When you need to replace defective components, reprogram firmware, or install a daughter board on complex or high-rel PCBAs, you need a rework system that combines ease of use with high precision and reliability. High-precision rework systems feature advanced optical alignment, automated component removal and replacement, and both top and bottom hot air for desoldering and resoldering, Ideal not only for delicate, heat-sensitive, and expensive SMDs, such as BGAs, CSPs, and ultra fine pitch QFPs, these rework stations can also be used for rework and repair of LED strips and boards.

Rework Station's precision control ensures safe and repeatable removal, alignment, placement, and soldering of BGAs, CSPs, ultra-fine-pitch QFPs, and other delicate, heat-sensitive, and expensive SMDs. With high-precision, motorized X, Y, and Z-axes, rapid IR underheating, precision control of hot air flow, and advanced optical alignment,  ensures high product quality even when working with the most complex assemblies.

Remove, align, place, and solder BGAs, CSPs, ultra fine pitch QFPs, and other delicate heat-sensitive and expensive SMDs on single-layer, multi-layer, dense, or complex assemblies without damage to the board or adjacent components. The rework station’s versatile board holding system accommodates virtually any surface mount or mixed-technology PCB assembly up to 21.6” x 18.5” (550 mm x 470 mm).

PCB positioning takes mere seconds with the rework station. Once the board is fixed in the holder, the operator positions the top side heater nozzle over the component to be reworked with the aid of a convenient built-in laser pointer. The top heater, bottom heater, and alignment camera are all mounted to a single gantry and move in unison with each other. As soon as the operator releases the positioning handle, everything automatically locks in place. This unique design allows access to any component on the PCB without the operator having to move or readjust the PCB within the holder.  In addition, the camera automatically moves into position for component alignment, and retracts during placement and soldering. All of these features combined provide an unparalleled level of convenience and operator ease.

Crisp images of the component’s leads and the board’s pads are superimposed on a high definition display at a zoom factor of up to 230x, making visual alignment easy and precise for the smallest chip components through the largest fine-pitch QFPs and BGAs. This is thanks to the rework station’s 1.3 million pixel split-vision CCD camera, two independently controlled lighting sources, and a 15” HD display. Panning of the camera is controlled with the joystick, while fine adjustment of zoom and focus are performed via the adjacent panel controls.

Alignment of leads to pads is performed using fine micrometer adjustment of the PCB holder in the X and Y axes, and angular alignment of the component via rotational controls on the main panel.

To ensure the component touches down right where the operator has aligned it, the high-precision drift-free camera calibration that translates to a positional/placement accuracy of ±0.01 mm between the component alignment position (where the pick-up head is in the raised Z-axis position) and component placement (where the pickup head is in the lowered Z-axis position).  From the moment alignment is set, the rework system takes over. The camera retracts automatically, the leadscrew-driven Panasonic servo drive carefully lowers the component onto the pads, and the soldering process begins. When the soldering process is complete, an alarm sounds, and the upper heater returns to its home position. All that’s left to do is remove the assembly from the holder.

The rework station uses separate pressure regulators and flow controllers for the top and bottom ceramic honeycomb heaters to provide the most accurate and reliable results on the smallest of components, such as 0201 and 01005 chips. With complete control over airflow, shifting is virtually eliminated, ensuring tiny chips are soldered exactly where they’ve been placed.  The top and bottom heaters also feature self-tuning PID temperature control for ±3° accuracy during reflow. Thermal profiles are fully programmable for heating rate, target temperature, dwell time, and cooling for each of up to seven segments for both top and bottom heating, allowing you to create thermal profiles that meet solder paste manufacturer specs. For preheating, a large, multi-zone preheater also gives you more control: its five zones can be independently activated or deactivated to fit individual job requirements, cutting energy costs for rework of smaller boards.

A process viewing camera, included with each system, allows side angle views of the soldering/desoldering process to be displayed on the monitor. The camera and lighting can be adjusted so that close-up views of reflow can be observed. An input for nitrogen allows you to prevent oxidation in mission critical rework applications. Air and nitrogen can be switched instantly through the software. Four integrated thermocouple inputs allow for real-time temperature recording, profile analysis, and fine tuning. The system’s touch screen controller slides into the system’s base for safe storage.