Alpha® Blog

In Circuit Pin Testing- An excellent potential source of value creation

In Circuit Pin Testing (commonly referred to as ICT) is a common method of inspecting electronic assemblies for proper electrical function.  Test probes are put in contact with dedicated test points along the surface of an assembly, checking for electrical function (resistance, capacitance, inductance or voltage change).  Some assembly customers use functional testing for quality assurance as a substitute for ICT.  In this example, the entire assembly either works or it doesn't.

How to dramatically reduce BGA voiding

Excess voiding has long been a concern of electronic assembly customers, since voiding has adverse reliability implications.  Two kinds of voiding are generally discussed, Ball Grid Array (BGA) voiding and Bottom Terminated Component (BTC) voiding.   In the case of BTCs, such as QFN, QFP and LGA packages, the bottom side thermal pad is the heat path that controls the operating temperature of the integrated circuit (IC).  If the IC temperature is too high, performance loss can result.  If operated at an unsafe high temperature for extended periods, the long term reliability of the device will be reduced, resulting in a field failure.

ALPHA® Liquid Soldering Flux and the Increase in Selective Soldering

There has been a rapid increase in the use of selective soldering equipment for PCB assembly driven by the need to reduce equipment costs, reduce equipment footprints and lower solder inventory cost. The reduction in the use of through hole devices has also hastened the move to increased selective soldering. However, there are some technical challenges that must be met when considering selective soldering, such as tighter component spacing, more complex board designs and the increased need to control flux spread.

ALPHA Argomax Advanced Sinter Technology Enables High Volume Manufacturing

How do you increase the performance of your products?  What are the key technologies needed to achieve your design objectives?  One thing is for sure.  Change is constant in the electronics industry, and it is rapid!  Customers demand new products that offer more: more reliability, more efficiency, more operating life, and more power to mention a few of those demands. 

Enabling Halogen Free Electronic Assemblies

Alpha Halogen-Free Product Technologies for SMT Processes

Alpha has worked diligently to offer its customers a full range of halogen-free product technologies for SMT processes that comply with RoHS standards and with the IEC and JPCA halogen content specifications, thereby enabling the manufacture of halogen-free assemblies