Will my parts move during reflow with lead-free solder paste?

No, they will not. Over the past couple of years, many OEMs and CMs have been upgrading their ovens and wave solders for lead-free processing. During this time, pick-and-place machines were a second priority. Now, as customers move into lead-free manufacturing, people have been finding that their 10-year-old pick-and-place machine that sometimes places parts on top of other parts is not sufficient for placing into lead-free paste. Components are not pulling or self-centering as before. This becomes increasingly evident when placing 0402, 0201, BGA, micro BGA and CSP components.

Conclusion: For a smoother transition to lead-free manufacturing, it is important to not only have a good reflow oven with good heat transfer and local support that will be here after the lead-free craze ends, but to also have a very accurate pick-and-place machine.

How can lead-free reflow be achieved in a small footprint oven?

Lead-free reflow can be achieved like anything else people say cannot be done by thinking outside the box and developing a new technology.

Just because an oven company has been making ovens for 20 years or longer does not mean it has the only right way of manufacturing reflow ovens. The task in a small oven of under 6 ft. and having only 3 zones and 1 cooling zone is to have great heat transfer in a smaller space. Achieve zone separation of up to 100° and have a delta T across the PCB of less than 4°. To achieve this, the standard reflow oven technology cannot be used.

Conclusion: Essemtec has achieved this new technology in its 3 zone, under 6 ft. reflow oven. Lead-free boards have been tested by independent companies in Germany and Switzerland and have passed with flying colors.