Machines

Production of Step Stencils with LPKF StencilLasers

April 2013

Exciting news from LPKF’s process engineers: StencilLasers can now produce high-precision steps in solder paste stencils, given suitable process control. The process will be presented at SMT 2013 in Nuremberg by the Garbsen, Germany-based specialists in laser-based micromachining and is described in detail on the company’s website.

A 110-µm step in a stainless steel foil of overall thickness 150 µm.

The trend toward miniaturization in electronics is placing ever greater demands on soldering processes, which have to produce reliable, conductive connections between the electronic components and the board. Use of a soldering iron to solder the tiny components has long been obsolete in industrial production. Now solder paste is applied to the board, the components are positioned on it, and the entire assembly is heated in a furnace.

Very demanding operations The solder paste is applied to the board via a printing process. A squeegee forces the solder paste through holes cut in a stainless steel stencil to coincide precisely with the soldering points. Critical to this process are suitable hole contours and exact positioning. The amount of solder paste required differs depending on the part. Small ICs with numerous connections have closely spaced contacts, making positioning and solder paste application much more demanding. Because too much paste nearly inevitably results in short circuits, stencils with reduced thickness in the regions where less solder paste is required are used. A stencil with a typical thickness of 120 µm has a thickness of around 100 µm in the IC regions, making it 20 µm finer.

All-operations-included These step downs were previously produced by etching or milling prior to laser cutting of the apertures. Stencil shops usually had to purchase prestructured stencils from external suppliers. Through a clever combination of process parameters, the LPKF StencilLasers can generate these steps during the cutting process. LPKF has published research on this topic on the company website at www.lpkf.com/stepdown-stencils/, which is available for free download.

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG Osteriede 7 D-30827 Garbsen www.lpkf.de Tel. +49 (0) 5131 7095-0 Fax +49 (0) 5131 7095-90

Machines

Robotised finishing center

August 2014

Well known for its multifunctional machining centers (rotary transfer machines), Precitrame Machines SA is also a historical provider of high performance polishing machines. The company has just presented a concept of robotic linear transfer machining centers with features that open new perspectives in terms of finishing and polishing. Meeting with Mr. Vincenzo Bonavoglia, Sales Director of the company. The basic concept is simple, let’s imagine a working cell including a robot and two (…)

Machines

Desktop Factory: world premiere at Micronora

July 2014

The Micronora zoom will host as world premiere a complete and operational production chain, composed exclusively of micro machines developed by the Japanese consortium DTF. The DTF concept allows to design autonomous and easily reconfigurable production chains that can be installed on a large table. (Vous pouvez télécharger cet article en français ici.) Machines are designed on the principle of the "plug and play". The feed of material is provided by two axes mini-robots. If some of the (…)

Machines

Consistent development in all areas

July 2014

In 2013, Heller placed a strong emphasis on the further development and refinement of its products. The 2013 investment volume stabilised at a high level being significantly in excess of 16 million EUR. Investments focused on the assembly plant in China, machines and other equipment and modernisation of operating and business facilities. In response to the growing market in Eastern Europe the company is investing to increase customer proximity, e.g. with the expansion of its sales and (…)

Machines

Haas Automation partners with Scuderia Ferrari

July 2014

Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America, has partnered with Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful team in the history of Formula One. Beginning with the 65th British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Haas Automation is featured on the lower side-pods of the Ferrari F14 T piloted by championship-winning drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen. Haas Automation branding will be seen on the cars for the remainder of the 2014 Formula One season and throughout the 2015 (…)

Machines

3D Printing on the micrometer scale

July 2014

Nanoscribe presents a novel high-speed 3D printer, the Photonic Professional GT. It is the world’s fastest commercially available 3D printer for micro and nanostructures. Nanoscribe’s next-generation 3D printer enables very fast and highest-resolution manufacturing of three dimensional micro-objects, which are often smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The printing speed was increased hundredfold by employing a new laser lithography method, enabling completely new applications. (…)

Machines

GF expands presence in promising aerospace sector

July 2014

GF Machining Solutions, a division of GF, is to acquire Liechti Engineering AG, Langnau/BE (Switzerland). The company is a leading specialist of 5-axis milling machines designed to produce blades and blisks for aircraft engines and power generating turbines. With more than 10 000 planes in the order books, aircraft production is planned to stay strong for the foreseeable future and so is the demand for engine parts. The acquisition of Liechti Engineering AG will allow GF Machining (…)

Machines

Almac: highly targeted products for Germany

June 2014

Since its foundation, Almac has always been committed to providing tailor-made solutions, mainly targeting the Swiss watch market. Although its integration into the Tornos group has enabled it to develop internationally, its potential has remained largely untapped. The company is now turning a new corner by implementing a real strategy to enable German customers to benefit from the same advantages as Swiss watchmakers. Mr. Devanthéry, the Director of Almac, explains, by way of (…)

Machines

New compact industrial technology

June 2014

At EPHJ Bumotec presents its new s100, a machining center with 3 linear axes and two machining spindles working alternatively. This new concept allows the machine to reduce tool changes to the minimum as the changes are doing in hidden time on one spindle while the other is working. Every spindle has its own tool magazine (up to 36 in total). A new concept in-between standard solutions Nowadays the productions of parts for watch movements are usualy done using a batch of single spindle (…)

Machines

What’s new at EPHJ/EPMT/SMT ?

June 2014

This morning I discussed with Roland Gutknecht, Director of VFM machines. This company now solds highly accurate machining solutions for watch making and other microtechnological fields. On the booth we can discover several machines from Roku-Roku and Hasegawa. The director told me that these machines are now starting to sell well in the watch industry because of their precision. The new Android, micro precision micro fine machining center reaches accuracy as never seen before. Machining (…)

Machines

Standard components to form production systems

June 2014

Usable flexibility through practical design and consistent modularity - for the efficient production of cookware, Fissler relies on standardised presses and pneumohydraulic drive technology from Tox Pressotechnik. Since cookware has developed from a simple cooking device to a more design, technology and function orientated consumer item, completely different demands are placed on it. These in turn can only be met by a comparably high material, production and quality assurance effort. (…)

Production of Step Stencils with LPKF StencilLasers

The Eurotec Newsletter