At Amtech, we’re not just assembling PCBs—we’re engineering reliability at scale. Our Surface Mount Technology (SMT) line is built for complex assemblies where tight tolerances, high-density layouts, and zero-defect expectations are the norm. What sets us apart? A vertically integrated process stack powered by precision equipment and intelligent inspection systems.
Here’s a closer look at the pillars of our SMT line and how they create one of the largest process windows in the industry.
🔍 SPI: Surface Mount Precision Starts Here
It all begins with Solder Paste Inspection (SPI). Our 3D SPI system verifies paste volume, height, area, and offset immediately after printing. This step ensures that we detect and correct issues like insufficient or excessive paste before a single component is placed.
Why it matters:
SPI is the first gatekeeper in our quality process. By catching variation early, we minimize rework and protect downstream yield—especially critical for fine-pitch parts and BGA/LGA components.
🤖 AI-Powered Visual Inspection: Pre-Reflow Intelligence
After placement but before reflow, our AI Visual Inspection system provides a second layer of quality control. Leveraging deep learning, this system detects subtle errors like:
- Misplaced or rotated components
- Foreign object debris
- Skewed or tombstoned parts
- Missing critical passive elements
Why we use AI here:
Traditional rules-based vision systems fall short with new package types or odd-shaped parts. Our AI engine adapts quickly to new designs and learns from inspection feedback, constantly improving its detection accuracy.
🌫 Vapor Phase Reflow: Thermal Uniformity Without Stress
Reflow soldering is where thermal control makes or breaks your assembly. That’s why we use vapor phase soldering—a process that delivers uniform heat transfer, regardless of board thickness, copper density, or component mass.
Key advantages:
- No hot or cold spots
- Oxidation-free environment
- Ideal for heavy thermal loads like BGAs, FPGAs, and stacked assemblies
The result: consistent, void-free joints even on the most thermally challenging boards.
🧠 3D AOI: Closed-Loop Accuracy After Reflow
Our final inspection gate is 3D Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), where we scan every solder joint and component post-reflow. This isn’t just a visual check—it’s a metrology-grade inspection that quantifies coplanarity, heel fillets, and solder height in 3D.
Why 3D AOI is essential:
- Captures defects that 2D systems miss
- Ensures solder quality for bottom-terminated components (BTCs)
- Enables traceability and defect prevention through data feedback loops
🛠 The Big Picture: A Widely Tuned Process Window
All of these systems—SPI, AI Visual, Vapor Phase, and 3D AOI—work in harmony to create a very large process window. That means:
- Fewer false positives
- More robust tolerance to design variation
- Faster ramp-up times for new products
- High first-pass yield, even on complex boards
This isn’t just about quality—it’s about speed, flexibility, and scale.
⚙️ Built for Complexity, Designed for Launch Speed
Whether you’re building life science instrumentation, industrial controls, or mission-critical energy systems, our SMT tech stack delivers consistent quality with minimal process development time. We’ve engineered our line not just to handle complexity—but to embrace it.