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www.us-tech.com
Continuous Improvement: BTU’s 70 Years of
Thermal Process Management By Peter Tallian, General Manager, BTU International F
or 70 years, BTU has been a global supplier and technology leader in the field of ad- vanced thermal processing equipment for the
electronics assembly and high-temperature manu- facturing markets. This wealth of experience offers a unique set of capabilities and know-how, which supports precision temperature and atmosphere applications up to 3,272°F (1,800°C). The company has operations in the U.S. and
China, with direct sales and service in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
From the Beginning The advent of the electronics age was, in
part, enabled by BTU. Founded in 1950, only three years after the invention of semiconduc- tors, BTU focused on the emerging transistor market and later thick-film processing. Today, the company’s furnaces are used
for some of the most advanced and demanding applications, such as direct bond copper and semiconductor packaging. Over the years, it has been on the forefront of technology innova- tions in direct response to its customers’ needs — most recently, BTU’s patent-pending Aqua Scrub flux management system. In the past year, BTU has added a new
division, Bruce Technologies, which is also part of the Amtech group. Bruce is a leading suppli- er of horizontal furnaces for front-end semiconduc- tor applications. In fact, Bruce was a part of BTU in the 1980s. The addition of the Bruce team ex-
pands the company’s expertise and broadens its market reach. When the company started, it had a very local
customer base. Often, furnaces shipped within the same zip code as where they were produced in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. Now, BTU’s equipment is produced across multiple continents and is shipped all over the world. What began on the second floor of a building in Cambridge has grown into a company with a footprint in more than 30 countries and more than 10,000 units shipped. Once again, the cus-
Unfortunately, yet ironically, both 1950 and
2020 saw pandemics. In 1950 it was the height of the polio outbreak. Theaters and schools were closed as they are now. With this past experience, the company has gained inspiration about how to deal with similar hardships.
Automation and Software Automation and software protocols now control
factories. BTU had to strengthen its software and controls groups over the years to support new indus- try standards and customer needs. The compa- ny now offers a full suite of Industry 4.0 compo- nents.
Now, rather than looking only at hard-
ware as the focus of product development, the company incorporates how it interacts with the overall factory environment. Building intelli- gent systems that interact with the factory con- trols in the oven, such as BTU’s Profile Guardian, is an area the company plans to ex- pand in each year. Staffed by technical industry experts
BTU’s Pyramax Vacuum, designed to significantly reduce voiding during soldering.
tomers drove the development of the company, as multinational companies with manufacturing around the world.
with decades of reflow and high-temperature expertise, the company is made up of engi- neering and applications professionals who are recognized leaders. BTU’s worldwide service and support network has earned wide- spread recognition for its excellence, adding
enormous value for its customers. Not least, the company’s furnaces and ovens
Continued on next page
September, 2020
MODEL 802 LID – PRINTED LABEL AND INK DOT APPLICATION HANDLER
Tray carriage moves on X and Y axis to allow fast, precise printed label or ink dot application.
Quick and easy changeover from labeling to inking.
Based on popular Model 802 test handler.
Table-mounted option available.
WITH INK PEN MOUNTED
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