Octopart Edge: Part 8 - Reduce PCB Assembly Defects With Smart Package Selection

Webinar Overview:

Continuing the Octopart Edge Series with Part 8, Zach Peterson explored the topic of reducing PCB assembly defects through smart package selection. This session aimed to help designers understand how packaging choices impact assembly reliability and provided actionable strategies to minimize defects.

Key Takeaways:

Common Assembly Defects and Their Causes:

• Tombstoning: Influenced by package size, reflow direction, and pad design.
• Solder Balling and Bridging: Often caused by excess solder, small pin pitch, or pressure during placement.
• Voiding in Solder Joints: Particularly prevalent in high-density packaging like QFNs and BGAs due to pad and stencil design.

High-Density Package Considerations:

• QFNs and BGAs:

  • Via-in-Pad Reliability: Leads to shorter lifespans for QFNs (12%) and BGAs (57%) in IPC studies.
  • Solder Bridging and Balling: Requires precise reflow profiles and design adjustments to mitigate.
  • Cleaning Flux Residues: Essential for preventing electrochemical growth and short circuits.

• Material and Design Impact:

  • Package materials (e.g., ceramic, organic, or glass cores) affect reflow and reliability.
  • Stencil and paste mask designs play a critical role in addressing planarity issues and enhancing thermal performance.

Inspection and Quality Control:

• Test Vehicle Boards: Assemblers use advanced test boards with footprints down to 0.3 mm pitch BGAs to fine-tune soldering processes and ensure assembly reliability.
• Automated X-Ray Inspection: Critical for identifying defects like voiding, solder bridging, and fractures.

Leveraging Octopart for Component Selection:

• Advanced Filtering Options:
  • Case Size and Pin Pitch Filters: Narrow down search results to find low-failure-rate components.
  • BGA-Specific Parameters: Refine searches by pin count, I/O, and pitch.
  • Custom Filters for Pin Pitch: Available via the “Add New Filter” button in the Dimensions section.

What’s Next?

Join us for the first installment of the 2025 Octopart Edge Series:
Counterfeit Electronics Uncovered: How Counterfeit Parts Are Created & Misrepresented.

Scheduled for January 14, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST, this session will explore innovative approaches to enhancing your design workflows while uncovering the risks and implications of counterfeit components.

Explore at Your Own Pace – On-Demand Recording:

If you missed the live session or want to revisit the insights shared, the webinar recording is available on-demand. Click below to access the recording and further develop your understanding of smart package selection and defect minimization strategies.