A method for optimizing stencil cleaning time in solder paste printing process
Soldering & Surface Mount Technology
ISSN: 0954-0911
Article publication date: 9 May 2019
Issue publication date: 21 August 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Stencil cleaning is an important operation in solder paste printing process. Frequent cleaning may interrupt printing process and increase idle time, as well as loss for performing cleaning. This paper aims to propose a method to optimize the stencil cleaning time and reduce unnecessary cleaning operations and losses.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a discrete-time, discrete-state homogeneous Markov chain to model the stencil printing performance degradation process, and the quality loss during the stencil printing process is estimated based on this degradation model. A stencil cleaning decision model based on renewal reward theorem is established, and the optimal cleaning time is obtained through a balance between quality loss and the loss on idle time.
Findings
A stencil cleaning decision model for solder paste printing is established, and numerical simulation results show that there exists an optimal stencil cleaning time which minimizes the long-term loss.
Originality/value
Stencil cleaning control is very important for solder paste printing. However, there are very few studies focusing on stencil cleaning control. This research contributes to developing a model to optimize the stencil cleaning time in solder paste printing process.
Keywords
Citation
Yu, J., Cao, L., Fu, H. and Guo, J. (2019), "A method for optimizing stencil cleaning time in solder paste printing process", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 233-239. https://doi.org/10.1108/SSMT-10-2018-0037
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited