Mass Extrusion Printing Process Improves Assembly Performance of a Single Package

DEK has introduced a brand-new technology capable of directly performing a single-substrate batch-extrusion printing process from a process carrier, which simplifies the assembly of a single package, and eliminates the need to move the substrate into a dedicated carrier to obtain the advantages of bulk extrusion printing, including high throughput and enhanced adhesives. Point shape and thickness control capabilities, as well as low void performance.

Electronic materials such as conductive adhesives, solder pastes, fluxes, underfill materials, and solder balls can now be coated on a single substrate, one at a time from the carrier. The substrate will be placed on the customer's chosen process carrier, such as the Auer boat, into the press. Upon reaching the board processing station, the carrier is fixed by the machine's close rail system as the first substrate is aligned. Before the substrate is lifted by a standard vacuum tool and brought into contact with the stencil, the machine's vision system verifies that the alignment is correct. After bulk extrusion printing, the substrate will be lowered into the carrier. The board processing station then moves the carrier to the next position where the second substrate will be aligned and the program repeated.

After each substrate has been processed and returned to the carrier, the carrier can be moved directly to the next downstream process.

DEK's new single package process offers package assemblers greater flexibility than using dispensing technology. Bulk extrusion printing technology can better control the dot shape and achieve higher yields, which is very important for the coating of conductive adhesives and other materials. The coated material also has a uniform thickness and a flat surface, which enhances the ability to place components and allows for lower placement forces, as well as reducing the likelihood of component damage. In addition, voids created on the bottom side of the component will also be reduced. These holes will cause hot spots in the end product, leading to failure at the initial stage of use.

The new single process can be implemented on any DEK machine for semiconductor packaging applications, including micron-scale Galaxy machines.

Author: Electronic Design & Application