Tailoring thermal profiles for the reflow of SMD assemblies

The aim is to investigate the effects of various types of thermal components (also known as heat thieves/barriers) on the thermal profiles of a printed circuit board (PCB). It is demonstrated that it is practical to apply modeling techniques to the IR reflow soldering process. Results show that the thermal profiles of the PCB can be tailored. This is achieved by surrounding the PCB with different materials, such as copper, alumina, and graphite, in a strip or ring formation. This has the effect of altering the distribution of the thermal properties of the system. Results obtained using the model show that by attaching an alumina strip to the outer edge of the PCB can reduce the temperature differential of the PCB to less than 5 degrees C.<
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