Ec 20ec41t w12 Theory

PCB Design and Fabrication 4th SEM E&C 2021-22
WEEK-12
12.1 Different Soldering Techniques for PCBs
 Soldering is a crucial component in the electronics manufacturing process.
 Soldering is the process of attaching two or more components together using a glue-like
metal substance called solder.
 The soldering technique we choose depends on our needs, materials used, and other
specific factors like high heat resistance or flexibility requirements.
 Picking the wrong soldering technique can lead to product failure or damage to your
PCB.
1. Soft Soldering for PCBs

 Soft soldering is a popular choice in the industry and the best choice for attaching
smaller, compact, fragile components to a printed circuit board.
 The components used in soft soldering will often have low-liquefying temperatures that
break down in high heat.
 Soft soldering liquid needs to stay below 752 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius) to
avoid breaking down the board and components.
 When temperatures rise above this, the process is called braze soldering.
 During soft soldering, a tin-lead alloy is used as a metal space filler and is heated by a gas
or electric torch to attach components to the board.
 Soft soldering is not as durable as other methods and does not make strong joints, giving
it the “soft” title.
2. Hard PCB Soldering or Silver Soldering

 Hard soldering (also known as silver soldering) produces stronger joints than soft
soldering does for your PCBs.
 Hard soldering is normally used to combine metal parts - mainly gold, silver, brass, and
copper - at around 600°F. A blowtorch is used for melting.
 We must use boric acid and alcohol to keep the solder and surface clean during this
process if we want a successful component attachment during your PCB manufacturing.
Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 1

 The term “silver soldering” is used with this method when the solder alloy is made of
silver.
3. Braze Soldering
 Brazing uses the highest temperatures and creates the strongest joints compared to soft
and hard soldering.
 Brazing is similar to hard soldering because the metal components or pieces are attached
through high heat.
 The difference in brazing is that it melts the metals at the base to fit the filler metal
designed for your board.
 Braze soldering is an easy process to automate for mass production, works best to
connect two separate PCBs, and causes less thermal deformation.
4. Wave Soldering
 Wave soldering is utilized for assembly in through-hole processes or surface-mount
technology (SMT).
 It is used for bulk assembly of printed circuit boards.
 The PCB passes over a pan of molten solder that looks similar to a wave pool (that’s
where the name comes from).
 When the circuit board comes into contact with the solder, the circuit board components
become attached.
 Before wave soldering for SMT, components must be glued to the board.
 SMT methods have become more popular than through-hole, making wave soldering a
less popular technique of choice.
 Wave soldering has subsequently been replaced by reflow soldering.
5. Reflow Soldering
 The reflow soldering process involves attaching components to the board with a heated
soldering paste.
 The soldering paste is heated and turned into a molten state, enabling pads and pins to be
connected.

 Reflow soldering results in a permanent attachment.
Materials Needed for Soldering a PCB

 While some materials used in the manufacturing and soldering processes may vary from
project to project, three essential materials will be used during every soldering procedure.
 Soldering iron: A soldering iron is the source of heat used in the soldering process. This
is a pen-shaped metal tool that allows you to manipulate the solder. The parts of a
soldering iron include the tip, wand handle, solder wick eraser, and a rest for when it’s
not in use.
 Soldering paste: This is a gray putty that attaches the leads of your components to the
board.
 Solder Flux: Solder flux is a chemical cleaning agent. It helps remove rust, prevent
future rust by keeping air out, and allows your soldering paste to be applied easier by
preparing the surface.
12.2 Testing of PCB

 Several PCB testing methods are available, and no single one will catch every problem or
meet the requirements of every designer.
 Each testing method should be considered closely to determine if it meets the specific
needs of our manufacturing environment.
1. In-Circuit Test (ICT)

 In-circuit testing is a popular PCB testing method that many PCB manufacturers prefer to
employ, and it can find 98% of faults.
 This testing method uses special PCB testing steps and equipment, including:
 In-circuit tester: The tester system contains a matrix of hundreds or thousands of drivers
and sensors, which perform the measurements for the test.
 Fixture: A fixture connects to the in-circuit tester and is the part that interacts directly
with the board being tested. This fixture looks like a bed of nails and is designed
specifically for the board in question. Each “nail,” or sensor point, connects to relevant

points on the test board, feeding information back to the tester. Fixtures are generally the
most expensive part of this system.
 Software: Software for the tester instructs the system on what tests to perform for each
type of board being tested and dictates the parameters for a pass or fail.
 Using the ICT method, a manufacturer can test individual components and measure their
performance, regardless of the other components attached to them.
 Generally, this type of testing is best for 3analog circuits since it’s best at measuring
resistance, capacitance and other analog measures.
2. Fixtureless In-Circuit Test (FICT)/Flying Probe Test

 The fixtureless in-circuit test (FICT), also known as the flying probe test, is a type of ICT
that operates without the custom fixtures, reducing the overall cost of the test.
 First introduced in 1986, FICT uses a simple fixture to hold the board while test pins
move around and test relevant points on it using a software-controlled program.
 Since its introduction, FICT has gained widespread use throughout the electronics
manufacturing industry for its versatility.
 FICT is able to adapt to new boards quickly, easily and cost-effectively, with a simple
programming change, it tends to be slower than the traditional ICT.
 This quality makes it an ideal testing method for small-production tests and prototype
testing but less effective for large-scale production.
3. Functional Circuit Test

 A functional circuit test is exactly what it sounds like — it tests the function of the
circuit.
 This type of testing always comes at the end of the manufacturing plan, using a functional
tester to check whether a finished PCB performs to specifications.
4. Boundary Scan Testing

 The boundary scan test looks at the wire lines on PCBs and is widely used as a way to
test integrated circuits when it isn’t possible to reach all the nodes of the circuit.

 In this type of test, cells are placed in the leads from the silicon to the external pins,
testing the functionality of the board.
 In fact, this testing method is quite versatile and able to be used for several applications,
including system-level tests, memory testing, flash programming and central processing
unit (CPU) emulation, among other functions.
 It’s commonly used in field service to detect problems in functioning systems.

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PCB Design and Fabrication 4th SEM E&C 2021-22

1. Soft Soldering for PCBs

2. Hard PCB Soldering or Silver Soldering

Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 1

Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 2

 Reflow soldering results in a permanent attachment.

Materials Needed for Soldering a PCB

12.2 Testing of PCB

1. In-Circuit Test (ICT)

Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 3

2. Fixtureless In-Circuit Test (FICT)/Flying Probe Test

3. Functional Circuit Test

4. Boundary Scan Testing

Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 4

Department of E&C, GPT, Immadihalli Page 5

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