- CAD :
Computer Aided Design. Software for engineers, which assist during design, and actually often performs calculations.
- CAD/CAM :
A term referring to the use of software programs to design and layout circuitry as well as to transfer such generated data directly to manufacturing equipment.
- Capillary Action :
The filling of small gaps or capillaries produced by the forces of wetting and surface tension. The physical phenomenon of liquids to rise into narrow gaps (capillaries) under certain circumstances
- Catalyst :
A chemical that affects the a chemical process without participating in it. E.g. a chemical that accelerates a chemical process.
- Center-to-Center Spacing :
Referring to the way the pitch of leads on components is measured: center lead to adjacent center lead.
- Central Component Orientation :
A special approach when designing that defines the area for major parts and then associates supporting components in their vicinity.
- Chemical solvents :
are those substances - liquids, gases, or solids - that can dissolve another substance
- Chip Carrier :
A special IC packaging form in which the leads (or contacts) protrude on all four sides of the package
- Chip Component :
The class of passive components packaged in leadless ceramic, glass or plastic form (resistors, capacitors and inductors)
- Chip Tester :
Involved software based testing equipment for the evaluation of ICs and other active devices
- Chip Wave :
For a doble-wave, the first wave. It is used when wave soldering SM assemblies and is to overcome the rejection behavior against solder by the component bodies. The chip wave exhibits short contact length and it is mostly rather turbulent.
- Chip-on-board (COB) :
A joining technique. Bare silicone chips (ICs) are directly mounted without any component body onto the PCB. The connections are either made by wire bonding or solder bumps and reflow.
- Circuit Verifier :
A response based testing procedure that activates the assembly or device to diagnose defects and performance
- Clamshell Fixture :
A fixture that allows testing of both sides of a PCB, mostly hinged.
- Cluster Testing :
Tests performed on a group of (assemblies) components,rather than on individual ones
- Co-Polymer :
The result of the reactive process of two dissimilar polymers.
- Cold Solde :
Joint A defect of soldering caused by adhesion of solder without proper chemical reaction between the base metal and the tin of the solder. Usually caused by inadequate thermal conditions.
- Cold Solder Joint :
A defect of soldering caused by adhesion of solder without proper chemical reaction between the base metal and the tin of the solder. Usually caused by inadequate thermal conditions.
- Component :
An electrical building block of an electronic circuit. They function as resistors, capacitors or inductors. There are others, which are processors and memory modules. Components come in a variety of body shapes and forms.
- Condensation :
a method of reflow soldering using highly specialized liquids. These liquids are boiled and the latent heat of evaporation is used to heat those items which have been lowered into the vapor.
- Conductive Adhesive :
An adhesive that is mixed with certain metal flakes (copper, silver, gold) to make it electrically conductive. There are also intrinsically conductive polymers, however, at this point in time, they do not play any significant role in electronic joining.
- Conductive Epoxy :
Material to which has been added metallic flakes (mostly silver) to improve its electrical conductivity.
- Conformal Coating :
A (thin) non-conductive coating of an assembly, which is used to limit environmental impact (humidity, dust). It is also used to enhance mechanical properties. Conformal coatings are usually applied by a dipping process, however, they can also be sprayed or brushed.
- Contact Angle :
The angle formed between the surface of a solder fillet and the wetted surface - used as a measure of the quality of wetting
- Continuity In Testing :
A current based test that checks for opens between connected land areas
- Convection :
a method of reflow soldering. Convection is a heating method which employs either gases, liquids or vapors [see: condensation]
- Conveyor :
The system of transport used to carry the PCB or assembly throughout the production process. Several forms of conveyors are in use [e.g. pallet, finger, chain, belt]
- Copper-Mirror Test :
A test designed to identify corrosive behavior of fluxes. It consists essentially of the examination of a copper film that has been vapor-deposited onto a glass plate.
- Corrosiveness :
Action of aggressive acids etc. on metals etc.
- Cosmetic Defect :
A visual defect that otherwise does not inhibit thereliability or function of the product
- Cross Section :
A destructive test. A part of an assembly is cut and polished to be inspected under a microscope.
- Cure :
The polymerization of a material that usually changes it from a soft to a harder form by lengthening and intertwining the molecular chains. Curing needs the application of energy in form of heat (convection, radiation)
- Cut & Clinch :
A process during insertion of leaded components, where a mechanism cuts and clinches the lead, which is protruding below the board, in order to shorten it and to bend it against the underside of the board.
- Cycle Rate :
In Assembly: The time a piece of placing equipment needs to pick-up and position a component and then return for the next component. In Testing: The number of heat excursion per time unit. In reference to pick-and-place equipment, the time for the placement unit to move from pickup of the component to placement and back
