This year in Rosemont, Illinois, the SMTA will again be hosting the SMTA International Exhibition and Conference. In true SMTA style, attendees and exhibitors can expect a focused event with a strong technical conference for which SMTA International has come to be known, running alongside a well-attended exhibition, with plenty of inter-industry participation.

SMTAI has been recognized as a truly different type of industry event because of the high quality technical information and the networking opportunities that cannot be found anywhere else in the industry.

Here are a few key statistics from last year’s event:

• 1,300 registered attendees from 26 countries
• 130 technical papers presented in 60 sessions including a Poster Session.
• Session topics included Evolving Technologies, Lead-Free Soldering Technology, and Lead-Free for Harsh Environments.
• 176 exhibiting companies packed the show floor

The conference will run from the 28^th of September through to the 2^nd of October, and the Exhibition will run for three days of this, from the 30^th of September to the 1^st of October. The exhibition will have plenty of products and experts ready to discuss your needs live at the show floor. What follows is a preview of what some of the exhibitors are getting ready to show.

Kyzen to Exhibit Ultra Low VOC Stencil Cleaning Agent at SMTAI

Kyzen will exhibit in Booth #506 at SMTA International. Kyzen’s cleaning experts will showcase the AQUANOX^® A8830 Low VOC Aqueous Stencil Cleaning Agent.

AQUANOX^® A8830 is an ultra-low VOC, environmentally progressive formulation that is highly effective at removing all types of solder pastes (water soluble, rosin, and no-clean) from fine-pitch apertures. A8830 is a low odor cleaner that operates in open systems. The state-of-the-art environmental properties of A8830 make it an ideal option for areas where air emissions are highly regulated.

A8830 meets the tough challenges of cleaning no-clean, lead-free residue from small, 01005 apertures while being compatible with modern nano-coatings as well as with all the modern offline cleaning equipment currently used in the industry. Providing increased performance adds real value with better prints and modern, green technology that is better for the environment.

AQUANOX^® A8830 is available in one, five and 55 gallon containers.

Kyzen^® and AQUANOX^® are registered trademarks in the United States and other countries.

For more information, please visit www.kyzen.com.

MIRTEC TO DEMONSTRATE AWARD WINNING 2D/3D IN-LINE AND DESKTOP AOI SYSTEMS AT SMTAI

MIRTEC, “The Global Leader in Inspection Technology,” announces that it will exhibit in Booth #112 at SMTA International. Company representatives will showcase the award-winning MV-7 OMNI 2D/3D In-Line AOI Machine and MV-3L Desktop AOI system.

The MV-7 OMNI 2D/3D In-Line AOI Machineis configured with MIRTEC’s OMNI-VISION® 2D/3D inspection technology that combines an exclusive 15MP CoaXPress 2D ISIS Vision System with MIRTEC’s revolutionary Digital Multi-Frequency Quad Moiré 3D system to provide precision inspection of SMT devices on finished PCB assemblies.The MV-7 OMNI machine also features four (4) 10 Mega Pixel Side-View Cameras in addition to the 15 Mega Pixel Top-Down Camera.

Also on display, the MV-3L Desktop AOI system is one of the industry’s most widely accepted five camera desktop AOI systems. This system is configured with one Top-Down View 10 Mega Pixel camera with a Precision 13.4 Micron Telecentric Compound Lens and four (4) 10 Mega Pixel Side-View Cameras. It also features the Intelli-Beam Laser System. This advanced technology provides: four-point height measurement capability for co-planarity testing of BGA and CSP devices as well as enhanced solder paste measurement capability.

“MIRTEC has earned a solid reputation in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry by providing unprecedented performance, quality and cost-effectiveness to the inspection environment,” stated Brian D’Amico, president of MIRTEC’s North American Sales and Service Division. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to our booth during the two day event.”

For further information, please visit www.mirtec.com.

The Balver Zinn Group to Showcase the Latest Solder Paste Technology at SMTAI

The Balver Zinn Group will exhibit in Booth #115 at SMTA International. Balver Zinn and Cobar will display the company’s OT2 and WW50 solder paste along with the latest solder wire and flux technologies and services.

OT2 is Cobar’s latest halide and halogen free solder paste technology that is specially developed to meet continuously increasing customer requirements. The OT2 solder paste’s optimized rosin based chemistry offers the best printing and wetting properties in Pb-free. The solder paste is designed to achieve printing speeds up to 250 mm/s for the most demanding throughputs. The combination of solvents and activators used in this paste returns a large process window for the reflow process. High yields can be achieved with fast conveyor speeds and short cycle times.

Also at the show, the Balver Zinn Group will debut the new Cobar WW50 water soluble solder paste. The paste is compatible with the following alloys: Sn62, Sn63, SAC305 and SN100C, all with Type 3 powder. The rosinous halide-free nature of WW50 is unique, with paste rheology, solder-ability and water wash-ability conferred by carefully selected surface chemistry and activators. With the new WW50 branded paste, it is possible to print at speeds high enough to meet or exceed the throughput of any SMD line. Furthermore, the residues can be easily removed with de-ionized water.

For more information about the company’s complete range of solder materials, visit www.balverzinn.com or www.cobar.com

BTU to Highlight the Industry’s Best Performing Reflow Oven at SMTAI

BTU International, Inc will exhibit in booth #834 where they’ll be happy to discuss the industry-leading PYRAMAX^™ and award-winning DYNAMO^™.

BTU representatives will highlight the PYRAMAX convection reflow oven – the benchmark for performance in the industry. The PYRAMAX features a maximum temperature of 400°C and a comprehensive menu of options. PYRAMAX systems, featuring BTU’s exclusive closed-loop convection technology, provide optimized lead-free processing for the ultimate in productivity and efficiency.

With 8, 10, and 12 zone air or nitrogen models available, DYNAMO represents BTU’s commitment to quality and reliability. DYNAMO’s simplified configuration delivers 24/7, with high uptime and reduced cost of ownership.

Both products are backed by BTU’s worldwide network of service and applications professionals. For more information, meet with company representatives at SMTA International or visit www.btu.com.

World’s First SMT Assembler with Integrated Solder Paste Jet Printer at SMTAI

Essemtec, the Swiss manufacturer of production systems for electronic assembly and packaging, announces that it will highlight the Paraquda 2 with integrated solder paste jet printer in Booth #640 at SMTA International. Essemtec has merged its dispensing and pick-and-place know-how from the Scorpion and Paraquda machines into a single SMT production centre.

Paraquda combines two different production steps within one   platform (solder paste jetting and SMD assembly). The Paraquda meets all of the requirements of a modern, highly flexible production system: changeover without downtime, component management, and the integration of jet printing of solder paste or glue.

Jetting of solder paste instead of printing saves costs for stencils, eliminates printing errors and enhances production flexibility especially for lower to midsize volumes. Essemtec’s solder jet printer is fast (up to 80,000 dots/hr), very precise (51µm @3σ) and suitable for 0201 components. It opens the range of pastes to most common solder paste type 4, 5, 6 or 7. Essemtec’s solder paste jet valve can be installed on existing machines platforms, such as the Scorpion high-speed jet dispenser or the Paraquda component placer.  Production is fully automated, and solder paste application and component placement are seamlessly integrated while process monitoring ensures high-quality results.

For more information about Essemtec’s SMT production center, visit the company in booth #640 at the SMTA International or on the Web at www.essemtec.com.

KIC to Showcase Automatic Systems at SMTAI

KIC’s K² is the latest technology in thermal profiling

KIC today announced that it will showcase the affordable and easy-to-use ProBot automatic profiling system and K² new generation profile setter in Booth #439, where they will be co-located with Heller at the two-day exhibition.

The ProBot automatically measures the profile for each PCB and verifies whether each PCB is processed to specification in the reflow oven. The suspect PCBs are identified and may be isolated. One method to enhance the use of an X-ray system is to have these boards then be sent off to batch X-ray. Since the typical batch X-ray machine only inspects less than one percent of all assembled PCBs, the ProBot allows for a more effective sampling.

The ProBot also complements AOI inspection as these machines cannot see the solder joints hidden below BGA and PoP component bodies. The ProBot’s software will store the relevant solder paste and component temperature tolerances and check that each PCB was processed in accordance with these process windows.

The K² new generation profile setter is the latest technology in thermal profiling. The K² is available both as a standard “passive” profiler as well as an “active” profiler in one unit. The passive profiler measures and displays the myriad of time/temperature data for the profile on a PCB and displays it in an easily accessible manner. The standard Mobile Profile View App transmits the information wirelessly to a mobile device for the ultimate in viewing convenience and accessibility. Designed to be robust and compact, the K² will fit through the tight, heated chambers often found in lead-free production and is priced competitively for the mid-range market. The K² also is available with automatic prediction software that suggests the best oven recipe to position the profile deep inside the established process limits.

For more information, meet with company representatives at SMTA International or visit www.kicthermal.com.

Seika Machinery to Debut RD-500V All-In-One Rework Station at SMTAI

Seika Machinery, Inc. will debut the RD-500V Rework Station from DEN-ON INSTRUMENTS CO., LTD. in Booth #835. The all-in-one advanced technology SMT rework station is compatible with all kinds of rework and SMT component types, including 01005s.

The RD-500V features a two mega pixel full HD camera with a 19″ LCD display for easy visual alignment. It samples the data in very small intervals of 0.1 sec, allowing extremely accurate temperature control. The RD-500V is equipped with powerful built-in 1000W heaters on both the top- and bottom-side, and an area heater that includes six quick heating 600W IR heaters. Precise profiling including detailed temperature curves can be executed with the ability to closely control up to 30 zones.

The system supports industrial large-scale and small-scale circuit boards, including 01005 components. Additional features include two pressure sensors, contact-less cleaning, control of the Z-axis, reduced temperature difference in the fuselage and on-the-fly profile programming.

For more information about the RD-500V Rework Station, contact Michelle Ogihara at or visit www.seikausa.com.

Nordson YESTECH to Debut FX-940 AOI with 3D Capability at SMTAI

• Full inspection and traceability capabilities at today’s fastest line speeds

Nordson YESTECH, a subsidiary of Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq: NDSN) will debut the FX-940 AOI In-line PCB inspection system in Booth #606.

The new Nordson YESTECH FX-940 offers the latest multi-dimensional technology for the inspection of solder defects, lead defects / lifted leads, component presence and position, correct part / polarity, through-hole parts, and co-planarity of chips, BGAs and other heightsensitive devices. Offering advanced Fusion Lighting and a comprehensive set of inspection tools, including angled cameras, 3D height sensors, full color digital image processing, and both image- and rule-based algorithms, the FX-940 is unsurpassed in defect detection.

With Nordson YESTECH’s advanced “capture-on-the-fly” imaging technology, the system offers high-speed inspection at over 30 sq. inches per second or greater than 1.5 million components per hour. With one top-down viewing camera and four side-viewing cameras, the FX-940 provides full inspection and traceability capabilities at today’s fastest line speeds. Off-line programming maximizes machine utilization and real-time SPC monitoring provides a valuable yield management solution.

For more information about Nordson YESTECH, visit www.nordsonyestech.com.

SEHO’s SelectLine to Provide a PLUS in Flexible Soldering at SMTAI

SEHO Systems GmbH will showcase the new SEHO SelectLine selective soldering system in booth #339.The SEHO SelectLine product family features a PLUS in flexibility and efficiency, resulting in a remarkable increase in productivity.

The SelectLine machine concept is consistently modular, thus ensuring clear cost benefits. The fluxer module, various preheat modules and soldering modules may be equipped individually, and depending on the requirements, they can be configured into a complete manufacturing line. Even the smallest version, SelectLine-C, which is designed for stand-alone operation in the basic configuration, may be expanded with fluxer and preheat modules at any time to be used in inline processes.

The soldering area of the SelectLine scores highly thanks to its outstanding precision and flexibility. Two electro-magnetic soldering units for mini-wave processes may be integrated. Especially two new and unique features that are patented by SEHO ensure a remarkable increase in productivity.

Of course, the SEHO SelectLine features a complete hardware and software package for automatic process control. It monitors the fluxing process, including the actually applied amount, provides automatic position correction and z-height correction, controls the wave height, and ensures MES integration. A unique feature is the possibility to integrate an AOI system for solder joint inspection directly after the soldering process.

Additionally, SEHO will be part of the Power and High Temperature Electronics Manufacturing Experience. SEHO invests consistently in research and development. Besides the continuous refinement of its range of soldering systems, SEHO’s activities are focused on future-oriented technologies, such as nano-technology or high temperature applications, often in cooperation with international research committees and industry partners. SMTA International 2014 will host the first feature area in the exhibit hall dedicated to Power Electronics and High Temperature.

For further information about SEHO, please visit www.seho.de

Event Presentations:

As we’ve now highlighted a few of the exhibits we thought were noteworthy, (please remember, this is only a fraction of what’s on show) we’ll now move on and take a quick look at some of the presentations that are planned for the event.

FCT Assembly’s Development Chemist to Present during SMTAI Poster Sessions

FCT Assembly announces that Development Chemist, Brittney Nolan, will present during the Poster Sessions at SMTA International. The presentation, entitled “The Impacts of the Environment on the Printability of Solder Paste,” will take place Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 from 12-2 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall.

Solder paste is used in a variety of applications across the globe. The performance of solder paste is crucial in the SMT process; therefore knowing how the environment affects the printing of paste is extremely valuable. It can be challenging for print operators to regulate the variability of working environments. The different environment variables that need to be regulated are temperature, humidity and type of solder paste.

This study explores the performance of no-clean and water soluble pastes in environmental conditions such as elevated temperatures, decreased temperatures, and high and low relative humidity. The data gathered throughout this study consists of printed volume measurements with aperture sizes ranging from 0.35 – 0.80 area ratio. Tack force and slump was measured for each test condition.

During the completion of her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at ACU & Baylor University, Nolan conducted research in organometallic chemistry. While working on building a polar carbon nanotube in use for studying catalytic processes, she successfully published three papers throughout her research in the Journal of Cluster Science as well as the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry.

For more information about FCT Assembly, visit www.fctassembly.com.

CyberOptics’ Director of Engineering to Present Advances in Production Inspection at SMTAI

CyberOptics Corporation (Nasdaq: CYBE) announces that Brendan Hinnenkamp, Director of Engineering, will present the paper titled “Inspection Strategies for More Accurate, Faster and Smarter Inspection”. The presentation will be held during Session PRC2, titled ”Advances in Production Inspection Methods,” and will take place Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 from 4-5:3 p.m. in Room 51 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.Hinnenkamp will discuss the importance of true volume measurement, print process optimization and near-to-zero setup time with advanced modeling techniques.

The presentation will dwell upon accuracy of volume measurement in SPI and its correlation with solder paste defects; automatically optimizing the print process by proactively analyzing trends and how advanced modeling techniques enable quick setup and minimal tuning.

Hinnenkamp is the Director of Engineering and OEM Accounts at CyberOptics Corp. He has been with CyberOptics for more than 22 years, in roles ranging from engineering to sales and marketing to operations management. Hinnenkamp has extensive experience in the SMT process, from the perspective of building boards to support CyberOptics’ engineering products to building machines that build the SMT circuit boards (CyberOptics OEM sensor business). In his current role, he is responsible for product realization of sensors for the OEM, systems, and semiconductor businesses.

For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.cyberoptics.com.

Fred Dimock to Present Solder Reflow Fundamentals Tutorial at SMTAI

BTU International, Inc., a leading supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for the electronics manufacturing and alternative energy markets, today announced that Fred Dimock will present a tutorial during SMTA International. The tutorial entitled “Solder Reflow Fundamentals” is scheduled to take place Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Room.

This class will focus on the fundamentals of solder reflow and reflow oven operation. It is designed for new SMT engineers/technicians or current ones who want a better understanding of the reflow process. Dimock will discuss recipes vs. profiles, heat transfer and oven control, why profiles are shaped the way they are and how to obtain profiles. Additional topics of discussion will include thermocouple accuracy and mounting, profilers, test vehicles, eutectic vs. lead-free process windows and process repeatability.

Dimock is the Manager of Process Technology at BTU International in Massachusetts. He holds an Associate Degree in Mechanical Design from Wentworth in Boston and a Bachelor’s Degree in Ceramic Engineering from the State University of New York at Alfred (SUNY). His extensive experience in thermal processing includes positions at Corning, General Electric, and Osram-Sylvania before joining BTU.

Information about BTU International is available at www.btu.com.

Keith Sweatman Co-Authors Paper for SMTAI Technical Sessions

Nihon Superior Co. Ltd., a supplier of advanced soldering materials to the global market, announces that Keith Sweatman will present the paper titled ”Enhancing the Impact Properties of Tin-Copper and Tin-Copper-Nickel Lead-Free Solders with Trace Additions of Zinc, Indium and Gold”. The presentation will be held during Session MFX6, titled ”Alternate Alloys,” and will take place Wednesday, October 1, 2014 from 2-3 p.m. in Room 49.The paper was written in cooperation with Takatoshi Nishimura, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd. and Dekui Mu, University of Queensland.

Lead-free solders based on the tin-copper-nickel system are now well established in the electronics manufacturing industry as a cost-effective alternative to tin-silver-copper alloys where their particular combination of properties provides an advantage. While their compliance and stable intermetallic ensure that they have good resistance to impact loading, increasing demands for even better performance are prompting the investigation of ways in which their mechanical properties can be further enhanced. This paper reports the preliminary results of a study into the effect of trace additions of zinc, indium and gold to tin-copper and tin-copper-nickel eutectic alloys on the microstructure and the resistance to shear impact at speeds of up to 4m/sec.

Sweatman is a graduate in metallurgical engineering who has been involved in the solder industry and soldering technology for more than 40 years. He has been an active participant in several HDPUG and iNEMI consortia projects relating to lead-free solder performance and reliability and is a regular speaker at IPC and SMTA conferences. In connection with the establishment at University of Queensland, Australia of the Nihon Superior Centre for the Manufacture of Electronic Materials, he has been appointed Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Department of Mechanical and Mining Engineering.

Viscom’s Business Development Manager Will Present 3D SPI Findings at SMTAI

Viscom announced today that its Business Development Manager, Jacques L’Heureux, will present the paper titled “Highly Accurate 3D Solder Paste Inspection Comparing Nano Coated Stencils with Non-Coated Results”. The presentation will be held during Session PRC2, titled ”Advances in Production Inspection Methods,” and will take place Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 from 4-5:30 p.m. in Room 51. The paper was co-authored by Carsten Salewski, Viscom’s President.

Manufacturing the latest electronic designs requires printing ever smaller deposits of solder paste. Once a critical stencil aperture aspect ratio is reached, other means of improving transfer efficiency (TE) must be investigated. A design of experiments was performed to show the effect of stencil nano-coatings on paste volumes and underscreen cleaning intervals. The key to making this type of study possible is having access to a very accurate and repeatable 3D SPI system. Improvements to the TE and longer underscreen cleaning intervals were realized with the nano-coated stencil. Process monitoring tools including 3D SPI make it possible for new technologies, like nano-coatings and solder paste improvements, to be easily and accurately analyzed and validated.

L’Heureux worked for 25 years in the automotive electronics industry before joining Viscom in January as its Business Development Manager for the Americas. His experience spans SMT process development, manufacturing engineering and global project management for inspection technologies. His current responsibilities include sales and global key account management for computer, consumer & communications, OEM and EMS.

For more information, visit www.viscom.com.

ElectronicWorld Publishing:

Of course, representatives will also be attending the show from ElectronicWorld Publishing. We will be showcasing our digital magazine “Electronics Industry Update”, along with both of our production websites electronicsproductionworld.com and www.emsnow.com. We look forward to seeing you at this spectacular International Event.