KIC Press Release April 16, 1998 - KIC Announces New SPC Package for Real-Time Tracking of Board-Level Temperature

(San Diego, CA -- April 16, 1998) : KIC Thermal Profiling announces two new Statistical Process Control (SPC) tracking options for the company‘s Prophet(tm) Thermal Manager System. Both packages allow users to monitor board-level temperatures in real-time throughout the length of the reflow oven, and to reduce product changeover times.

The first SPC option allows process data to be transferred from the reflow oven during production directly to a user‘s existing SPC program. The second option interfaces directly with ProLink‘s QC-Calc(tm) and includes the software for the SPC program, which automates data collection, management and analysis. QC-Calc supports SPC analyses of thermal process temperature distribution over time and produces reports in Xbar-range, process capability (CpK), Pareto, correlation and regression charts.

Both options are available with KIC‘s Prophet Thermal Manager, a temperature data acquisition system that functions independently of the reflow oven controller. Using 30 or more thermocouples placed along the conveyor, the Prophet monitors the thermal process every thirty seconds at board level. The system delivers data in real time, eliminating the need for process verification through periodic profiles. Extensive documentation, storage and recall capabilities lessen the need to run profiles during product changeovers, contributing to reductions in downtime.

About KIC
Based in San Diego, KIC is the industry leader in automated thermal management tools and systems for reflow, wave, cure and semiconductor thermal processes. The company pioneered the development of oven profilers and process development tools. KIC remains on the leading edge of the thermal industry with innovative tools for process development, optimization and real-time management.