As outsource to EMS,the requirement for Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) equipment changes as well. Due to
the diversity of the business,EMS providers require equipment that can handle a myriad of different components.
The need for frequent programming,program portability and repeatability,and the establishment of common
equipment platform become more important than before. To understand the capability of current AOI technology,
equipment from four manufacturers were installed at a test site for a post-reflow benchmark test. Two test vehicles
were used for eight different tests. Test results were recorded and analyzed. Each machine was rated for its
performance in each individual test. The result shows that no single machine outperforms others in every category.
The best performance from each category is,99.89% portability for general SMT components,99.95% for small
chips,99.16% for program repeatability,84% defect detection rate,and 28-second inspection cycle time for
motherboard type assembly. Angle measurement was performed on three machines. The model with best
performance reported the measurement within 1° difference. Based on the overall test results,AOI can be
considered an efficient tool for catching post reflow defect and improving process yield. As the renovation continues
in AOI technology during the past few years,we should expect to see an increase in AOI implementation in the
EMS industry.

In a low-volume,high-mix electronics manufacturing environment,the ability to delineate design concerns before a
customer’s product goes to production is paramount. Design deficiencies or deviations from standards,or designs
that don’t accommodate manufacturing and testing capabilities could cause significant levels of manufacturing
defects and may affect several downstream parameters such as process yield and product reliability. Correcting
problems during the manufacturing phase involves significant expenditure vis-à-vis repair,rework and scrap. In
order to avoid this expense,an effective and efficient (automated) tool is required to scrutinize designs and to
categorize any deviations from the standards,long before the design reaches the production floor. In order to
perform such checks,the tool must refer to an accurate and exhaustive set of rules that can cover all critical aspects
of manufacturing and testing. Moreover,these rules must cover all designs and should also be updateable.

The internet explosion of the 90’s created much hype around public exchanges that has never materialized. The
current business environment of a multi-company value chain,alliances and partnership selling has highlighted the
need for increased value chain collaboration around critical supply chain functions like forecasting. This has created
the need for a public exchange-like solution,but with focused ownership from a majority stakeholder. This paper
presents a collaborative solution that illustrates the benefits of integrated forecasting. Our belief is that the solution
has to be sponsored and maintained by the majority stakeholder (most likely the OEM) to ensure active participation
by the value chain members.

With the increase in outsourcing activity throughout the electronics industry,OEM’s are turning to Electronic
Manufacturing Services (EMS) to provide quality quick turn prototypes and fast New Product Introduction (NPI).
The differentiator between success and failure in the EMS marketplace is the data and the automation that can be
done to streamline data entry and eliminate duplicate data sources and data entry errors. This difference is usually in
the data; whether OEM or EMS the requirement for accurate and complete data has become the standard. Data and
Process Transparency can help transform Front-end engineering NPI from an emphasis on quick-turn prototyping
into a gateway to volume production,but there will need to be a change in perception with regards to how data and
process information are treated and handled.

The relationship between the OEM and the EMS provider (Electronic Manufacturing Services) has evolved with the
increase in outsourcing of manufacturing services. This has resulted in the consequent evolution of the quality and
quantity of data provided by the OEM to the EMS provider. This paper examines the OEM/EMS interaction with
emphasis on the engineering data related to PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) operations provided by the
OEM to the EMS provider. It will show how the format and content of data affects the integrity of the manufactured
product and the level of services that the EMS provider can offer the OEM.

The outsourcing trend within the electronics industry continues to accelerate as OEMs focus their limited resources on core
competencies that enhance shareholder value. This outsourcing trend is driving OEM Design and NPI Supply Chains to
become increasing horizontal,triggering them to recognize that their ability to leverage their supply base is a critical element
in their business model. These companies have recognized the need to craft a design and NPI supply chain that leverages
their internal strengths with the core competencies of their supply base. This paper presents the key characteristics of a
successful OEM/EMS NPI collaboration,including the creation of a NPI process framework. The key elements of this NPI
process framework include:
• OEM/EMS process alignment - developing a common NPI process language
• Alignment on business models,core competencies,technology roadmaps that create a "win-win" partnership
• Early engagement (concept/feasibility phases of the OEM NPI process)
• OEM/EMS executive sponsorship
• Discipline and accountability around:
• Conducting reviews
• Overall project management
• Communication plans
• Product collaboration tools and data standards
• Design for X that encompasses the complete design and supply chain (e.g.,assembly,test,reliability,safety,cost,
logistics,environment,etc).
The paper addresses the benefits and challenges of establishing and implementing a collaborative OEM/EMS NPI process
framework. Case studies of successful implementations / lessons learned will be provided.

With the ban of CFC’s,various cleaning processes have emerged and have been established as viable
alternatives1,2,3. Several cleaning processes such as ultrasonic and spray in air batch and in-line have become
firmly established. Each equipment type typically has its advantages and disadvantages,which will obviously be
of different significance to the end-user.
This in-depth study sets out to determine,which mechanical agitation cleaning system might demonstrate the
best cleaning results with regard to cleaning performance. To address the most currently available technologies:
ultrasonic,pressurized spray-in-air,spray-under-immersion,and centrifugal cleaning systems were taken as a
representative basis.
In order to guarantee meaningful results,the most demanding application was chosen: the cleaning under large
surface components. A significant conclusion of the study is that the cleaning chemistry is significantly more
important than the equipment technology used.

The evaluation of a new solvent blend to clean printed wire boards is reported. Ethyl nonafluorobutyl ether (HFE-
7200) provides the fluid dynamics to build engineered cleaning fluids that exhibit superior cleaning on a wide range
of flux technologies. Environmentally engineered solvent substitutes for CFCs have done an adequate job on rosin
based flux technology but have exhibited poor cleaning efficacy on many of the low solids flux technologies. As
such,not in kind aqueous and semi-aqueous cleaning fluids have found favor in the market.
Trends and changes in technology drive the development of electronic materials. As microelectronics converges
with surface mount technology,cleaning fluids must exhibit high solvency,low surface tension and superior wetting
properties. New innovations in engineered cleaning fluids are required to satisfy the diverse technologies facing
industry today.
Properties including solvency,viscosity,surface tension,ozone depletion potential,global warming potential and
flash point are reported and compared to commercially available cleaning solvents. Fluids engineered with ethyl
nonafluorobutyl ether have similar physical properties compared to other commercially available cleaning solvents,
and have favorable environmental,safety and health properties.
The results indicate that newly engineered solvent blends containing ethyl nonafluorobutyl ether can be used to
safely and effectively clean printed wire boards containing advanced packages. Solvent cleaning processes using
cost of ownership will be presented. Performance data will be reported on leading flux technologies. Information
needed to support the manufacturing,environmental,safety and health improvement efforts of the electronic
assembly industry will likewise be reported.

To meet today’s environmental demands,new VOC-free and low-VOC cleaning agents have been formulated that exhibit
outstanding cleaning performance for a variety of flux residues. The new cleaning agents were tested for defluxing watersoluble,
no-clean,and RMA residues from tin/lead and lead-free solders. Cleanliness was assessed by visual inspection and
ionic contamination measurements. Currently-available aqueous defluxers were included in the test matrix,and the
cleanliness data was used as a baseline.

As technologies evolve with the onset of smaller and smaller components,different flux residues,and the no-lead
solders,manufacturing companies are asking questions regarding what they need to consider for the future to
effectively clean and dry circuit board assemblies. The physical obstacles encountered in the cleaning process are
described in detail herein. This abstract will provide examples of the components and the technologies used to
achieve acceptable cleanliness and drying while using No-Lead solder,water-soluble and no clean fluxes,and
evolving component packages.