Interview
Special packaging feature: Imbedded Component/Die Technology: Is it ready for mainstream design applications?
cleaning. Today however, more and more were lifted out of the solvent bath and times and in bad. While defluxing equip-
commercial manufacturers are embracing a the cleaning process was complete. Today, ment continues to sell well, our customers
cleaning process, either out of necessity or there is so much more to a successful de- are looking beyond the sticker price and
in an effort to improve reliability. fluxing process. Modern assemblies must looking at the operating costs. Chemical
be washed, rinsed, tested for cleanliness consumption, water consumption, cycle
You mention miniaturization and other and dried. Defluxing chemicals must be times, footprint and other cost-driven
factors are driving manufacturers to automatically mixed and dosed. Effluent comparisons are now added to overall
adopt a cleaning process. How have must be filtered or evaporated. SPC data effectiveness evaluations. Defluxing equip-
these factors changed affected cleaning logs must be created, and process control ment is expected to be effective, reliable
equipment designs? must be maintained. While modern de- and efficient. Assemblies must not only
fluxing equipment provides single-button
So much has changed in the design of
emerge from the machine clean, verified
automation of these functions, dishwash-
defluxing equipment. Twenty years ago,
and dry, but must do so at a cost of mere
ers and glassware washers do not. Cleaning
batch-format defluxing equipment were
pennies per assembly.
is far more than simply spraying water.
basically mildly converted dishwashers.
Given the fact that Aqueous Technologies
Back then, coherent (non diffused) flow
With cleaning on the rise, how do you is a global company, how do you keep up
(like the flow in your household dishwash-
stay ahead of your competition? with varying environmental rules as they
er) was effective in the removal of higher
apply to your equipment?
solids-content rosin-based fluxes from I am an unyielding proponent of staying
under through-hole and early SMT devices. within a specific core competency. Just be- Indeed, Aqueous Technologies is global
Today, our customers are frequently remov- cause we can sell a particular product, does in its reach. In fact, our equipment is in
ing ultra low solids-content no-clean fluxes not mean that we should. We are one of operation on six continents. Here in the
from below densely packaged SMT devices the only manufacturers that limits its prod- United States, it’s the local municipalities
with as little as two mil standoffs. Com- ucts to cleaning. While other companies that most often enforce the strictest
bine higher temperature lead-free alloys sell ovens, wave-solder machines, fixtures environmental regulations. Globally,
and you have a very challenging defluxing and cleaners, no one product is the “in- some countries are less stringent than
process. We have not only had to respond dustry’s best.” One cannot be all things to others. Regardless of the environmental
to the current cleaning challenges but also all people. Over the past twenty-five years, standards, we offer configurations that
to future challenges. Our customers expect we have developed a core competency. We can meet even the strictest protocols. For
our products to be effective today, and have become experts in our field. If our example, all of our equipment can operate
many years from today. Our products must customers have a cleaning issue, we can in low or zero discharge configurations.
remain technically relevant for as long as solve it. That’s all we do. That is our sole Although aqueous defluxing systems are
possible. focus. generally considered to be environmentally
By focusing solely on our core compe- responsible, it is important that
You stated that twenty years ago, mildly tency, we have developed a worldwide repu- the manufacturer be aware of local
converted dishwashers were used to tation for technical innovation. In fact, the requirements and offer configurations that
remove flux. It appears that those industry has recognized Aqueous Technol- are suitable to the region.
dishwashers are still being sold. Are you ogies as a leading innovator by bestowing
insinuating that dishwashers are not
thirty-two major industry awards on our What’s next for Aqueous Technologies?
effective in a flux removal application?
products. No single company has ever won
With today’s rush to clean no-clean fluxes,
I would hesitate to make a blanket state-
so many awards. We are very proud of our
Aqueous Technologies will continue its
ment that dishwasher/glassware washers
awards and will maintain our commitment
seventeen-year tradition of continuous
do not work on all defluxing applications.
to continuous improvement.
improvement. We are about to introduce
After all, even a broken clock is accurate
This year, we introduced a first for the
our next generation software for our award
twice a day. There are some applications
defluxing equipment industry by provid-
winning Trident automatic defluxing
that can benefit from a dishwasher/glass-
ing a three-year warranty on our entire
and cleanliness testing systems. The new
ware washer. Through-hole assemblies
line of defluxing systems. Our goal was to
software will allow users to scan barcodes
soldered with a lead-based flux may benefit
demonstrate our degree of confidence in
into the system before cleaning. Integrated
from a kitchen appliance. Today’s sophis-
our equipment.
database search capabilities will allow the
ticated board designs however, are not user to search for specific barcodes to view
suited for dishwashers/glassware washers.
How has the current economy affected
the actual cleaning profile including set
There is a lot of science behind a successful
your business?
and actual cleanliness.
defluxing process, including water droplet There’s no doubt about it, a struggling We are also working on the next
size, impact pressures, chemical segrega- economy affects all businesses, a low tide generation stencil and misprint cleaning
tion, real-time ionic contamination testing, lowers all boats. Manufacturers are once system, which we will formally introduce at
etc. There is an entirely different science again adopting a defluxing process for APEX 2010.
behind the removal of food stains from specific reasons. Flux, allowed to remain
dishes and bacteria from test tubes. These on an assembly can lead to electro-migra-
Thank you, Mike.
two sciences have very little in common. tion (dendrite growth) when exposed to
Trevor Galbraith.
In the past, cleaning was a simple pro- moisture. Likewise, flux residue can also
cess. Back then, assemblies were lowered cause temporary electrical leakage failures.
into a tub of heated solvent and allowed to These failures are not bound by economic
soak. After a minute or two, the assemblies factors. Dendrites grow in good economic
www.globalsmt.net Global SMT & Packaging – October 2009 – 37
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