One of the most critical aspects of manufacturing high-reliability circuit assemblies is thermal profiling during the reflow process.
Whether you're designing, engineering, or troubleshooting circuit assemblies, understanding how temperatures during the reflow process influences the quality and performance of your assemblies is essential.
In this episode, we’ll break down what thermal profiling is, why it’s important, and how it affects everything from solder joint integrity to component placement.
We’ll also explore the challenges and solutions involved in getting your thermal profile just right, ensuring your circuit assemblies are built to last in a competitive and demanding industry. And we review thermal profiling best practices, common mistakes, and the various capabilities of thermal profilers.
Mike Konrad's guest is Mark Waterman. Waterman is the Electronics division manager at ECD, a manufacturer of thermal profiling equipment founded in 1964. He began his career at ECD in 2006.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Understanding Thermal Profiling in Circuit Assemblies
00:05:19 Evolution of a Manufacturing Business
00:08:00 Understanding Thermal Profiling in Electronics Soldering
00:10:36 Strategies for Circuit Assembly Insulation
00:13:10 Challenges in Sourcing Obsolete Electronic Components
00:15:48 Challenges in Heat Dissipation for 5G and 6G Electronics
00:18:54 Choosing the Right Thermocouple: K Type vs. Others
00:21:35 Challenges with High-Temperature Materials
00:24:04 Determining Thermal Couples for Optimal Measurement
00:26:39 Innovations in Profiling Equipment Technology
00:29:24 Innovations in Display Screens and Risk Mitigation
00:31:55 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Data Loggers
00:34:31 Importance of Calibration Intervals in Industry
00:37:02 The Role of Data Logging in Thermal Profiling
00:39:30 Optimizing Reflow Oven Settings with Predictive Software
00:42:18 Easy Button vs. Detailed Work: Software Development Insights
00:45:20 Common Mistakes in Using Thermal Profilers
00:47:37 Optimizing Thermocouple Measurements in Electronics
00:50:08 Understanding Thermal Barriers and Heat Management
00:52:22 Understanding Thermal Dissipation Challenges
00:54:59 The Importance of Third-Party Auditors in Manufacturing
00:57:32 Insights on Thermal Profiling and Bespoke Solutions
00:59:54 Podcast Contact and Closing Remarks