US 5,516,028 A · Process and system for temperature control and in-line testing of electronic, electromechanical and mechanical modules

Abstract

A process and system exists for temperature control and testing of modules, such as printed circuit boards, with fitted electronic, electromechanical and mechanical components or individual components, wherein the modules are subjected, following assembly in a soldering process and when the solder joints are still in a semi-molten state, to one or more test phases at high and low temperature, in order to detect defects at an early stage and to take immediate corrective measures when errors occur. To this end, in a first test phase the modules are cooled, as they emerge from the soldering process, to a temperature ranging from 40.degree. to 125.degree. C. and tested in a first test phase. Thereafter, in a second test phase the modules are cooled to a temperature ranging from -40.degree. to 10.degree. C. and tested. In the respective test phase the modules are subjected to a component and/or function test in order to determine defective modules. Modules that are found to be faultless are then fed to a dispenser, whereas defective modules are sorted out from the path to the dispenser and an error message is sent. To improve the error inspection, the modules are provided with a digital code that can be read prior to the respective test phase, so that management of defective and faultless modules is possible with digital computers.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Process for manufacturing and temperature control and in-line testing of printed circuit boards on which component elements in the form of electronic, electromechanical, or mechanical modules or electrical components are fitted as semi-finished products, comprising:

passing said printed circuit boards in succession to a soldering station and subjecting said printed circuit boards to a sufficiently high temperature to make solder electrical connections to said component elements;
reducing the temperature of printed circuit boards emerging from said solder station to a first temperature in a temperature range of -50.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. and, while maintaining said first temperature, subjecting said printed circuit boards to a first test phase for the purpose of determining defective component elements;
subjecting the printed circuit boards having modules recognized to be faultless in the first test phase to heating or cooling to a second temperature in the temperature range of -50.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. and performing a second test phase in which further testing is performed in order to determine defective modules;
and
feeding those printed circuit boards determined in said first and second test phases to be faultless to a dispenser, and when a printed circuit board is determined in said first and second test phases to include a component element that is defective, removing said printed circuit board having said defective component element from a path to the dispenser;
and,
outputting an error message indicating that the printed circuit board removed from the path to the dispenser is defective.

4 more elements

System for manufacturing and temperature control and testing of printed circuit boards on which component elements as semi-finished products are fitted, comprising:

a soldering station at which the component elements are mechanically and electrically connected on said printed circuit board;
at least a first test area coupled to said soldering station and receiving printed circuit boards as said printed circuit boards emerge from said soldering station, including,
at least a first testing station in said first test area for performing predetermined testing on said printed circuit boards,
means for insulating said first test area with respect to heat and atmosphere against an environment associated with the soldering station so that the temperature of the printed circuit boards after emerging from the soldering station is reduced at the first testing station to a temperature in the range of -50.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. at which testing of said printed circuit boards is performed;
a conveying device for conveying printed circuit boards at elevated temperatures from the soldering station to the first test area and from the first test area to outside the first test area;
and
control means coupled to said first test station and said conveying device for sorting out printed circuit boards determined to be defective in said first test station to a first output sluice in order for the printed circuit boards determined to be defective to issue from the first test area along a first path and for passing non-defective printed circuit boards to a second output sluice to issue from said first test area along a second path.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and system for temperature control and in-line testing of electronic, electromechanical and mechanical modules

Life of this patent

Process and system for temperature control and in-line testing of electronic, electromechanical and mechanical modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19