Solder paste misprint cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956632-B2
Application number	US-201715662893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

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 solder paste information includes (i) a density of a metal solder in a solder paste, (ii) a density of a flux in the solder paste, and (iii) an adhesive force of the flux;
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;
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;
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;
moving, by the one or more processors, the electromagnet to the at least one misprint location;
determining, by the one or more processors, an amount of solder paste used in the at least one misprint location, wherein the determination of the amount of solder paste used in the at least one misprint location is based on the image of the at least one misprint location;
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 at least one misprint location and the solder paste information;
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 component force applied to the solder paste at the at least one misprint location;
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 at the at least one misprint location from the printed circuit board; and
activating, by the one or more processors, the electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet removes the solder paste from the at least one misprint location upon activation.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H05K3/225

  Correcting or repairing of printed circuits (H05K1/0292, H05K3/222, H05K3/288, H05K3/4685 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23K35/302

  Cu as the principal constituent · CPC title

• B23K35/3006

  Ag as the principal constituent · CPC title

• H05K2203/163

  Monitoring a manufacturing process · CPC title

• B23K1/0016

  Soldering of electronic components · CPC title