New SMT Attach Method Enhances Yields and Lowers Applied Costs for OEMs

Molex has developed a new Surface Mount Technology (SMT) attach method that features excellent fatigue strength and lower applied costs compared to traditional SMT mounting methods. Molex’s Solder Charge technology has been quickly adopted by major OEMs and contract manufactures (CMs) to enhance yields and increase reliability over typical Ball Grid Array (BGA) attach methods.

Incorporating Solder Charge technology into the design process offers several benefits over standard BGA attachments, including:

· A mechanical design that allows for visual inspections post processing, limiting reliance on Dage x-ray screening;
· Increased PCB retention strength – roughly three times as strong as typical BGAs – that reduces stress on solder joints, increases compliancy and lowers applied costs;
· Reduced cycle times and fewer rework and secondary processing steps that promote increased output;
· Precise formation of stamping die, which offers enhanced precision in the solder charge formation and adhesion process;
· Flexible solder mass that compensates for board warping, and;
· Availability in tin-lead or lead-free designs, without increased costs for either option.

Ideal for high-speed circuitry, Molex Solder Charge technology permits the transmission line to directly reach the PCB, minimally disrupting the design and maintaining the system’s electrical properties. Solder Charge comfortably adjusts for inconsistency in the flatness of the PCB, facilitating consistent soldering processes and counteracting problems that may occur at the solder interface from other design variables. As a result, lower-cost board designs can be employed without sacrificing a product’s integrity.

Offered in Molex’s HDMezz and SEARAY connector systems, as well as new connector designs currently in development, Solder Charge technology can be leveraged in a number of products that currently use BGA mounting methods. For information about incorporating this attachment style into an assembly design, visit: http://www.molex.com/product/soldercharge.html.

Molex Incorporated