Category Archives: Quality


Oct17
Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Nitrogen (N2) in SMT Reflow Ovens: Optimizing Soldering Quality and Reducing Oxidation

The primary purpose of adding Nitrogen (N2) to the SMT reflow oven is to reduce oxidation on the soldering surface and improve the wettability of the solder joints. Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, and chemically inactive gas. It belongs to … Continue reading

Oct03
What Causes Wave-Like Wrinkles or Cracks in Solder Joints After Reflow?

These soldering wrinkles appeared quite a while ago, but Workingbear recently came across a similar situation on an online forum. Thinking others might encounter the same issue, I decided to document it for both personal reference and to share with … Continue reading

Sep26
The Role of Immersion Gold and Electroplated Gold in PCB Soldering

Workingbear previously wrote an article about how insufficient gold thickness in the ENIG surface treatment of a PCB led to the oxidation of Electroless Nickel, weakening solder joints and causing components detachment during plug and unplug. However, many sources explain … Continue reading

Sep19
Does the Gold Thickness in ENIG PCBs Affect Component Detachment?

Does the Gold Thickness in ENIG PCBs Affect Component Detachment? Do you know how the thickness of the gold layer in ENIG surface-finished PCBs impacts soldering quality? What role does the gold layer play in PCBA soldering? How could the … Continue reading

Sep05
Using 2D X-Ray to Diagnose BGA Solder Void Issues

This is an X-ray inspection image of an MCU’s BGA soldering that failed after reflow. The owner mentioned that the BGA package was not functioning, but when pressing on the MCU, it would temporarily work again. Since Workingbear didn’t have … Continue reading