Vacuum-assisted BGA joint formation

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory in communication with the processor, the memory containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
• predicting a solder ball ball-grid-array defect that could occur during reflow of a ball-grid-array assembly;
• assigning an initial via suction pattern to mitigate the solder ball ball-grid-array defect;
• applying a vacuum head to a via in the ball-grid-array assembly, wherein a solder ball is located at the opposite end of the via;
• applying suction to the via based on the initial via suction pattern, wherein the suction draws a portion of the solder ball into the via during reflow;
• analyzing, during reflow, a real-time warping pattern of the ball-grid-array assembly;
• adjusting, based on the real-time warping pattern, the initial via suction pattern, resulting in an updated via suction pattern;
• and
• applying suction to the via based on the updated via suction pattern.

A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

• predict a solder ball ball-grid-array defect that could occur during reflow of a ball-grid- array assembly;
• assign an initial via suction pattern to mitigate the solder ball ball-grid-array defect;
• apply a vacuum head to a via in the ball-grid-array assembly, wherein a solder ball is located at the opposite end of the via;
• and
• apply a first amount of suction to the via and a second amount of suction to a second via in the ball-grid-array assembly based on the via suction pattern, wherein the first amount of suction draws a portion of the solder ball into the via during reflow and wherein the first amount of suction does not equal the second amount of suction.