What is the effect that makes components on a circuit board move into place?











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I am going to apologize ahead of time if this is a really simple question. I started learning to solder during my internship but I had no EE knowledge prior.
When I was working with surface mount soldering my internship adviser mentioned this property or effect, the name of which I'm blanking on, that would cause the pieces when heated to move into place on the pads of the board. Does anyone know what the name of that property or effect is?










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    Surface tension.
    – The Photon
    Nov 28 at 17:30















up vote
6
down vote

favorite












I am going to apologize ahead of time if this is a really simple question. I started learning to solder during my internship but I had no EE knowledge prior.
When I was working with surface mount soldering my internship adviser mentioned this property or effect, the name of which I'm blanking on, that would cause the pieces when heated to move into place on the pads of the board. Does anyone know what the name of that property or effect is?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Leigh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 6




    Surface tension.
    – The Photon
    Nov 28 at 17:30













up vote
6
down vote

favorite









up vote
6
down vote

favorite











I am going to apologize ahead of time if this is a really simple question. I started learning to solder during my internship but I had no EE knowledge prior.
When I was working with surface mount soldering my internship adviser mentioned this property or effect, the name of which I'm blanking on, that would cause the pieces when heated to move into place on the pads of the board. Does anyone know what the name of that property or effect is?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Leigh is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I am going to apologize ahead of time if this is a really simple question. I started learning to solder during my internship but I had no EE knowledge prior.
When I was working with surface mount soldering my internship adviser mentioned this property or effect, the name of which I'm blanking on, that would cause the pieces when heated to move into place on the pads of the board. Does anyone know what the name of that property or effect is?







soldering surface-mount






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asked Nov 28 at 17:29









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  • 6




    Surface tension.
    – The Photon
    Nov 28 at 17:30














  • 6




    Surface tension.
    – The Photon
    Nov 28 at 17:30








6




6




Surface tension.
– The Photon
Nov 28 at 17:30




Surface tension.
– The Photon
Nov 28 at 17:30










2 Answers
2






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up vote
14
down vote













It's just the surface tension of the solder in liquid state.



A physical system will settle in its lowest achievable energy configuration. Given the surface tension of the solder and the adhesion forces to the different surfaces it is in contact with, the lowest energy configuration would be all the component pins in the center of their respective pads. Of course, this assumes the presence of a solder mask and the resultant force overcoming any friction present.



It is the same principle that generates the meniscus of a liquid in a container.






share|improve this answer























  • I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:42






  • 1




    No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:44










  • So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:47










  • The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:55






  • 1




    It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
    – Ale..chenski
    Nov 28 at 20:09


















up vote
0
down vote













I think you are talking of surface tension.
Here is a video of a BGA that is not centred on the pads being reflowed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb3uLqueNU






share|improve this answer





















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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    14
    down vote













    It's just the surface tension of the solder in liquid state.



    A physical system will settle in its lowest achievable energy configuration. Given the surface tension of the solder and the adhesion forces to the different surfaces it is in contact with, the lowest energy configuration would be all the component pins in the center of their respective pads. Of course, this assumes the presence of a solder mask and the resultant force overcoming any friction present.



    It is the same principle that generates the meniscus of a liquid in a container.






    share|improve this answer























    • I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:42






    • 1




      No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:44










    • So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:47










    • The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:55






    • 1




      It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
      – Ale..chenski
      Nov 28 at 20:09















    up vote
    14
    down vote













    It's just the surface tension of the solder in liquid state.



    A physical system will settle in its lowest achievable energy configuration. Given the surface tension of the solder and the adhesion forces to the different surfaces it is in contact with, the lowest energy configuration would be all the component pins in the center of their respective pads. Of course, this assumes the presence of a solder mask and the resultant force overcoming any friction present.



    It is the same principle that generates the meniscus of a liquid in a container.






    share|improve this answer























    • I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:42






    • 1




      No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:44










    • So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:47










    • The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:55






    • 1




      It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
      – Ale..chenski
      Nov 28 at 20:09













    up vote
    14
    down vote










    up vote
    14
    down vote









    It's just the surface tension of the solder in liquid state.



    A physical system will settle in its lowest achievable energy configuration. Given the surface tension of the solder and the adhesion forces to the different surfaces it is in contact with, the lowest energy configuration would be all the component pins in the center of their respective pads. Of course, this assumes the presence of a solder mask and the resultant force overcoming any friction present.



    It is the same principle that generates the meniscus of a liquid in a container.






    share|improve this answer














    It's just the surface tension of the solder in liquid state.



    A physical system will settle in its lowest achievable energy configuration. Given the surface tension of the solder and the adhesion forces to the different surfaces it is in contact with, the lowest energy configuration would be all the component pins in the center of their respective pads. Of course, this assumes the presence of a solder mask and the resultant force overcoming any friction present.



    It is the same principle that generates the meniscus of a liquid in a container.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited Nov 28 at 20:12

























    answered Nov 28 at 17:37









    Edgar Brown

    2,533220




    2,533220












    • I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:42






    • 1




      No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:44










    • So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:47










    • The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:55






    • 1




      It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
      – Ale..chenski
      Nov 28 at 20:09


















    • I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:42






    • 1




      No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:44










    • So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
      – tjt263
      Nov 28 at 19:47










    • The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
      – Edgar Brown
      Nov 28 at 19:55






    • 1




      It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
      – Ale..chenski
      Nov 28 at 20:09
















    I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:42




    I didn't know about the solder mask. It promotes adhesion of liquid solder to copper?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:42




    1




    1




    No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:44




    No, it avoids adhesion of the solder to the places you don't want it to go.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:44












    So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:47




    So it's a substance applied to the board then, not the copper contacts?
    – tjt263
    Nov 28 at 19:47












    The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:55




    The contacts are not commonly copper, these are tin, or even gold. Copper develops a patina rather quickly which makes soldering to it more difficult. For normal commercial boards, solder mask is an isolator that covers everything, including copper traces, except where you want solder to go or to provide contact surfaces.
    – Edgar Brown
    Nov 28 at 19:55




    1




    1




    It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
    – Ale..chenski
    Nov 28 at 20:09




    It is probably worth to refer OP to the Wikipedia article on basic surface tension effects across a liquid-solid interface, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_tension
    – Ale..chenski
    Nov 28 at 20:09












    up vote
    0
    down vote













    I think you are talking of surface tension.
    Here is a video of a BGA that is not centred on the pads being reflowed.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb3uLqueNU






    share|improve this answer

























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      I think you are talking of surface tension.
      Here is a video of a BGA that is not centred on the pads being reflowed.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb3uLqueNU






      share|improve this answer























        up vote
        0
        down vote










        up vote
        0
        down vote









        I think you are talking of surface tension.
        Here is a video of a BGA that is not centred on the pads being reflowed.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb3uLqueNU






        share|improve this answer












        I think you are talking of surface tension.
        Here is a video of a BGA that is not centred on the pads being reflowed.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb3uLqueNU







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Nov 28 at 17:37









        user156047

        51618




        51618






















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