BGA Reballing Process Mind Map

1. Preparation

● 1.1. Tools & Equipment

○ Hot Air Rework Station or Reflow Oven
○ BGA Reballing Stencil
○ BGA Solder Balls (Sn63/Pb37 or Lead-Free)
○ Flux (No-Clean or Rosin)
○ Soldering Iron & Desoldering Wick
○ Microscope or Magnifying Glass
○ Preheater (optional)
○ Tweezers
○ Solder Paste (optional)
● 1.2. Workspace Preparation
○ ESD-Safe Workstation
○ Anti-static wrist strap or mat
○ Proper ventilation (for fumes)
○ Clean tools and components
○ Preheat PCB to reduce thermal shock

2. Removal of Old BGA

● 2.1. Preheat the Board (Optional)

○ Use a preheater to warm the PCB (~100-150°C) to reduce thermal stress.
● 2.2. Apply Flux
○ Apply flux to the BGA to reduce oxidation and improve solder flow.
● 2.3. Heat with Hot Air
○ Set the hot air rework station temperature:
■ Leaded solder: ~200-225°C
■ Lead-Free solder: ~230-250°C
○ Use proper airflow to avoid blowing components off the board.
○ Heat evenly until solder melts and the BGA can be lifted easily.
● 2.4. Remove BGA
○ Use tweezers to carefully lift the BGA chip from the PCB.

3. Cleaning the PCB and BGA

● 3.1. Remove Old Solder from PCB

 ○ Apply flux on the PCB pads.
○ Use a soldering iron and desoldering wick to remove old solder from the pads.
○ Clean the area with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
● 3.2. Clean BGA Chip
○ Clean the BGA pads on the chip using a soldering iron and wick.
○ Remove old solder and make the pads smooth.
○ Clean the chip with isopropyl alcohol to remove flux residues.

4. Reballing the BGA

● 4.1. Apply Flux on the BGA Chip

○ Evenly apply a thin layer of flux to the BGA pad array.
● 4.2. Use Reballing Stencil
○ Align the BGA reballing stencil over the BGA chip, ensuring all pads align with
the holes in the stencil.
● 4.3. Apply Solder Balls
○ Choose appropriate solder balls:
■ Leaded (Sn63/Pb37): Melting point ~183°C
■ Lead-Free (SAC305): Melting point ~217°C
○ Pour solder balls over the stencil and gently shake or tap to ensure every hole is
filled with a ball.
● 4.4. Remove Excess Solder Balls
○ Sweep away excess solder balls carefully using tweezers or a small brush.
● 4.5. Reflow the BGA Chip
○ Place the BGA chip with the solder balls and stencil onto the hot air station or
reflow oven.
○ Heat Profile:
■ Leaded solder: ~200-225°C
■ Lead-Free solder: ~230-250°C
○ Heat evenly until the solder balls melt and form a uniform connection to the BGA
pads.
● 4.6. Cool Down
○ Allow the BGA chip to cool slowly to avoid thermal shock.
● 4.7. Inspect the Reballing
○ Use a microscope to ensure all balls are properly attached and are uniform in
size.
○ Ensure there are no bridges between solder balls or missing balls.

5. Replacing BGA on PCB

● 5.1. Apply Flux to PCB Pads

 ○ Evenly apply flux to the pads on the PCB to help with solder reflow.
● 5.2. Align BGA Chip
○ Place the reballed BGA onto the PCB, aligning it precisely with the pads.
● 5.3. Reflow the BGA Chip
○ Use the hot air rework station or reflow oven.
○ Heat the BGA and PCB evenly:
■ Leaded solder: ~200-225°C
■ Lead-Free solder: ~230-250°C
○ Ensure the BGA sits properly as the solder reflows and connects the chip to the
PCB.
● 5.4. Cool Down
○ Allow the board to cool naturally, avoiding rapid cooling that could cause cracks
or other damage.

6. Final Inspection

● 6.1. Visual Inspection

○ Use a microscope to check for any visible defects such as bridges, cold joints, or
missing connections.
● 6.2. Electrical Testing
○ Test the board using a multimeter or oscilloscope to verify proper connections
and functionality of the reballed BGA.
● 6.3. X-ray Inspection (Optional)
○ For high-reliability applications, an X-ray inspection can check the integrity of
hidden solder joints under the BGA.

7. Troubleshooting (If Required)

● 7.1. Reflow Issues

○ If the solder joints didn’t properly form, apply flux and repeat the reflow process.
● 7.2. Solder Bridges
○ Use a solder wick and iron to carefully remove excess solder causing bridges
between balls.
● 7.3. Missing Balls
○ If a solder ball is missing, use the reballing stencil to reapply solder balls to the
affected area.

This detailed mind map covers each phase of the BGA reballing process, ensuring that every
step is carefully handled to avoid errors and ensure a proper reballing job.
4o

You said:
thanks

ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT

You're welcome! If you have any more questions or need further details, feel free to ask. Happy
reballing!

4o

You said:
Hot Air Rework Station or Reflow Oven

ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT

The Hot Air Rework Station and the Reflow Oven are two different tools used for similar
purposes in soldering and repairing electronic components, but they have distinct advantages
depending on the task.

Hot Air Rework Station:

● Purpose: Primarily used for focused rework, such as removing or reattaching individual
components like BGAs, QFNs, or SMDs.
● How it Works: Uses a nozzle to direct hot air at the component and the surrounding
area to melt the solder.
● Advantages:
○ Precision: Ideal for small, specific areas. You can directly target a component
without affecting the entire board.
○ Control: Allows for manual control over temperature, airflow, and movement.
○ Portable: Typically smaller and easier to handle for quick rework tasks.
○ Flexible: Good for quick fixes, component replacements, or minor
soldering/desoldering tasks.
● Disadvantages:
○ Inconsistent heating: May not provide perfectly even heating across a larger
area, which can cause uneven solder reflow or stress on the PCB.
○ Manual process: Requires skill and experience to avoid damaging surrounding
components or overheating.

Reflow Oven:

● Purpose: Used for mass soldering, typically during manufacturing or when reflowing an
entire PCB assembly.
 ● How it Works: Heats the entire board uniformly by cycling through a controlled thermal
profile (preheat, soak, reflow, cooling).
● Advantages:
○ Uniform Heating: Ensures all components on the board are heated evenly,
minimizing the risk of thermal stress.
○ Automated Process: Follows a precise, controlled temperature profile for
soldering, reducing human error.
○ Ideal for Batch Processing: Perfect for reflowing multiple components at once,
like in large-scale production or repairing multiple BGAs simultaneously.
○ Consistent Quality: Produces more consistent solder joints across the board.
● Disadvantages:
○ Less Precision: Not ideal for targeting individual components; heats the entire
PCB.
○ Size: Bulkier, not as portable as a rework station.
○ Cost: More expensive compared to a hot air station, particularly for smaller
operations or repairs.

Which One to Choose?

● Hot Air Rework Station is better if you're working on individual repairs, such as
replacing a single BGA or small components.
● Reflow Oven is more suitable for reballing or reflowing multiple components or entire
boards at once, providing consistent heating across the board.

For BGA reballing, both tools can be useful, but a hot air rework station is typically preferred
for precision tasks, while a reflow oven may be used if you need consistent heating for larger or
more complex boards.

4o

You said:
Reflow Oven ?

ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT

A Reflow Oven is a specialized tool used primarily in the electronics manufacturing process to
solder surface-mount components (like BGAs, SMDs, etc.) onto printed circuit boards (PCBs) by
melting the solder paste. It heats the entire board in a controlled thermal cycle to ensure all
solder joints melt and form properly.

How It Works:

A reflow oven heats the PCB and its components by passing them through different heating
zones. Each zone has specific temperature settings to create a reflow profile—a carefully
controlled sequence of temperature changes. This profile ensures that the solder paste melts
and bonds the components to the board without damaging them or the PCB.

Key Stages of a Reflow Profile:

1. Preheat Zone:
○ Purpose: Gradually raises the temperature of the PCB and components to
reduce thermal shock.
○ Temperature: Typically around 120°C to 150°C.
○ Duration: This phase lasts for 60-120 seconds to evenly heat up the entire
board.
2. Soak Zone:
○ Purpose: Stabilizes the temperature of the board, evaporates volatile solvents in
the solder paste, and activates the flux.
○ Temperature: Usually between 150°C to 200°C.
○ Duration: Around 60-90 seconds.
3. Reflow Zone (Peak Zone):
○ Purpose: This is where the solder melts and flows, forming the solder joints.
○ Temperature: For leaded solder, peak temperatures range from 220°C to
230°C, while for lead-free solder (such as SAC305), it reaches 230°C to 250°C.
○ Duration: Solder stays in a liquid state for about 30-60 seconds. Overheating
must be avoided to prevent damage.
4. Cooling Zone:
○ Purpose: Quickly cools the board to solidify the solder joints and prevent
crystallization or solder defects (like voids or brittle joints).
○ Temperature: Ideally, the temperature should drop to below 180°C fairly rapidly.
○ Cooling Rate: Controlled to avoid thermal shock to the components and solder
joints.

Types of Reflow Ovens:

1. Convection Reflow Ovens:

○ Use hot air to transfer heat uniformly across the PCB.
○ Commonly used for medium to high-volume production.
2. Vapor Phase Reflow Ovens:
○ Use vaporized liquid to transfer heat, providing highly uniform and precise
temperature control.
○ Used for high-reliability applications but more expensive.
3. Infrared (IR) Reflow Ovens:
○ Use infrared radiation to heat the board.
○ Less commonly used now because heat distribution can be uneven, especially
for boards with varying component sizes.

Advantages of a Reflow Oven:

 ● Automated and Consistent: Reflow ovens follow a precise temperature profile,
ensuring consistent soldering quality across all components.
● Uniform Heating: Heats the entire board uniformly, preventing localized overheating
and minimizing thermal stress.
● Scalable: Suitable for small-scale repairs or mass production runs.
● Multiple Components: Can solder many components at once, making it highly efficient
for large-scale projects.

Applications:

● Mass Production: Primarily used in large-scale electronics manufacturing.

● BGA Reballing/Reflowing: Ensures uniform heat distribution for proper solder melting
and ball formation.
● PCB Assembly: Used to solder all surface-mounted components onto a PCB
simultaneously.

When to Use a Reflow Oven:

● When you need to solder multiple components at once.

● For large or complex PCBs where consistent heating is required across the entire board.
● In high-volume or automated production environments.