IPC-7801

Reflow Oven Process

Control Standard

Developed by the Reflow Oven Process Subcommittee (5-45) of IPC

Users of this publication are encouraged to participate in the

development of future revisions.

Contact:

IPC
3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309S
Bannockburn, Illinois
60015-1249
Tel 847 615.7100
Fax 847 615.7105
March 2015 IPC-7801

Table of Contents
1 GENERAL ................................................................. 1 7.5.2 Double-Sided Metal Tape .................................... 9
1.1 Scope .................................................................... 1 7.5.3 High-Temperature Solder .................................... 9
1.2 Purpose ................................................................. 1 7.5.4 Thermally Conductive Adhesive ......................... 9
7.5.5 Attaching Without Damage ................................. 9
2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS .................................... 1
7.6 Additional Suggestions ...................................... 10
2.1 Joint Industry Standards ...................................... 1
7.6.1 Long Wires ......................................................... 10
2.2 IPC ....................................................................... 1
7.6.2 Stress Relief ....................................................... 10
2.3 ANSI .................................................................... 1
7.6.3 Adhesive Support ............................................... 10
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ...................................... 2
7.7 Recognizing Potential Issues ............................. 10
4 THERMAL PROFILES – SnPb AND Pb-FREE ....... 3 7.7.1 Variations in Attachments .................................. 10
4.1 Recommended Reflow Profile Specifications ..... 3 7.7.2 Twisted Wires .................................................... 10
4.2 Example of a Typical Tin-Lead Reflow 7.7.3 ‘‘Spikes’’ in Temperature Data .......................... 10
Profile Specifications ........................................... 3 7.7.4 Excessively High or Low Temperature ............. 11
4.3 Example of a Typical Pb-Free (SAC305)
Reflow Profile Specifications .............................. 4 8 VERIFICATION PROFILING FREQUENCY ........... 11
4.4 Pb-Free (SAC305) Reflow Profile 9 REQUIREMENTS FOR OVEN REPEATABILITY
Temperatures ........................................................ 4 CALCULATIONS ..................................................... 11
5 GOLDEN BOARD DESIGN FOR PROCESS 9.1 Cpk – Process Capability Index and Cp –
VERIFICATIONS ....................................................... 4 Capability Performance ..................................... 11
5.1 Optimal Golden Board ........................................ 4 9.2 SMT Oven Stability ........................................... 11
5.2 Other Options for the Golden Board .................. 4 9.3 Process Capability .............................................. 11
5.3 Golden Board Materials ...................................... 5 10 MAINTENANCE AND CALIBRATION
5.3.1 T/C Location ........................................................ 5 GUIDELINES ......................................................... 12
5.3.2 T/C Attachment Methods – Bolt on T/C ............ 5 10.1 Nitrogen Usage .................................................. 12
5.3.3 T/C Attachment Methods – Eyelet T/C .............. 5 10.2 Reflow Oven Operation ..................................... 12
5.3.4 Golden Board T/C Assembly Methods ............... 6 10.2.1 General ............................................................... 12
10.3 General Housekeeping and Daily
6 PROFILING EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS ........... 6 Maintenance ....................................................... 12
6.1 Types of Profiling Equipment ............................. 6 10.4 Calibration .......................................................... 12
6.1.1 ‘‘Built-In’’ Profilers .............................................. 6 10.5 Preventive Maintenance ..................................... 12
6.1.2 Remote Profilers .................................................. 7
6.2 Minimum Data Acquisition ................................. 7 Figures
6.3 Data Recording Unit ............................................ 7 Figure 3-1 Identification of Temperature Delta at Peak
6.4 Number of T/Cs ................................................... 7 Reflow Temperature ........................................... 2
6.5 Measurement Accuracy ....................................... 7 Figure 3-2 Example of Reflow Oven Recipe Set Points ..... 2
Figure 3-3 Zones in a Typical Reflow Profile ...................... 2
7 THERMOCOUPLES .................................................. 8
Figure 3-4 Typical Graph Representation of a Thermal
7.1 ‘‘K’’ – Type T/C .................................................. 8 Profile ................................................................. 3
7.2 Wire Length ......................................................... 8 Figure 4-1 Typical SnPb Ramp/Soak/Spike Reflow
7.3 Wire Gage ............................................................ 8 Profile ................................................................. 3
Figure 4-2 Typical Pb-Free Ramp/Spike Reflow Profile ..... 4
7.4 Limit of Error ...................................................... 8
Figure 4-3 Comparision of SnPb vs. Pb-Free Reflow
7.5 T/C Attachment .................................................... 8
Profiles ............................................................... 4
7.5.1 Polyimide Tape .................................................... 8

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IPC-7801 March 2015

Figure 5-1 Thermocouple Placements ................................ 5

Figure 5-2 Common Thermocouple Configurations ............ 5
Figure 5-3 Bolt on Thermocouple Method .......................... 5
Figure 5-4 Bolt on Eyelet T/C Attachment Method ............. 5
Figure 5-5 Epoxy T/C Attachment Method .......................... 6
Figure 6-1 ‘‘Built-In’’ Thermocouple Attachment
Sites on a Reflow Oven ..................................... 6
Figure 6-2 Remote Profiling System ................................... 7
Figure 7-1 Example of a Heavy Gage Wire T/C
vs. a Fine Gage T/C Compared to
a U.S. Dime ....................................................... 8
Figure 7-2 Polyimide Tape ................................................... 8
Figure 7-3 Double-Sided Metal Tape .................................. 9
Figure 7-4 Adhesive Dispensing Unit .................................. 9
Figure 7-5 Added Insulation to Protect Long
Run Wires ........................................................ 10
Figure 7-6 Stress Relief Option ......................................... 10
Figure 7-7 Adhesive Support ............................................ 10
Figure 7-8 Twisted T/C Wires ............................................ 10
Figure 7-9 Spikes in Temperature Data ............................ 10

Tables
Table 10-1 Example of Maintenance Schedule
(SAMPLE ONLY) ............................................. 13

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March 2015 IPC-7801

Reflow Oven Process Control Standard

1 GENERAL

1.1 Scope This standard provides process control for solder reflow ovens by baseline and periodic verifications of oven
profiles using a standard methodology. Equipment calibration and maintenance guidelines are provided.
This standard is intended to verify the operating parameters of the reflow oven. This standard is not intended for the assem-
bly product profile/recipe. For detailed information on development or verification of a product profile/recipe see IPC-
7530.
This standard does not provide guidance for vapor phase processes.

1.2 Purpose Intended for users of reflow equipment to baseline performance and periodically verify and demonstrate
acceptable oven performance repeatability.

2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The following documents of the issue in effect on the invitation for bid form a part of this specification to the extent speci-
fied herein.

2.1 Joint Industry Standards1

J-STD-033 Handling, Packing, Shipping and Use of Moisture/Reflow Sensitive Surface Mount Devices

J-STD-075 Classification of Non-IC Electronic Components for Assembly Processes

2.2 IPC2

IPC-1601 Printed Board Storage and Handling Guidelines

IPC-7351 Generic Requirements for Surface Mount Design and Land Pattern Standard

IPC-7530 Guidelines for Temperature Profiling for Mass Soldering Processes (Reflow & Wave)

IPC-9194 Implementation of Statistical Process Control (SPC) Applied to Printed Board Assembly Manufacture Guideline

IPC-T-50 Terms and Definitions for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits

2.3 ANSI3

ASTM/ANSI E230 Standard Specification and Temperature-Electromotive Force (emf) Tables for Standardized Thermo-
couples

1. www.ipc.org
2. www.ipc.org
3. www.ansi.org

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IPC-7801 March 2015

3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Other than those terms listed below, the definitions of terms used in this standard are in accordance with IPC-T-50.
Convection Reflow Soldering – A solder reflow process
where the primary means of heat transfer is by the recirculat-
ing flow of heated air or nitrogen in a Reflow Oven.
DELTA T
Delta T – Temperature variation across an assembly, specifi-
cally the difference between the highest and lowest tempera-
tures on an assembly when measured at Peak Temperature in
the profile across all the thermocouple locations (see Figure
3-1). A low Delta T is desirable.
Golden Board – A reusable test vehicle with thermal charac-
teristics similar to a production assembly, used to measure
Reflow Oven performance and repeatability. Sometimes called
a ‘‘witness board,’’ ‘‘standard test vehicle,’’ ‘‘thermal profiling
board,’’ or ‘‘reference board.’’ IPC-7801-3-1

Liquidus – The temperature at which a solder alloy is com- Figure 3-1 Identification of Temperature Delta at Peak
pletely melted. For more information, see the phase diagram Reflow Temperature
of the solder alloy used. Delta T = Difference between highest measured temperature and
lowest measured temperature.
Peak Temperature – The maximum temperature experienced
at any point on an assembly during reflow soldering. The
highest point on a Reflow Profile.
SP ºC 150 165 195 200 215 350 65

Preheat – A preliminary phase of the soldering process dur- PV ºC 150 165 195 200 215 350 65

ing which the product is heated at a predetermined rate from

ambient temperature to a desired elevated temperature. Pre- SP ºC 150 165 195 200 215 350
heat reduces thermal shock and ensures uniform heating of the PV ºC 150 165 195 200 215 350
assembly up to Liquidus.
Profiling System – A data logger or measuring instrument for
logging temperature and time data from thermocouples. Also IPC-7801-3-2
‘‘Profiler.’’
Figure 3-2 Example of Reflow Oven Recipe Set Points
Ramp – A controlled and uniform increase or decrease in SP = Set Point
PV = Present Value (Measured Value)
temperature, represented as a constant slope on the Reflow
Profile. The magnitude of the slope is known as the Ramp
Rate.
Recipe – A defined set of process parameters programmed
Time Above
into a Reflow Oven (see Figure 3-2). It includes a specific Liquidus

conveyor speed and temperatures within each Reflow Zone, Alloy Liquidus Temperature Peak Temperature = Maxumum
TEMPERATURE

Assembly
Temperature
and possibly the flow rates of air or nitrogen. The recipe typi-
cally varies with the thermal mass and other heat transfer Preheat Dwell = Soak Time

characteristics of the assembly being soldered.

Reflow Oven – A solder reflow system, typically using mostly
convection heating in an air or nitrogen environment. Convey- Preheat Slope = Temperature
Ramp Rate
orized systems incorporate multiple reflow zones in series.
TIME
Batch ovens offer lower throughput and are less common. IPC-7801-3-3

Reflow Profile – A graphical representation of temperature for Figure 3-3 Zones in a Typical Reflow Profile
a single or multiple locations on an assembly, plotted against
time, during the reflow process. It may be a recommended
‘‘baseline’’ or Target Profile, or reflect actual measurements.
Also known as ‘‘Oven Profile.’’

Figure 3-3 shows a typical oven profile which is primarily characterized by one temperature-time graph.