The Mexico Technology Awards, organised annually by Mexico EMS, recognise companies that drive technical innovation, increase productivity, improve manufacturing quality and deliver cost-effective solutions.
State of the art
Due to the variety of electronic component geometries, the assembly height varies from 0.5 to 30 mm. In order to be able to react flexibly to this wide variance in production, convection soldering systems are designed with a large opening at the inlet and outlet. However, reality shows that although there are assemblies with a total height of 30 mm, the majority of assemblies soldered are no higher than 7 mm. This means that the opening at the inlet and outlet of the system is oversized for many assemblies, so that more nitrogen can escape from the system and the consumption of the gas required for process inerting is higher than would be the case with a design optimised for this level.
Solution approach
To achieve both the maximum required throughput height and the always optimal nitrogen consumption for lower assemblies, Rehm Thermal Systems has patented, developed and mass-produced the mechatronic curtain. In the process, movable curtains are installed at the inlet and outlet of the oven, which guarantee the optimal distance to the assembly depending on its height.
As an example, for an assembly with a width of 244 mm, a length of 305 mm and a height of 7 mm, a nitrogen saving of approx. 27 % can be achieved with 500 ppm residual oxygen and a saving of approx. 20 % with 1000 ppm residual oxygen.
The awards ceremony brought together industry leaders, innovators and professionals to celebrate the latest technological advances and achievements in electronics manufacturing. “We are honored to receive the Mexico Technology Award for our patented mechatronic curtain for convection soldering systems,” said Luis García, Managing Director of Rehm Thermal Systems Mexico. “This award is a testament to how hard our team has worked to develop a more efficient system for our customers.”
Further information about the Mexico Technology Awards can be found here.
Further information about the patented mechatronic curtain can be found here.
