SSEC - Wet Processing-Technologies

Parallel Seam Sealing
Parallel seam sealing achieves the highest quality results at the lowest cost in hermetic package sealing. Surpassing the most stringent U.S. MIL STDs, this process can weld or braze seal packages while keeping the device temperature near ambient. Parallel seam sealing is effective independent of the package shape, and allows rework, up to two times per package per the MIL STDs. Suitable materials include electroless nickel plated lids, which pass the salt spray test at lower cost than gold plated lids, stainless steel, and pure nickel. Placement of lids can be either manual, with automatic inspection, or automatic.

Lid Placement Inspection
Placement of the lid onto the package is the most critical step in parallel seam sealing. The new lid placement inspection system utilizes a vision processing system to ensure accurate placement prior to tacking or sealing. A programmable, auto-focusing camera built into the sealing head first visualizes the package for reference, then, with the lid in place, measures the position. If the lid is not correctly placed, the operator is alerted and sealing is inhibited. Lid overhang tolerance and inspect/inhibit before and/or after tacking are fully programmable. Position data can also be collected for quality control and operator training. All Model 2400e parallel seam sealers, manual or automatic, incorporate this capability.

	Digital Sealing Power With a digital signal processor to regulate pulse parameters, the Model 2400e power supply renders per pulse DSP control of pulse power, width, and repetition time, and path resistance sensing, for greater accuracy and process flexibility. Moreover, its increased power capacity—to 5 kVA—results in cooler, faster sealing schedules. Pulse power and repetition time modulation along the seal path ensures seal uniformity regardless of package shape or size.
	Automatic Height Control Precise control of electrode height is necessary for correct mechanical and electrical contact and to adjust to different package sizes. Feedback mechanisms for electrode height and package contact ensure uniform sealing, with current turn-on precisely determined to eliminate arcing.
	Automatic Force Control A uniform seal depends on constant sealing force everywhere along the seal path. This is particularly important for rotary sealing or large matrix tray sealing, where sealing geometry could compromise uniformity. The Model 2400e achieves consistent force by the use of linear encoders on the electrode assemblies as a feedback sensor, maintaining a constant, calibrated spring compression.

Automatic Lid Placement
The entire lid placement process is critical for the highest sealing yields. Lid placement errors, a major cause of rejects, are traceable to a combination of lid design and lid placement—generally performed by operators wearing bulky rubber gloves inside a drybox system.
In the Model 2400e Parallel Seam Sealer with Automatic Lid Placement and Model 2400e Parallel Seam Sealer with Full Automation, digital lid location with three-axis adjustment (X, Y, Theta) eliminates this yield-limiting concern. The lid placement system is driven by two vision processing vision-on-lid and vision-on-package, with sub-pixel resolution ensuring location to ± 0.002" 3σ. Bilateral, multi-level lighting enhances placement accuracy, independent of package shape.
In the entire automatic cycle, each lid is positioned on the package automatically, its position automatically checked, then tacked into place prior to final sealing of the entire matrix.

High Precision Pick and Place Head
Accurate lid placement is critical for high sealing yields. SSEC's precision pick and place head features optics, software, and DSP based motor control networked logic designed for increased precision and reliability. Positioning is accurate to < ± 0.0018" 3σ. Angular resolution is improved by a theta encoder on the picker shaft, providing closed loop accuracy.

	Lid Feeders Lid feeding automation includes a range of vibratory lid feeder options for non-stackable lids. These comprise both a stick feeder, suitable for stepped lids, and bowl feeders that handle small, flat lids, for the fastest production volumes. Stackable lids may be fed from matrix trays that contain both lids and packages or from multi-cavity lid stacks.
	Cassette Automation Cassette automation reduces manual handling, resulting in higher productivity and increased sealing yields, and supports uninterrupted operation. This feature employs ergonomically sound, industry-standard tooling for 4" x 4" and 6" x 6" matrix trays, Auer boats to 12.3" x 5.1", and magazines.

Gas Mixing
SSEC dryboxes feature fully automatic, two- and three-way gas mixing systems. PC programmed moisture, helium, and oxygen levels can be set in 1 PPM increments, with programmable inhibit and alarm levels, and automatic dry-down operation.

Heated/Cooled Oven Shelves
With the Model 2000e heated shelf oven, you get the most precise control over temperature—to the rated limit of 200 °C—and vacuum cycling possible, for optimum moisture removal. The oven is heated by shelf conduction for uniform heating over the surface, ± 2 °C. Heated nitrogen makeup gas and liquid cooling of shelves achieve the fastest up/down temperature cycle available.

	Comprehensive Network Control The entire sealing system, including sealing mechanism, digital sealing power, and environmental system, is built on a network architecture, allowing full control and data management from the system computer. All operation is controlled through a convenient Windows® user interface. This flexible architecture allows system capability to be added as you need it, when you need it, without requiring a forklift upgrade.
	Versatile Software Environment With a software structure built on Windows® architecture, the Model 2400e has features throughout that both improve the sealing process and enhance usability, control, management, and diagnosis of the system. Operations benefit from a convenient user interface, a comprehensive Help facility, CD-ROM operating manual, and self-teach wizards, which guide you easily through your process, for all functions and setups.
	Wafer Level Sealing The Model 2400e parallel seam sealer is adaptable for wafer level sealing for the emerging advanced packaging (MEMS) market.
	Ceramic Lid Tacking Programmable lid and package temperature, lid squeeze pressure, and holding time, all are programmed from the PC with per package digital control.

One-Shot Welding
One-Shot Welding in the Model NTe, suitable for certain metal packages, implements this process with high weld energy to seal 3 linear inches of seal area from a single 220 volt, 15 amp feed. Use of dedicated microprocessor and resistance feedback ensure precise electrode contact and pulse-by-pulse control of each pulse in a sealing burst. Pulse length is programmable in 10 μsec increments. The Model NTe with rotary sealing head can seal over 600 UPH

Vacuum Sealing
Vacuum tooling in the Model NTe One-Shot Welder can pull 15 μm vacuum and achieve a hermetic seal of 10^-8 cc/sec. The package can be backfilled with a controlled volume of inert gas. Low cost tooling with easy package size changeover supports optimum sealing production and testing.

Highest Yield Hermetic Package Sealing Technology