Since the introduction of automated die and wire bonders in the 1980s, equipment manufacturers and process engineers have been challenged to balance speed with repeatability. Today, die bonders can perform epoxy die attach at a rate of 1.5 to 4 thousand die per hour [6]; and wire bonders can interconnect complex packages at speeds of more than 10 wires per second [7]. The advantage of automation is speed and consistency—however, there is one major concern with operating at these speeds: if something in the assembly process is wrong, everything will be wrong. Having tightly regulated assembly processes helps avoid the risk of building a large batch of rejected product.

This paper presents a methodology and process flow supporting High Bright Light Emitting Diode (HB LED) automated assembly, supported by equipment certification, product inspection and SPC data collection methods. The methods presented in this paper have been formulated through extensive work in the high-reliability microelectronics industry and commercial production lines over the last three decades. To ensure time-to-market success in high-volume production, specific methods to achieve throughput and quality are required. This paper will cover the strategies and methods necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of an automated precision HB LED assembly—to blend the requirements of high-reliability and high-throughput to support high-volume commercial production.

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