EUTECT workpiece carriers (WPC) and soldering masks are used to transport and protect assemblies within the system, reducing thermal stress due to different soldering temperatures. These are customised for the assemblies and soldering processes to be processed.
More and more flexibility and the processing of a wide variety of assemblies is also required from a customised automation solution when procuring machines for special machine construction. For this reason, the satellite workpiece carrier was developed. This makes it possible to place various product-specific workpiece carriers on the same basic workpiece carrier, transport them and process them in the machine. These satellite workpiece carriers are then designed to be product-specific and equipped with queries so that they are recognised by the machine and the correct programs and processes can be loaded.
Increasingly complex assemblies, whether due to miniaturisation or difficult-to-access and sensitive geometries, require new solutions in mask technology. For example, if circuit boards are already mounted in housings and SMD components on the underside are very close to the housing and the THT soldering points to be soldered, the walls, intermediate webs and connections must be very thin. The use of EUTECT solder masks also enables cycle time-optimised soldering, as the number of dipping processes in the mini wave can be significantly reduced. In conjunction with EUTECT's specific nozzle technology, pressure masks can be used to reliably and reproducibly solder points that initially seem unattainable.
A Workpiece carrier is used to securely hold, position and transport electronic assemblies through the system during the automated soldering process. Workpiece carriers designed specifically for each product ensure reproducible positioning of the assembly and can simultaneously perform protective, holding and monitoring functions.
Solder masks protect areas of an assembly that, during the selective soldering process should not come into contact with the solder. They make it possible to selectively expose the areas relevant to the soldering process. This is particularly important in the case of densely populated, miniaturised or geometrically complex assemblies. EUTECT uses such masks in, amongst other things, the Mini wave soldering one.
Customised workpiece carriers can be precisely tailored to the assembly, soldering process and automation concept. This enables assemblies to be transported and positioned reliably. At the same time, functions such as hold-down mechanisms or placement checks can be integrated directly into the workpiece carrier.
With a satellite workpiece carrier, various Product-specific workpiece carriers mounted on a common base workpiece carrier. This allows different assemblies to be processed within the same automation solution without having to change the entire carrier design for each product variant.
Product-specific satellite workpiece carriers can be fitted with appropriate queries or identification features. This enables the machine to recognise the workpiece being used Workpiece carrier and can automatically load the relevant programmes and process flows.
Modular workpiece carrier concepts enable different assemblies to be manufactured on the same production line. Satellite workpiece carriers, in particular, reduce the effort involved in mechanical changeovers and facilitate flexible production of different product variants.
