This research addresses solder application to printed circuit boards and other substrates with a new flexible approach that can be employed in numerous applications, directed application of molten solder droplets, using ink-jet printing technology. Ink-jet printing systems use the ejection of tiny drops of ink to produce an image. The devices produce highly reproducible and controllable drops, so that a drop may be printed at a specific location according to digitally stored image data. Several distinct applications could evolve from this research. These include: (1) A surface mount rework station for replacement of bad, or improperly assembled components that incorporates a highly accurate and automated solder droplet dispensing system; (2) An automated in-line solder process that would dispense one or more types of solder, and flux, onto electronic printed circuit board pads for bonding of high pin count, fine pitch surface mount components; and (3) Systems for special applications, such as dispensing solder droplets onto Flip Chip bonds, bumps for Tape Automated Bonding (TAB), and solder pads for flex circuit interconnects.
