Integrated de-ionized water pressure monitoring system for solder plating machines

• US 6,770,184 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Pinlam, Watcharin, Bupparit, Youthachai, Moogdaharn, Chalor
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEADER, WILLIAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/782,500
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 204/227, 204/228.1, 205/81, 205/82, 205/220, 118/663, 118/712, 427/8, 427/355, 427/444
• US Class Current: 205/81
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/08 Rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/12 Process control or regulation controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49582 Metallic layers on lead frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation

Abstract

The present invention provides a solder plating system with automatic monitoring of wash fluid pressure. The system automatically activates an alarm and/or initiates shutdown of a solder plating machine when the pressure reading indicates a failure of the wash fluid supply. The system thereby reduces the number of parts that are affected by failures in the wash fluid supply system. In some cases, problems with the wash fluid supply are detected before any parts are affected.

Claims

1. A solder plating system, comprising:

a solder plating machine;

a wash fluid supply system for supplying wash fluid to the solder plating machine;

a pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure of wash fluid supplied by the wash fluid supply system; and

a switch control system for automatically switching an alarm based on one or more readings supplied by the pressure sensor and a plurality of rules that detect and/or predict a problem with the wash fluid supply.

2. The solder plating system of claim 1, wherein the switch control system automatically shuts down the solder plating machine based on one or more readings supplied by the pressure sensor.

3. The solder plating system of claim 1, wherein the switch control system activates an alarm when the wash fluid pressure drops below a first value.

4. The solder plating system of claim 3, wherein the switch control system automatically shuts down the solder plating machine when the wash fluid pressure drops below a second value.

5. The solder plating system of claim 1, wherein the switch control system includes a memory that retains readings supplied by the pressure sensor.

6. The solder plating system of claim 5, wherein the switch control system further comprises and expert system.

7. The solder plating system of claim 5, wherein the switch control system automatically shuts down the solder plating machine based on a reading supplied by the pressure sensor together with one or more retained readings.

8. A method of operating a solder plating system, comprising:

supplying wash fluid for a solder plating machine;

obtaining pressure readings for the wash fluid supplied to the solder plating machine; and

automatically activating an alarm based on one or more of the readings and a plurality of rules that detect and/or predict a problem with the wash fluid supply.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically activating the alarm is based on a reading that indicates the pressure is below a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising retaining readings relating to the pressure for the wash fluid and wherein automatically activating the alarm depends in part on retained readings.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically activating an alarm based on one or more of the readings comprises using an expert system to decide whether to activate the alarm.

12. A method of operating a solder plating system, comprising:

supplying wash fluid for the solder plating machine;

obtaining readings relating to a pressure for the wash fluid supplied to the solder plating machine; and

automatically shutting down the solder plating machine based on one or more of the readings and a plurality of rules that detect and/or predict a problem with the wash fluid supply.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein automatically shutting down the solder plating machine is based on a reading that indicates the pressure is below a threshold value.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein automatically shutting down the solder plating machine based on one or more of the readings comprises using an expert system to decide whether to shut down the solder plating machine.

15. A solder plating system, comprising:

a solder plating machine;

a wash fluid supply system for supplying wash fluid to the solder plating machine;

a pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure of wash fluid supplied by the wash fluid supply system; and

a switch control system including an adaptive system for triggering an alarm and/or shutting down the solder platting machine based at least upon one or more readings supplied by the pressure sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the adaptive system is an expert system.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the adaptive system utilizes a neural network.