PCB Convention Reflow Ovens

Convection reflow ovens have multiple heating zones, such as 6, 8, 10, and 12, followed by a cooling element which can be individually controlled for temperature. During the SMT assembly process, printed circuit boards are conveyed on a conveyor belt located in the oven and exposed to a controlled time-temperature profile.

As this equipment is situated in-line with the SMT assembly equipment, convection reflow is able to make a relatively high yield. However, each new product needs to make a corresponding reflow profile in advance of the mass production. 

Though control the temperature within each heating zone is possible, it is impossible to do so at component level, which can be a challenge when fabricating densely populated printed circuit boards. As to the room space, convection reflow ovens always need a large area of factory floor space, which may present an issue if space is relatively limited.