Advanced Packaging: Controlling the placement of components

Based on consumer demands for smaller and lighter phones, one major trend in these submodules is the introduction of thinner dies to lower the overall package thickness and weight. The knock-on effect is that dies are now more fragile and can get damaged easily if excessive force is applied during the placement process.

Focused on the controlled component placement, ASM SIPLACE has the solution to place components with low force and touchless placement mode.

In the standard placement mode

Components are lowered to the substrate at high speed and the machine receives feedback from a bero sensor to determine that component has touched down on the board. A spring mechanism within the individual segments ensures that the force is controlled within 1.3N +/- 0.5N.

In the 0.5N low placement force mode

The Z profile of the placement head slows down as it approaches the substrate and monitors the placement force through the advance motion control feedback.

In touchless placement mode

When handling extremely delicate or very thin dies, zero placement force may be required to prevent cracking or chipping. Touchless placement mode can ensure that the dies are placed just above the board by pre-determining the board surface prior to the mounting process. This done by the head lowering the nozzle at specified positions of the board, fixing the datum of the Z-plane before continuing with the die placement.

These three placement modes have varying degrees of impact to derating the placement tact time, by having independent placement force defined for different components. And thus, it ensures optimum throughput with the best placement quality.

For information on getting the best placement quality, you can watch these videos on YouTube:

• Maximum Quality of Placement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWYfL7EXzYE)
• SIPLACE Vision System - for maximum placement quality (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z20uWoER6Vw))
• Advanced Packaging with SIPLACE CA and SIPLACE TX micron (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz0BH9DqqKQ)

For more information about low force or touchless placement, you can reach us at smt-solutions.sg@asmpt.com.