A process model of the infra-red reflow soldering of printed circuit board assemblies

The authors present the latest results of an evolving model of the infra-red reflow soldering process. Recent additions to earlier models are the convective cooling of the PCB (printed circuit board) as it exits from the furnace muffle, and the addition of realistic component structures to the PCB assembly. The authors also present the initial results from a second model of a high production volume, high quality, mass manufacture oven. The output from all of these models is a time-temperature distribution for the assembly in question, allowing the identification of heating and cooling rates in the assembly, the peak temperatures of the individual components, and the time above reflow temperature for the solder joints