Thermographic Monitoring of Flux Application
Process Reliability Redefined.
Awarded 2nd place in the Future Markets cluster at the productronica Innovation Award 2025!
Your Advantages at a Glance
Process Monitoring
A previously unmonitorable step in the soldering process becomes controllable.
Quality Improvement
Improvement of product quality through early fault detection.
Cost Reduction
Reduction of rework and scrap, and automatic process approval.
Zero-Defect Strategy
Automatic removal of defective assemblies before soldering.
The application of flux is a key prerequisite for flawless wave or selective soldering. The flux removes oxide layers from the metal surfaces to be wetted and prevents re-oxidation. Only then is the soldering process and a metallurgically perfect solder joint possible.
The decisive factors for soldering quality are not only the chemical effectiveness of the flux, but above all the exact dosage and precise location on the circuit board.
Too little flux can lead to typical soldering defects such as incomplete penetration or cold solder joints. Too much flux increases the risk of flux residues, which may require additional process steps or impair the function of the assembly.
Previous solutions for monitoring flux application have generally relied on random sampling, for example, using test assemblies or by monitoring the function of the fluxer nozzle.
However, these approaches are not integrated into the process and do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the actual flux application on the individual assembly.
Our New Solution for You:
Process-Integrated Thermographic Flux Control
The first inline-compatible, automated control of flux application for each individual printed circuit board – directly in the manufacturing process!
The method utilizes the physical property that heat is locally extracted from the printed circuit board when the solvent in the flux evaporates. As a result, wetted areas have a lower surface temperature than untreated or insufficiently fluxed areas.
This effect is captured and evaluated immediately after the flux is applied using a thermal imaging camera.
Here’s how it works:
The flux application is captured within a defined period after fluxing.
The wetted areas are analyzed in terms of their location and extent by evaluating the temperature differences.
Automated decision on whether the assembly is approved for the soldering process.
The soldering process is only continued automatically if there is clear conformity with the predefined target values.
Result:
Precise process control, reduced error costs, higher overall efficiency.
100 % Process Coverage
Closes existing gap in process monitoring.
Scrap Reduction
Incorrect flux application detected before soldering.
Efficiency Gain
Increased production efficiency through less rework.
Our Vision:
Autonomous Manufacturing
Thermographic flux control is already prepared for integration into the SIEMENS Industrial Edge ecosystem.
At the same time, the system creates the necessary database for future AI-based data analysis with the aim of automatically optimizing process parameters in real time. This lays the foundation for continuous process improvement in the spirit of adaptive manufacturing.
You have any questions? We look forward to hearing from you!
Thermographic monitoring of flux application is a joint development by SEHO Systems GmbH and SIEMENS AG, Foundational Technologies, Berlin.
