PCB Ionic Contamination Testing With Vacuum-Sealed Snorkel
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Solution Overview
Problem
The presence of ionics on printed circuit boards (PCBs) can lead to the formation of conductive paths such as dendrites, causing short-circuiting and premature failure of components, which existing technologies fail to adequately detect and address.
Innovation Solution
A system with a snorkel and adjustable electrodes is used to test for contaminants and electrical characteristics on PCBs, employing a flexible fluid and vacuum seal to secure around components, measure resistance, and analyze fluid for ionic presence and concentration using ion chromatography.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ionics are present on the PCB, then conductive paths form causing short-circuiting, but detection capability of existing technologies is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fluid as an intermediary medium to extract ionics from the PCB surface and components. The fluid acts as a carrier that transports contaminants to a collection point for analysis, enabling indirect detection of ionic contamination that directly impacts component reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct electrical measurement methods with fluid-based extraction and analysis. Instead of using electrical tests to detect ionic contamination, the system uses fluid dynamics to transport and collect contaminants, then analyzes them through chromatography or other analytical methods
2Loss of time
If dendrites bridge conductive elements, then short-circuiting occurs, but early detection before bridging is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs fluid extraction and ionic contamination analysis as a preliminary step before the PCB is assembled or before components are installed. By detecting ionics early in the manufacturing process, the system identifies potential dendrite formation risks before they can cause actual short-circuits or performance degradation
3Measurement precision
If fluid is used to extract ionics, then contaminants can be detected, but fluid may spread contaminants to other areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts ionics from the PCB surface and components using a controlled fluid flow system. The fluid is directed to flow over specific areas, collect contaminants in a defined path, and deposit them at a specific collection point, thereby extracting contaminants from their original locations and preventing their spread to other areas
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid serves as an intermediary that captures and transports contaminants from the PCB surface. By using the fluid as a mediator, the system contains contaminants within the fluid stream rather than allowing them to散落到 other areas of the PCB
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively detects and quantifies contaminants and electrical properties of PCB components, preventing short-circuiting by identifying and quantifying ionics, ensuring component reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum source configured to create a vacuum within the snorkel to secure the snorkel around the component on the PCB
Implementation Method 2
a fluid input configured to provide the fluid to move through the fluid channel
Implementation Method 3
the tips of the electrical probes are used to determine a resistance in fluid within the fluid channel, the resistance correlating to a presence of ionics in the fluid
Implementation Method 4
a fluid outlet configured to provide the fluid to a fluid analyzer, the fluid analyzer to analyze the fluid to determine a type of ionic present in the fluid and a concentration of the ionic
Data Source
AI summary
A snorkel for determining the presence of contaminants and electrical properties of a component on a PCB is provided. The snorkel includes a housing having a plurality of ribs that are each configured to move between a first position and a second position, a fluid inlet port, and a fluid outlet port. The snorkel also has a first flexible seal that defines a fluid boundary and a second flexible seal that defines a vacuum boundary. The fluid inlet/outlet ports define a fluid channel within the fluid boundary. The first flexible seal is within the vacuum boundary such that the fluid boundary is disposed within the vacuum boundary. The snorkel also has a plurality of electrical probes that can employ a four-point probe method where a tip of each electrical probe of the plurality of probes is disposed within the fluid channel.