• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.105-115
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• 1997

A numerical study is performed to predict the thermal response of a detailed card assembly during infrared reflow soldering. The card assembly is exposed to discontinuous infrared panel heater temperature distributions and high radiative/convective heating and cooling rates at the inlet and exit of the oven. The convective, radiative and conduction heat transfer within the reflow oven as well as within the card assembly are simulated and the predictions illustrate the detailed thermal responses. The predictions show that mixed convection plays an important role with relatively high frequency effects attributed to buoyancy forces, however the thermal response of the card assembly is dominated by radiation. The predictions of the detailed card assembly thermal response can be used to select the oven operating conditions to ensure proper solder melting and minimization of thermally induced card assembly tresses and warpage.