The popular Profiling Guide is back with this second edition. I’ve added a new section on profiling for Wave with the help of two solder wave gurus Mike Young of Aligned Solutions and Dave Nixon of Ayrshire Electronics. Also a contributor is Ed Briggs of Indium who provides profiling solutions to common reflow defects such as voiding, tombstoning and solder balling. What you will certainly find particularly interesting about Ed’s work is he gives you real life examples on how you can modify your oven recipe to reduce or eliminate defects!
Also in this edition, I continue to work on what I started in the first edition the Six Sigma’s DMAIC approach to profiling. I’ve added Analyze and Control to Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve and Control. Being able to analyze and control your process are becoming the difference between whether or not a Contract Manufacturer secures a new customer (or keeps one) and a cornerstone to Black Belt manufacturing for OEMs.
You can pick and choose what is important from this guide, I purposely organized it to be read in segments and not necessarily from cover to cover. For example, perhaps a full DMAIC approach to profiling is too much to ask? You are struggling just to Define and Measure your process, am I right? Let’s face it, the majority of SMT and Wave processes worldwide are not even profiled and those that are profiled fail to go beyond the basics. Don’t feel bad, this guide will help you. You are not alone, the vast majority of process engineers still don’t realize how simple it is to improve their process. I made sure this guide helps to explain in a no nonsense easy to read fashion how this is possible, no theory, no boring one hour long technical seminars, no academic discussion, but what do I need to do to get actionable results.
Lastly, I wrap up the book with a chapter on Advanced Profiling Methodology. I focus in particular on non-destructive methods which even the novice can appreciate and implement. Included in the book you will find tools for creating offsets for components like BGAs, where drilling holes into your PCB for profiling I promise will become a thing of the past. I provide references to real science and free tools are even included. Furthermore, “virtual profiles” and other viable options to sacrificing an instrumented PCB are explored.
Just like last time I had a great time pulling this book together. I leave and breathe profiling and certainly no offense if you don’t share my passion. At the very least, I hope you have just as much fun reading it.
– Profiling Guru
