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KICstart2

KICstart2 datasheet – click here

KICstart2 datasheet – A4 size – click here

Easy to use – Low cost – Compact

The new KICStart2 is a modern profiler that does not try to do too much, but what it is designed to do it does it exceptionally well.
This 6 TC compact and cost effective profiler takes advantage of KIC’s easy to use graphical user interface. The KICstart2 is designed for those companies looking to quickly capture an accurate profile, without all the additional capabilities to optimize the process. The exceptionally low price makes the KICstart2 affordable for almost any budget.

A challenge with most profilers on the market is not the lack of data being collected, but rather the ability to make sense of a large quantity of data. The kicstart2 utilizes KIC’s powerful PWI (Process Window Index) concept to measure the quality of the profile with a single number.

Technical Specifications

Computer Configuation

Minimum System Requirements

Dual Core / 1 GHz Processor PC with 2 GB RAM
2 GB available storage (for product history)
Video 1024 x 768 resolution / 16-bit
1 available USB port (for data download)
1 available parallel port or USB port (for software key options)
Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP, Vista, or 7. (32-bit or 64-bit)

¹ When KIC Software is runing on a computer with other applications, a faster CPU and more RAM may be required.

ProBot

ProBot datasheet – click here

ProBot datasheet – A4 size – click here

The Profiling Machine for your Profile Machine

Automated optical inspection (AOI) machines are not designed to inspect leads that are hidden below components bodies such as BGAs and PoP. Additionally, even for the leads that are visible to the AOI camera, there is no way for the machine to look at the solder joint microstructure to determine whether there are quality issues related to a poor soldering process. A solder joint or component could be defective or weak as a result of a multitude of process issues, i.e. overheating, too fast or too slow ramp rates, excessive time above liquiduous, oxidization, etc.

X-ray has the advantage of seeing through the BGA and PoP component bodies to the solder joints below. This inspection, however, has a similar limitation to the AOI in that although it can verify things like the presence of solder balls and other solder joints etc., it cannot look inside the solder to determine whether it is “healthy.” Another limitation with X-ray is that most factories use batch X-ray systems rather than inline inspection systems. In this case, the vast majority of the PCBs do not get X-rayed and, therefore, can slip by unnoticed.

When automatically profiling these BGA and PoP components it can be determined whether they had been processed in accordance within both the component as well as the solder paste’s thermal tolerances. The combination of automatic thermal profiling and AOI/X-ray inspection provides a very complete inspection process, even for the tiny devices. Additionally, the suspect PCBs that have been processed out of the thermal process window can be rerouted to the batch X-ray station for a more effective sampling of PCBs to be inspected compared to the random sampling that often are used today. Simply stated, automatic thermal profiling makes the existing inspection systems in the factory work far better than in the past.
Automatic Profiling

Flexible, affordable and easy to use software for the ultimate output from a reflow oven – an acceptable profile.

The reflow oven is essentially a profile machine. The ProBot compliments the reflow oven by automatically recording the profile for each and every processed PCB.  On the fly, the profile is compared to the established process window to determine whether it is in spec or not.

Flexibility to Add Enhanced Capabilities

No one wants to pay for features they don’t need, so ProBot is designed with a deep list of optional features and capabilities that can be added at any time, now or later.

Minimum System Requirements

Dual Core / 1 GHz Processor PC with 2 GB RAM
2 GB available storage
Video 1024 x 768 resolution / 16-bit
1 available USB port (for data download)
1 available USB port (for software key)
1 available Ethernet port or 1 available USB port with Ethernet to USB
Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, or 7. (32-bit or 64-bit)

^{Note:  2 additional powered USB ports may be needed for optional accessories} ]]> http://kicthermal.com/process-monitoring-automatic-profiling/probot/feed 0 http://kicthermal.com/profilers/x-5?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=x-5 http://kicthermal.com/profilers/x-5#comments Thu, 24 May 2012 19:11:58 +0000 press2010dev http://kicwp.kicthermal.com/profilers/x5-profiler

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X5

X5 datasheet – click here

X5 datasheet – A4 size – click here

Intelligent Thermal Profiler

Robust Hardware – Ease of Use – Process Optimization
2 Year Warranty – 24 Hour Word Class Customer Support

Robust and Compact Hardware

This new and improved hardware is designed to withstand the roughest and toughest daily handling! The electronic circuitry is designed to tolerate a high level of voltage spikes that occasionally occur in some ovens and wave solder machines.

KIC is putting their money where their mouth is by offering a standard TWO YEAR warranty on this durable profiler.

The X5 is availalbe in 7, 9, and 12 channel versions using standard type K thermocouple connectors and uses standard AAA or recharageable batteries. Additionally you can power the X5 via the USB cable when connected to a computer. Get better data to precisely identify what is going on with each thermal profile and process in the factory.

Data Intelligence Software

The X5 software uses a modern, graphical interface that quickly and intuitively guides you through the task of profiling. Manual prediction capability comes standard with the X5, allowing you to manually adjust and improve upon your process or oven setup. The Navigator Power^TM software feature automates process improvements and optimization for you and ships standard with the X5. Within seconds, the Navigator Power  will identify the single best oven setup.

The X5 also comes standard with SPC charting software that helps reveal changes in the profile over time.

The X5 hardware and software establish a new generation of profiler to improve your production quality, productivity, and documentation.

Technical Specifications

Computer Configuation

Minimum System Requirements

Dual Core / 1 GHz Processor PC with 2 GB RAM
2 GB available storage
Video 1024 x 768 resolution / 16-bit
1 available USB port (for data download)
1 available USB port (for software key)
Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, or 7. (32-bit or 64-bit)

Copyright © KIC. All rights reserved. Patents pending. Specifications subject to change without notice.

Dual lane reflow ovens are becoming quite popular in the electronic assembly industry, and for good reason.  A dual lane oven becomes essentially two ovens for the price of one, and with the footprint of one.  When the oven has independent speed control on the second lane, it can process two different PCBs with two different profile specs (process windows) simultaneously.

The draw back for a dual lane – dual speed  reflow oven is that it can be exceptionally difficult to set up.  The reason is obvious:  Once the first lane is set up correctly (to produce an in-spec profile for PCB 1), the zone heaters for the second lane are already chosen.  So with a different PCB and perhaps even a different process window, the only variable that can be changed to reach an in-spec process is the conveyor speed.  While it is possible to achieve this manually, similarly to solving the Rubik’s Cube challenge, the set up process may be very long.  Time is your enemy when you just want to get your production line up and running.  In addition, as the thermal process naturally fluctuates, the dual lane – dual speed oven has less room to maneuver before an out of spec situation occurs.  The initial setup dance may therefore need to be repeated from time to time.

What is clearly needed is a tool that can setup both lanes in record time.  Fortunately such a tool does indeed exist.  It is called the KIC Navigator.  Here is how it works:

PCB 1’s process window is entered into the KIC software and a profiler is attached using standard type K thermocouples.  A profile is run and the Navigator will immediately suggest the oven setup that positions the PCB profile towards the center of its process window.  Once verified, the zone temperatures along with the speed of the first conveyor are now fixed.

PCB 2’s process window is entered into the KIC software.  The previously determined zone temperatures are also entered.   The KIC Navigator has a mode that will prevent it from changing the zone temperatures.  Essentially, the KIC Navigator will look at every single incremental change in the conveyor speed until it finds a speed that will process PCB 2 in spec while using the already established zone temperatures.  Again, this search will only take seconds.

The obvious benefit to the users of the KIC Navigator on such an application is the speed of set up.  Production down time or idle time can be very expensive so the cost savings here can be significant.

A less obvious benefit is that the KIC Navigator tends to find more stable oven set ups, meaning that the PCB profiles are positioned farther away from the spec limits.  This allows for more process drift before an out of spec situation occurs.  The bottom line again is less production down time and less operator intervention.

Request a Demo Now

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KICstart

KICstart datasheet – click here

KICstart datasheet – A4 size – click here

Profiling Made Fast, Accurate and Affordable

Exceptional Value

The KICstart™ thermal profiler utilizes core technologies developed by KIC—the world’s premier thermal profiling company—and is supported by KIC’s worldwide organization. Packaging these innovative technologies into a low-cost system, the KICstart is an ideal thermal profiler for facilities with tight budgets.

Ease of Use

The KICstart profiler has everything you need to quickly acquire an accurate profile, without complicated features that can slow you down. For applications where all you want is your product’s thermal profile—immediately with no fuss—the KICstart is for you. KIC’s patented design concept automatically identifies the location of each oven heating zone, so no measurements are required. This design automatically corrects for different TC locations on the part, aligning them for improved profile graph viewing. In addition, the optional Manual Prediction enables the process engineer an instant “trial and error” capability when searching for more suitable oven recipes. With its easy to use and intuitive software, new personnel can be trained in record time.

Instant Process Analysis

Once your profile has completed, the KICstart automatically analyzes your process using the Process Window Index™ (PWI™). The PWI is a single statistical number that measures how well your profile fits within your product’s thermal process window (See the Process Window Index data sheet for details). The PWI provides an instant and objective conclusion whether your product profile is in spec, eliminating guesswork and opinion from process analysis. This helps you ensure that all your products on all your lines are manufactured with measurable, consistent quality.

Reliable and Robust

The superior accuracy and reliability of the KICstart is nothing less than you would expect from KIC’s award winning product line. The KICstart is a six thermocouple data-logger unit that utilizes solid state technology designed to withstand the daily thermal cycles for years to come.

KICstart your Thermal Process Today!

Technical Specifications

Computer Configuation

Minimum System Requirements

800 MHz Processor / 256 MB RAM¹
2 GB available storage (for product history)
Video 1024 x 768 resolution / 16-bit
1 available USB port (for data download)
1 available parallel port or USB port (for software key options)
Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP, Vista, or 7. (32-bit or 64-bit)

¹ When KIC Software is runing on a computer with other applications, a faster CPU and more RAM may be required.

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KIC RPI

KIC RPI datasheet – click here

KIC RPI datasheet – A4 size – click here

Reflow Process Management Tool

A reflow oven is a busy machine, striving to control multiple variables while heating and cooling PCBs.  The purpose of the oven, however, is very simple.

A. Create a specific PCB profile

B.  Maintain required throughput

The KIC RPI optimizes both of these outputs while sharing the data on a continuous basis with the authorized personnel.

Reflow Process Index

The KIC RPI indexes the single most important output of a reflow oven, namely how well the profile conforms to the required spec.  This index is independent of type of oven, PCB type, personnel, and even geographical location.

30 each Thermocouple sensors embedded in the reflow oven
1 each Speed encoder
1 each e-TPU data acquisition box with cabling
1 each Alarm relay
1 each Light tower
1 KIC RPI software

Minimum System Requirements

Dual Core / 1 GHz Processor PC with 2 GB RAM
2 GB available storage
Video 1024 x 768 resolution / 16-bit
1 available USB port (for data download)
1 available USB port (for software key)
1 available Ethernet port or 1 available USB port with Ethernet to USB
Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, or 7. (32-bit or 64-bit)

^{Note:  2 additional powered USB ports may be needed for optional accessories}

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Aluminum Tape

Solution for Reliable Thermocouple Attachment

Aluminum Tape datasheet – click here

Aluminum Tape datasheet – A4 size – click here

Double Sided Thermally Conductive Tape Used for Attaching Thermocouples to PCBS

Sold in 1 inch x 10 foot rolls

“Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency Increases Demonstrated
by Thermal Process Optimization”

Introduction
The solar industry’s drive toward lower cost per W requires both lower cost as well as higher solar cell efficiency. The relationship between an optimized thermal process and increased cell efficiency has long been known, although the quantification of this relationship and the method to achieve it have been less well understood. This article outlines the method of process optimization, and it measures the resulting cell efficiency improvements as they relate to volume production of solar cells. The basic strategy used is applicable for a variety of thermal processes, both within the silicon as well as thin film solar cell manufacturing. This article, however, focuses on the silicon solar cell metallization process.

Experiment Overview
As a manufacturer of silver pastes for solar cell applications, Heraeus has worked on perfecting its material’s performance in the metallization process for some time. A design of experiment using KIC’s e-Clipse thermocouple (TC) attachment fixture was developed to use more sophisticated thermal profiling and process optimization tools to help identify the very best wafer profile for the company’s latest paste, and to measure what impact such process optimization would have on cell efficiency. A number of identical wafers were processed in a metallization furnace under different thermal process conditions, and their resulting cell efficiency improvements were measured. The results are presented in this article.

Cell Metallization
For solar cell metallization applications, thick film paste is a suspension of a functional (conductive) phase, binder, vehicle and additives. Silver is the most common conductive filler used for front contact paste. The binder is composed of a glass frit that is used to bind the functional phase to the silicon wafer. Specialized chemistry of the binder also is required to etch through anti-reflective and passivation layers, and initiate effective ohmic contact between the silver and silicon. The vehicle is an organic composition that provides printability of the pastes and is composed of resins, solvents, and modifiers. The resins support the solids of the other phases and keep them in homogeneous suspension. Solvents are used to dissolve the resins, and they must be stable in production conditions. These organic components of the paste must burn off cleanly in the fast-firing process so as not to contaminate the surface of the wafers or introduce sources of recombination near the p-n junction.

The paste is applied using the standard screen printing process common to crystalline silicon solar cell production. After printing, the wafers pass through an in line dryer and proceed directly into the firing furnace. Most furnaces today contain six firing zones, but the differences from manufacturers come from the length of the zones and how they maintain a uniform firing environment within the furnace.

The thermal process of the wafer is one of the keys to achieving improved efficiencies. Drying steps are expected to remove most of the solvent used in the pastes before entering the firing zones. Solar cell metallization generally follows a spike profile type. Wafers only see peak temperature for approximately 1-4 seconds based on wafer and metallization chemistries. The most important steps include the clean burnout of the organics in the paste followed by etching through the silicon nitride (or other) passivation/ARC layer and, ultimately, the formation of good ohmic contact between the sintered silver and the very top layer of n-type silicon. These all lead to low contribution from series resistance and recombination resulting from the formation of the contacts. Control of this profile will become more crucial as the emitter depth decreases with increasing sheet resistance. Both uniformity of diffusion and furnace will be necessary to achieve the desired efficiency improvements.

Thermal Process Development
Since the hypothesis is that the wafer’s thermal profile will significantly impact the cell efficiency, an experiment was designed to vary the wafer profiles while keeping all other variables constant:

• Wafers: We purchased a large quantity of wafers that were known to be of a very consistent quality
• Aluminum coating: All the wafers had consistent aluminum coating.
• Silver paste: The Heraeus paste SOL 9235H was from the same batch consistent.
• Screen print: Great care was taken when screen printing the Heraeus paste to secure that the paste deposition, line width, and line thickness were uniform across all wafers.

Profiling: All profile measurements were taken with a high accuracy thermal profiler that used a new TC attachment fixture that was proven to offer accurate and consistent readings on the surface of the wafer. The type K TCs in the fixture used a flattened disk bead rather than the spherical bead for added accuracy and repeatability

Figure 1: Heraeus silver paste
The base line profile on these wafers had been developed prior to the project based on extensive knowledge of the paste chemistry and years of practical experience with the metallization process. The base line profile can be seen in dark blue in Figure 2. For the base line test, as with all the subsequent process improvement tests, the wafers were processed at the same time and fired under the same conditions. Ten wafers were run through the furnace within a short period of time, and all were subjected to the same profile. After firing, we measured the cell efficiency in our continuous lamp tester. The average efficiency for the base line profile was 15.53 percent, as can be seen in Figure 3 (η Cell). Based on the type of wafer that was selected for this study, and the fact that a continuous lamp tester was used rather than a flash tester, this efficiency number was considered good. Now we wanted to make it better.

Figure 2: The wafer profiles for each groupIt is important to acknowledge that what we were trying to accomplish was not to find a single “golden” profile for the wafers, but rather the optimal thermal process window. The Heraeus paste SOL9235H is a very robust paste that can perform well throughout a range of profiles. Establishing a thermal process window will set the upper and lower limits for the wafer’s peak temperature, time above certain temperature levels, etc. within which the cell efficiencies will be highest.

Figure 3: Cell efficiency testing

Figure 4: Boxplot of cell efficiencies for base each wafer profileSince we did not yet know the upper and lower limits to our process window, we used the base line profile as a starting point, and we initially set relatively wide process limits around it as shown in Figure 4. The profiler software always measures how well the profile fits the chosen process window with a single number called Process Window Index (PWI). The PWI number is 100 percent when the profile is at the edge of the process window. The lower the number, the closer the profile is to the center of the process window. A PWI of 0 percent represents a profile at the very center of the process window.

Figure 5: Original Process Window
Our profiler also has profile simulation software that allowed us to change the furnace zone temperatures or conveyor speed in the software, and to immediately predict the resulting wafer profile. For the first process improvement step, we suspected that a higher peak temperature would benefit the metallization. We tried a few zone temperature changes in the software and studied the software simulation of the corresponding profile before settling on a 10°C increase in the furnace peak zones (Zone 5 and 6). Once the furnace stabilized on the new settings, we ran a set of 10 wafers for our Group 2 test. The average cell efficiency increased from 0.40 to 15.93 percent. For Group 3, we increased the peak temperatures settings in zones 5 and 6 another 10°C, but the average cell efficiency of the 10 wafers dropped by 0.12 percent.

For the Group 4 test, we set the zones back to the Group 2 level and reduced the furnace conveyor speed. The prediction software showed the impact on the wafer profile both in terms of peak temperature changes and, in particular, in terms of time above the various temperature levels shown in Figure 5. Due to this, we reduced the conveyor speed from 200 to 190″/min. The average cell efficiencies increased yet another 0.11 percent above the Group 2 numbers to a cell efficiency of 16.04 percent. Our final test for Group 5 kept the temperatures stable but increased the conveyor speed from 190 to 210″/min. That dropped the average cell efficiency by 0.16 percent.

Figure 6: e-Clipse TC attachment fixture

Conclusion
By systematically changing certain key profile dimensions, such as peak temperature and time above 500°C, we were able to identify the “sweet spot” in the metallization process. The PWI index and the profiler’s simulation software allowed us to quickly identify the appropriate furnace settings for profiles below, above and in the middle of the optimal settings. This sweet spot yielded an average cell efficiency of 0.51 percent higher than previous experiments had allowed.

The Heraeus SOL 9235H silver paste’s properties allow for high-efficiency processing in a range of profiles, hence a process window can be established around the “ideal” profile identified above. Heraeus now advices its clients to the appropriate process window for each application.

With modern profilers, solar cell manufacturers can adjust their furnace setup until the wafer profile is positioned within the suggested process window. Over time, the thermal process will drift due to a number of variables such as heating lamps changing as they get older, wear and tear in the furnace, conveyor speed drifts, exhaust changes, and more. It then is a simple task for the manufacturing engineer to run another profile, and to use the profiler process optimization software to identify the furnace settings that will yield the appropriate profile.

This method for process optimization depends on accurate and repeatable profile readings. One excessive noise in the profile readings historically has been caused by the attachment method for the TCs. Both cemented and dummy wafer TCs tend to measure the material used to secure the TCs in place, rather than to measure the surface of the wafer. Pinning the TC to the wafer with a weight suffers from non-repeatability. The fixture with flattened TC beads has worked well for us.

Finally, process optimization must be quick and easy enough to be useful for volume production lines, as opposed to only the laboratory line. There is little use in perfecting the process in the laboratory just to see the transfer to the production lines fail because the furnace properties are different. Once the correct process window is established, the high-volume furnaces can be adjusted within minutes, keeping production downtime to a bare minimum. This task must not only be performed during transfer from the lab to the production line, but it also must be performed periodically due to the drift in the thermal process that is a fact of life in any production line. The few minutes it takes to adjust the production furnaces for peak performance is richly rewarded by the ability to consistently produce higher efficiency cells.

Future Studies
The temperature readings taken by the e-Clipse TC attachment fixture are higher than historic readings taken by older TC attachment methods. A future study will focus on quantifying the accuracy and repeatability of the new profiling method as it relates to the theoretical true wafer surface temperatures.

Click here to download datasheet [PDF]

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Thermocouples

• Standard Temp, Type K Chromel/Alumel, 260C max temp, multiple colors
• Medium Temp, Type K Chromel/Alumel, 400C max temp
• Accuracy ±1.1C (±0.4%), AST-E230 and ANSI-C96.1
• Standard and Custom wire lengths
• Call for additional Types, Sizes, Temp Ranges and custom application needs