Which Reflow Oven Size Do You Need?

Using these numbers, you can visualize the flow of different products through your SMT factory when using different oven sizes. The oven selection process isn't meant to be overly simplified — this is just a starting point, and many other factors must be taken into account as well. A double-sided board may require two separate oven passes for production. A factory's capacity for reflow soldering will also be affected by offline processes and manual assembly operations. The largest oven in the world won't help you much if your SMT assembly speeds are very fast, but other processes limit the throughput. Changeover time between products is another factor to consider. When switching from one profile to another, how long does it take for the oven temperature to stabilize? Several factors need to be considered.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, most of our customers find that 5- to 6-zone ovens are more than sufficient to accommodate their needs, and are often quite surprised by this. In anticipation of increased throughput in the future, companies sometimes overspend on larger ovens. Those who fall into this category should keep in mind that smaller ovens use less energy, require less space, and often have a lower base price. This allows them to free up funds for options and accessories such as nitrogen blankets, water-cooled cooling, and/or thermal profiling. For greater flexibility in running multiple temperature profiles simultaneously, customers have even chosen to purchase multiple smaller ovens rather than a single large oven.

We can supply you with a larger, 8- or 10-zone, higher-capacity oven if you need it. You can use these quick calculations to get you in the ballpark. If you’re like most of our customers, we think a 5- or 6-zone oven will do just fine for you. Feel free to contact a HVT SMT assembly equipment expert if you have any questions after running through these calculations.