Wettable-Side Electronic Components With Soldered Metal Grid Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing processes for surface-mount components with wettable sides are inadequate for ensuring reliable electrical connections, particularly in critical applications like automotive and medical fields.
Innovation Solution
A method involving soldering a metal grid with connection pads onto a substrate, applying an insulating resin layer, and separating chips to create components with wettable sides, using techniques like screen printing and laser cutting to form trenches and separate individual components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If connection metallizations are extended to the sides of components to enable visual inspection of solder quality, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection metallization is segmented into two distinct parts: a lower portion that forms the electrical connection and an upper lateral portion that extends vertically to form the wettable side. This segmentation allows the metallization to serve dual functions - electrical connection and visual inspection reference, thereby improving reliability without requiring entirely new manufacturing approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection metallization transitions from a traditional planar configuration to a three-dimensional structure with vertical extension. The lateral portion rises vertically from the substrate surface, creating a wettable side that provides a visual reference for solder quality while maintaining the electrical connection function, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and manufacturing complexity.
2Measurement precision
If wettable sides are formed by extending connection metallizations, then visual inspection of solder quality is enabled, but manufacturing process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges multiple functions into integrated process steps. The metallization extension that creates wettable sides is combined with the electrical connection formation, and the insulating resin application simultaneously provides both electrical insulation and structural support. This merging reduces the number of separate process steps while achieving the desired measurement precision for visual inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral portion of the connection metallization serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connection, creates a wettable side for visual inspection, and forms part of the structural package. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components or process steps, thereby enabling visual inspection capability without proportionally increasing process complexity.
3Reliability
If insulating resin layer is applied to surround connection pads, then electrical insulation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating resin is applied with local quality variations - it completely surrounds the connection pads in certain regions while being absent or thin in other regions where wettable sides are formed. This localized application provides electrical insulation where needed while maintaining the wettable side structure, thereby improving electrical insulation reliability without requiring uniform high precision across the entire component surface.
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
Ensures reliable electrical connections by allowing visual inspection of solder quality and enhances connection reliability in mounted circuits.
Implementation Method 1
the metal grid is soldered onto the connection pads using a layer of solder deposited by a printing technique, preferably by screen printing
Implementation Method 2
a layer of insulating resin is formed on the substrate, the layer of insulating resin surrounding the connection pads
Implementation Method 3
Some of the solder material then rises up the sides of the components, which allows for a visual inspection of the quality of the connections
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2D~3B
AI summary
A method of manufacturing electronic components (100) with wettable sides from a substrate (301) a first face of which is covered by connection pads (107) and in which chips (103) are formed, the method comprising: - a step during which a metal grid (116), comprising connection pads (117) connected to each other by bars (118), is soldered onto the connection pads (107), - a step during which a layer of insulating resin (121) is formed on the substrate (301), the layer of insulating resin (121) surrounding the connection pads (117), - a step during which the chips (103) are separated from each other, the lateral part (117B) of the connection pads (117) and a part of the layer of insulating resin (121) forming the sides (119) of the components (100).