Thermal Characterisation for a Surface Mount Rework System

Effective control of the rework process for surface mount production rework or for field repair requires a knowledge of the process variables involved in the rework system and of the interaction between them. This paper presents the method by which a test was constructed for one particular system to characterise that system's thermal performance. The system tested is described. Process variables for that system are identified and classified as operator, set‐up and use variables. A description of the test board and instrumentation is provided, and the test method is presented. Results of the testing are presented along with a sensitivity analysis for the most critical process variables. Although performed on one particular system, the testing shows a method which can be followed for any system and, even simpler, rework and repair tools.