Solder paste misprint cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017348784-A1
Application number	US-201615173751-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	Dec 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A processor receives solder paste information, where the solder paste information describes a solder paste used in assembly of a printed circuit board. A processor determines a minimum magnetic force required for removing the solder paste from the printed circuit board based on the solder paste information. A processor receives electromagnet information, where the electromagnet information describes an electromagnet used in cleaning of a misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board. A processor determines a minimum amount of power to provide the electromagnet to induce the minimum magnetic force in the electromagnet, where the determination of the amount of power is based on the electromagnet information and the minimum magnetic force. A processor adjusts an amount of power applied to the electromagnet to at least the determined minimum amount of power to clean the misprint of the solder paste from the printed circuit board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, solder paste information, wherein the solder paste information describes a solder paste used in assembly of a printed circuit board; determining, by the one or more processors, a minimum magnetic force required for removing the solder paste from the printed circuit board based, at least in part, on the solder paste information; receiving, by the one or more processors, electromagnet information, wherein the electromagnet information describes an electromagnet used in cleaning of a misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board; determining, by the one or more processors, a minimum amount of power to provide the electromagnet to induce the minimum magnetic force in the electromagnet, wherein the determination of the amount of power is based, at least in part, on the electromagnet information and the minimum magnetic force; and adjusting, by the one or more processors, an amount of power applied to the electromagnet to at least the determined minimum amount of power to clean the misprint of the solder paste from the printed circuit board.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, a misprint location of the misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board; moving, by the one or more processors, the electromagnet to the misprint location; and activating, by the one or more processors, the electromagnet upon arrival to the misprint location, wherein the electromagnet removes the solder paste from the misprint location upon activation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, an image of the printed circuit board; comparing, by the one or more processors, the image of the printed circuit board to a second image, wherein the second image depicts a printed circuit board with correctly printed solder paste; and in response to the comparison of the image of the printed circuit board and the second image, determining, by the one or more processors, at least one misprint location of the solder paste on the printed circuit board.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein solder paste information includes a density of a metal solder in the solder paste, a density of a flux in the solder paste, and an adhesive force of the flux.

5 . The method of claim 4 , the method further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, an amount of solder paste used in the misprint; and determining, by the one or more processors, a component force applied to the solder paste based on the amount of solder paste used in the misprint and the solder paste information.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determination of the amount of solder paste used in the misprint is based on an image of the misprint.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determination of the amount of solder paste used in the misprint is based on a pad size associated with a location of the misprint.

8 . A computer program product comprising:
one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive solder paste information, wherein the solder paste information describes a solder paste used in assembly of a printed circuit board;
program instructions to determine a minimum magnetic force required for removing the solder paste from the printed circuit board based, at least in part, on the solder paste information;
program instructions to receive electromagnet information, wherein the electromagnet information describes an electromagnet used in cleaning of a misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board;
program instructions to determine a minimum amount of power to provide the electromagnet to induce the minimum magnetic force in the electromagnet, wherein the determination of the amount of power is based, at least in part, on the electromagnet information and the minimum magnetic force; and
program instructions to adjust an amount of power applied to the electromagnet to at least the determined minimum amount of power to clean the misprint of the solder paste from the printed circuit board.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , the program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to receive a misprint location of the misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board; program instructions to move the electromagnet to the misprint location; and program instructions to activate the electromagnet upon arrival to the misprint location, wherein the electromagnet removes the solder paste from the misprint location upon activation.

10 . The computer program product of claim 8 , the program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to receive an image of the printed circuit board; program instructions to compare the image of the printed circuit board to a second image, wherein the second image depicts a printed circuit board with correctly printed solder paste; and in response to the comparison of the image of the printed circuit board and the second image, program instructions to determine at least one misprint location of the solder paste on the printed circuit board.

11 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein solder paste information includes a density of a metal solder in the solder paste, a density of a flux in the solder paste, and an adhesive force of the flux.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , the program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to determine an amount of solder paste used in the misprint; and program instructions to determine a component force applied to the solder paste based on the amount of solder paste used in the misprint and the solder paste information.

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the determination of the amount of solder paste used in the misprint is based on an image of the misprint.

14 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the determination of the amount of solder paste used in the misprint is based on a pad size associated with a location of the misprint.

15 . A system comprising:
one or more computer processors; one or more computer readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive solder paste information, wherein the solder paste information describes a solder paste used in assembly of a printed circuit board;
program instructions to determine a minimum magnetic force required for removing the solder paste from the printed circuit board based, at least in part, on the solder paste information;
program instructions to receive electromagnet information, wherein the electromagnet information describes an electromagnet used in cleaning of a misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board;
program instructions to determine a minimum amount of power to provide the electromagnet to induce the minimum magnetic force in the electromagnet, wherein the determination of the amount of power is based, at least in part, on the electromagnet information and the minimum magnetic force; and
program instructions to adjust an amount of power applied to the electromagnet to at least the determined minimum amount of power to clean the misprint of the solder paste from the printed circuit board.

1

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Dong Xingquan
• Hou Yanlong
• Mu Licen
• Wu Ben
• Zhang Weifeng

Classifications

• B23K35/3053

  Fe as the principal constituent · CPC title

• B23K35/025

  Pastes, creams or slurries · CPC title

• B23K1/0016

  Soldering of electronic components · CPC title

• G05B2219/37215

  Inspect application of solder paste, glue to workpiece · CPC title

• H05K2203/163

  Monitoring a manufacturing process · CPC title