Circuit Technology Center
Rework. Repair. Reclaim.
Knowledge, tips, and techniques from the leaders in advanced circuit board and component, rework, repair, and reclamation.
April 8, 2026
image
Here's a situation that you may experience someday if you haven't already. A start-up electronics company discovered a problem. Their contract assembler had just delivered the first 100 boards. Despite a thorough design review and initial prototype, they found that each board needed rework at several ball grid array (BGA) sites. The rework involved changing the circuit paths at the BGA sites, requiring ...
Feature Story
image
This guide details the robotic conditioning and tinning of gull wing component leads, focusing on restoring solderability through controlled cleaning and uniform solder coating. It emphasizes precise control of immersion rates and dwell times to prevent damage and ensure consistent results. Robotic hot solder dip methods are recommended to maintain ...
Guide of the Month
image
Significant progress was made in developing the proposed standard IPC-7712, Component Safe Removal for Failure Analysis and Reclamation, during in-person meetings held at IPC APEX EXPO, March 16 to 18. The working group, composed of industry experts spanning failure analysis, rework, manufacturing, and reliability disciplines, convened to refine the standard's direction and accelerate the development of the draft. Chaired by Jeff Ferry from Circuit Technology Center and guided by IPC liaison Francisco Forecade, the committee held a series of structured sessions ...
News Release
image
Soldering to gold has never been a flawless exercise. Concerns about the quality and quantity of gold finishes buzz around the soldering process like annoying horseflies, drawing blood whenever your guard is dropped. Soldering gold connector pins into through-holes can impose additional constraints on the allowable height of solder fillets along the length of ...
Feature Story
Cartoon
"Due to unusually high call volume, this conversation will be really loud."
Copyright © Randy Glasbergen
Trivia
What does the acronym WYSIWYG stand for?
See the answer below.
Quote of the Week
"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously."
Hubert Humphrey