Soft Cooling Module Layout for Cleaner Soldered Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soldering and sintering systems face issues with impurities from soldering additives and atmospheres remaining on components or in chambers, leading to quality losses and cavity formation due to incomplete removal of unwanted substances during the cooling process.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a soft cooling module between the soldering/sintering and cooling modules to cool the electronic assemblies below the solder solidification temperature, preventing impurities like solder paste residues from settling on components or in modules, and using a cold trap to condense and remove these impurities before final cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling module is used after soldering/sintering, then the system structure is simple, but impurities condense on components causing quality losses
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling process is divided into two separate modules: a first cooling module that cools the electronic assembly to an intermediate temperature, and a second cooling module that performs final cooling to room temperature. This segmentation prevents impurities from condensing on components during the critical temperature range, thereby improving solder connection quality while maintaining reasonable system complexity through modular design.
2Loss of time
If rapid cooling is performed directly after soldering, then the process time is reduced, but impurities settle on components creating cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The first cooling module performs preliminary cooling to an intermediate temperature (e.g., 50-150°C) before the final cooling stage. This preliminary action removes the majority of thermal energy while the assembly is still above the dew point of impurities, preventing condensation. The approach reduces total cooling time compared to conventional single-stage cooling while maintaining reliability by avoiding impurity deposition.
3Area of stationary object
If the cooling module is placed immediately after the soldering module, then the system layout is compact, but impurities from the atmosphere contaminate the components
Solution Approach 1:
The first cooling module acts as an intermediary stage between the soldering module and the second cooling module. During this intermediate cooling phase, the electronic assembly is cooled to a temperature where impurities do not condense, serving as a protective buffer that prevents atmospheric contamination while maintaining a compact system layout through sequential module arrangement.
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
This approach reduces fouling within the system, improves the quality of soldered connections by preventing adhesion of impurities, and ensures cleaner components and modules by removing residues early in the process, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency and quality of the soldering operation.
Implementation Method 1
a soft cooling module for cooling between a process temperature of the soldering or sintering module and an intermediate temperature, in particular below a solder solidification temperature
Implementation Method 2
using a cold trap to condense and remove these impurities before final cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A system for connecting electronic assemblies, in particular a soldering and/or sintering system, has a transport device for conveying the assemblies through the system, with a plurality of gas-tightly separable modules for connecting the assemblies to one another. At least one module is a soldering and/or sintering module and one module is a cooling module. Between the soldering/sintering and the cooling module, a further module is a soft cooling module for cooling between a process temperature of the soldering or sintering module and an intermediate temperature, in particular below a solder solidification temperature. In a soldering or sintering module in a gas-tightly sealable process chamber, in particular in the soft cooling module, at least one heat source is contactable with the assemblies for heating the assemblies and at least one cold trap is arranged, having in operation a surface temperature which is lower than a heat source operating temperature.