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Faster prototyping with fewer frustrations for Thales
A new MY500 solder-jet printer from MYDATA is helping Thales, a leading Netherlands-based developer and manufacturer of high-end electronic systems, to meet its requirements for rapid prototype production and for achieving first–time right soldering on boards that incorporate “difficult” components.
At its plant in Hengelo, Thales develops and manufactures its world-renowned range of naval radar systems and also undertakes high-end board assembly for selected third parties. An essential part of the work is the production of prototypes, and the goal of the company is to deliver these in the shortest possible time.
A limiting factor used to be the time needed to obtain stencils for solder paste application, but the company has solved this problem by installing a MYDATA MY500 solder-jet printer, which totally eliminates the need for stencils. A further benefit is that the MY500 makes it easy to work with unusually shaped components which, with conventional solder paste application techniques, create problems that are difficult to address.
One design, for example, calls for a special SMD coaxial connector mounted in a cavity. The cavity is almost 900 microns deep, so soldering the connector using conventional techniques is almost impossible. The MY500, however, can shoot solder paste into the cavity, and it consistently delivers perfect results. In addition, QFP components with exposed pads underneath the body can also be tackled with ease by the MY500, even though they have a stand-off of up to 150 microns between the component body and the connection pins.
Erik Hodes, manufacturing engineer at the Thales plant, is also impressed with how easy it is to assemble boards that incorporate SMD connectors with additional through-hole pins.
“With the MY500 it's simple to create pin-in-paste deposits without modifying the pad design,” he said. “All that's needed is to tell the software the thickness of the board, the through hole diameter, the pad size and the pin diameter. The machine then automatically calculates the right volume of solder to jet, and the paste is applied, with result that a perfect joint is created during reflow.”
At Thales, the MYDATA MY500 solder-jet printer is making a major contribution to reducing the lead time for prototypes. It is also allowing the company to work with difficult components that would otherwise have to be mounted manually, and it is ensuring that it meets its key objective of providing its customers with products that satisfy the most exacting standards for both performance and quality.
For further information:
Paul Rooimans, MYDATA automation
Flightforum 880, 5657 DV Eindhoven,
Netherlands
Tel: +31 40 2620667
Fax: +31 40 2620668
Email: paul.rooimans@mydata.com
www: www.mydata.com
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Amanda Price, Fresh Public Relations Ltd
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