Managing the Ultimate Reflow Oven Process Output

A reflow oven is a very busy machine striving to control multiple variables while heating and cooling PCBs. The purpose of the oven, however, is very simple.

1. To create a specific PCB profile
2. To maintain a required throughput

PCB Profile Traceability

The RPI utilizes embedded sensors for heat and conveyor speed to automatically measure and display the following information:

• PCB profile
• Profile’s “fit” to the process window
• Continuously displayed production details
  • #PCBs produced
  • Product name and lot ID
  • Production date and time stamp
  • Oven name
• PCB process traceability
• SPC & Cpk charts
• Statistics of defects and process yields
• Pareto chart on out of spec occurrences

The RPI features include:

• Profile optimization software
• Barcode reading software
• Remote Process Monitoring software
• Alarm Relay
• Light Bar

Fail-Safe Operation

• There are numerous opportunities for mistakes and defects to occur in the reflow process. Human errors include loading the wrong oven program or loading the wrong PCBs. The RPI’s bar code capability prevents such mismatch.
• Another common defect occurs when the process drifts out of spec or out of control. The RPI will immediately alert the responsible personnel of such occurrences and can shut down the infeed conveyor if desirable.
• SPC charts will alert the engineer of upcoming trouble, typically when the reflow oven is still operating within spec.

Bottom Line

KIC’s Reflow Process Inspection System – RPI ensures a healthy profile for every board you build. Can you prove to your auditor the in-spec temperature profile for every board passing through the reflow process?

• Meet requirements for medical devices for ISO 13485
• Satisfy all of your auditor’s requirements for reliability and traceability
• Board-level traceability – reflow temperature profile data
• SPC – UCL/LCL, Cpk data and control charts in real-time