
The Working Principle and Characteristics of Infrared Reflow Soldering
The infrared reflow soldering oven, compared to a regular reflow soldering oven, incorporates hot air on the basis of an IR (Infrared) oven, resulting in a more uniform temperature within the furnace. This design enhancement makes it slightly superior to infrared heating alone. Typically, the upper temperature zone utilizes hot air heating, while the lower temperature zone employs infrared heating. This configuration maximizes the strong penetration capability of infrared radiation, ensuring high thermal efficiency and energy savings. It effectively addresses temperature differentials and shielding effects associated with infrared reflow soldering. Simultaneously, it compensates for the impact caused by the rapid gas flow requirements of hot air reflow soldering. As a result, the IR+Hot reflow soldering, combining both infrared and hot air heating, is currently the most widely used method internationally.
With the increase in assembly density and the emergence of fine-pitch assembly technologies, nitrogen protective reflow soldering ovens have also been introduced. Welding under nitrogen protection prevents oxidation, enhances solder wetting ability, accelerates wetting speed, exerts significant corrective force on unattached components, reduces solder beads, and is more suitable for a no-clean process.
These types of reflow soldering ovens are often conveyor-belt-based. The conveyor belt primarily serves to support and transport the PCBs. The heating is predominantly achieved through infrared radiation, and the furnace's temperature is more uniform than the previous method. The mesh size is larger, making it suitable for reflow soldering heating of double-sided assembled boards.
The working principle of infrared reflow is that approximately 80% of the thermal energy is emitted outward in the form of electromagnetic waves—infrared radiation. The temperature of the solder points increases when exposed to infrared radiation, thus completing the soldering process.
In an infrared reflow soldering oven, each temperature zone typically has upper and lower heaters, each of which is an excellent infrared radiator. The objects being soldered, such as PCB substrates, organic flux in solder paste, and the plastic bodies of components, all have the ability to absorb infrared radiation. Therefore, when these substances are subjected to the thermal radiation of the heaters, their molecules undergo intense vibration, rapidly heating up to the melting temperature of the solder paste. This results in the solder material wetting the soldering area, completing the soldering process.
The surface-mounted assembly (SMA) components for infrared reflow are placed on a mesh or chain conveyor belt. After passing through the preheating zone for temperature rise, the insulation zone for temperature uniformity, and the soldering zone for achieving the desired temperature, where the solder paste is fully melted and wets the surface of the soldering material, the cooling zone completes the final soldering process. This soldering method is also known as continuous reflow soldering. The preheating zone, insulation zone, soldering zone, and cooling zone constitute the four temperature zones of reflow soldering equipment.
With the increase in assembly density and the emergence of fine-pitch assembly technologies, nitrogen protective reflow soldering ovens have also been introduced. Welding under nitrogen protection prevents oxidation, enhances solder wetting ability, accelerates wetting speed, exerts significant corrective force on unattached components, reduces solder beads, and is more suitable for a no-clean process.
These types of reflow soldering ovens are often conveyor-belt-based. The conveyor belt primarily serves to support and transport the PCBs. The heating is predominantly achieved through infrared radiation, and the furnace's temperature is more uniform than the previous method. The mesh size is larger, making it suitable for reflow soldering heating of double-sided assembled boards.
The working principle of infrared reflow is that approximately 80% of the thermal energy is emitted outward in the form of electromagnetic waves—infrared radiation. The temperature of the solder points increases when exposed to infrared radiation, thus completing the soldering process.
In an infrared reflow soldering oven, each temperature zone typically has upper and lower heaters, each of which is an excellent infrared radiator. The objects being soldered, such as PCB substrates, organic flux in solder paste, and the plastic bodies of components, all have the ability to absorb infrared radiation. Therefore, when these substances are subjected to the thermal radiation of the heaters, their molecules undergo intense vibration, rapidly heating up to the melting temperature of the solder paste. This results in the solder material wetting the soldering area, completing the soldering process.
The surface-mounted assembly (SMA) components for infrared reflow are placed on a mesh or chain conveyor belt. After passing through the preheating zone for temperature rise, the insulation zone for temperature uniformity, and the soldering zone for achieving the desired temperature, where the solder paste is fully melted and wets the surface of the soldering material, the cooling zone completes the final soldering process. This soldering method is also known as continuous reflow soldering. The preheating zone, insulation zone, soldering zone, and cooling zone constitute the four temperature zones of reflow soldering equipment.
Benefits of Infrared Reflow
1.Precision Soldering:
IR reflow enables precise and localized heating, making it particularly suitable for soldering small and delicate components, such as Surface Mount Technology (SMT) devices. This precision ensures accurate soldering without damaging sensitive components.
2.Efficient Heating and Cooling:
Infrared radiation heats the entire assembly quickly and efficiently. The controlled heating and cooling cycles contribute to the rapid and reliable soldering of components, reducing the overall manufacturing time.
3.Lead-Free Soldering:
IR reflow is compatible with lead-free solder pastes, addressing environmental concerns and complying with regulations that restrict the use of lead in electronic products.
4.Versatility Across Components:
It is well-suited for a wide range of electronic components, including resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits, and other SMT devices. The versatility of IR reflow makes it an ideal choice for diverse electronic assemblies.
5.Uniform Temperature Distribution:
The reflow process involves preheating, soaking, and reflow stages, ensuring a uniform temperature distribution across the entire assembly. This minimizes thermal shock and contributes to the reliability of solder joints.
6.Reduced Solder Bridging and Defects:
The controlled heating and cooling cycles in IR reflow help mitigate common soldering issues such as solder bridging (unintended connections between adjacent solder joints) and other defects. This results in higher-quality solder connections.
7.Compatibility with Modern Electronics:
With the prevalence of SMT in modern electronics, IR reflow has become a key soldering method. It accommodates the smaller form factors and intricate designs of components commonly used in contemporary electronic devices.
8.Increased Production Throughput:
IR reflow contributes to efficient and streamlined production processes, allowing for increased throughput in electronics manufacturing. The rapid heating and cooling cycles contribute to overall production efficiency.
IR reflow enables precise and localized heating, making it particularly suitable for soldering small and delicate components, such as Surface Mount Technology (SMT) devices. This precision ensures accurate soldering without damaging sensitive components.
2.Efficient Heating and Cooling:
Infrared radiation heats the entire assembly quickly and efficiently. The controlled heating and cooling cycles contribute to the rapid and reliable soldering of components, reducing the overall manufacturing time.
3.Lead-Free Soldering:
IR reflow is compatible with lead-free solder pastes, addressing environmental concerns and complying with regulations that restrict the use of lead in electronic products.
4.Versatility Across Components:
It is well-suited for a wide range of electronic components, including resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits, and other SMT devices. The versatility of IR reflow makes it an ideal choice for diverse electronic assemblies.
5.Uniform Temperature Distribution:
The reflow process involves preheating, soaking, and reflow stages, ensuring a uniform temperature distribution across the entire assembly. This minimizes thermal shock and contributes to the reliability of solder joints.
6.Reduced Solder Bridging and Defects:
The controlled heating and cooling cycles in IR reflow help mitigate common soldering issues such as solder bridging (unintended connections between adjacent solder joints) and other defects. This results in higher-quality solder connections.
7.Compatibility with Modern Electronics:
With the prevalence of SMT in modern electronics, IR reflow has become a key soldering method. It accommodates the smaller form factors and intricate designs of components commonly used in contemporary electronic devices.
8.Increased Production Throughput:
IR reflow contributes to efficient and streamlined production processes, allowing for increased throughput in electronics manufacturing. The rapid heating and cooling cycles contribute to overall production efficiency.
Infrared Heating Reflow Oven Equipment
Chengliankaida Technology Co., Ltd specializes in developing vacuum soldering systems for semiconductor electronic device packaging and production lines for semiconductor electronic device packaging. Today, we will introduce a vacuum reflow oven - KD-V43.
Technical Parameters
| Name | Vacuum Reflow Oven |
| Model | KD-V43 |
| Welding size | 400*300mm |
| Gas | Nitrogen system |
| Oven size (LxWxH) | 1480*990*1300mm |
| Weight | 260kgs |
| Low vacuum | 1Pa |
| Height of Chamber | 90mm |
| Max Temperature | 450°C |
| Heating speed | Fastest can reach to 2°C /S ( Red copper heating platform) |
| Cooling speed | Fastest can reach to 2°C /S, Chamber with cooling water circulate |
| Lateral temperature difference | ±5℃ |
| Drawer loader weight | 20KG |
| Power | Max:21.5KW, Working power:8-10KW |
| Heating Platform | Special treatment red copper platform |
| Power standard | 380V, 50HZ/60HZ,3-phase five-wire,10 square copper wire |
| Current | 3 x40 A |
| Control way | Siemens PLC+IPC |
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