The Best Nitrogen Solutions for Electronics & Technology Manufacturing

Wave and Reflow Soldering
Purging and Blanketing
Thermal Processing: Annealing and Heat Treatment

Hermetic Sealing
Atlas Copco Rental Fleet - Nitrogen Generators
Ensuring Production Integrity and Consistency

In the precision-driven world of electronics, technology, and semiconductor manufacturing, the quality of process gases plays a crucial role in ensuring product reliability and yield rates. Nitrogen, with its inert properties and ability to create oxygen-free environments, has become indispensable across multiple manufacturing processes. This article explores the critical applications of nitrogen in electronics manufacturing and how modern nitrogen generation solutions address industry challenges.

Below are just some of the applications for nitrogen in the electronics, technology, and semiconductor sectors.

Wave and Reflow Soldering

Wave and Reflow Soldering

Purging and Blanketing

Purging and Blanketing

Thermal Processing: Annealing and Heat Treatment

Thermal Processing: Annealing and Heat Treatment

Hermetic Sealing

Hermetic Sealing

Wave and reflow soldering are fundamental processes in electronics assembly, where components are permanently attached to printed circuit boards (PCBs).
The process involves:

Pre-heating the PCB and components

Applying flux to remove oxides and facilitate bonding

Exposing components to molten solder

Controlled cooling to ensure joint integrity

Challenges

Oxidation of solder joints during heating - When molten solder reacts with oxygen, it forms weak, brittle connections. This leads to visual defects, unreliable bonds, and potential operational failures in the field. Without proper nitrogen blanketing, oxidation can increase scrap rates by up to 30% and force costly production slowdowns for rework. High-purity nitrogen (99.999%) creates an inert atmosphere that prevents oxidation, ensures consistent joint quality, and maintains production throughput.

Dross formation in solder bath - Exposure to oxygen causes rapid dross buildup on molten solder surfaces. This increases maintenance frequency, wastes expensive solder material, and can contaminate solder joints. Regular bath maintenance and production interruptions can reduce weekly throughput by 15-20%. Nitrogen blanketing significantly reduces dross formation, extending bath life and maintaining consistent soldering quality.

Thermal profile inconsistency - An uncontrolled atmosphere affects heat transfer efficiency and temperature uniformity. This creates inconsistent solder joint quality across boards and can damage heat-sensitive components. Poor thermal profiles can lead to 5-10% component failure rates. Nitrogen's superior heat transfer properties ensure uniform heating and protect sensitive components.

Solutions

Atlas Copco Specialty Rental nitrogen generation systems provide:

Controlled atmosphere with oxygen levels below 10 ppm

Reduction in dross formation by up to 90%

Improved solder joint quality and appearance

Reduced maintenance requirements

Consistent process control across production runs

Purging and blanketing protect sensitive electronic components and manufacturing environments from contamination.
The process includes:

Initial purging of production equipment

Continuous blanketing during manufacturing

Maintenance of positive pressure in critical areas

Protection of sensitive materials during storage

Challenges

Moisture contamination - Exposure to ambient humidity can degrade sensitive electronic components and materials. This causes oxidation, delamination, and long-term reliability issues. Even brief exposure can compromise entire production batches. Continuous nitrogen purging maintains a dry, inert environment that protects components throughout the manufacturing process.

Particulate contamination - Airborne particles in manufacturing areas can settle on components and create defects. In cleanroom environments, this reduces yield rates and increases quality control rejections. Positive pressure nitrogen blanketing prevents particle infiltration and maintains cleanroom integrity.

Process interruption - Breaks in protective atmospheres during material transfers or equipment maintenance expose products to contamination. Each interruption risks product quality and requires additional purge time. Properly designed nitrogen delivery systems maintain protection during normal production activities.

Solutions

Atlas Copco’s on-site nitrogen generation solutions overcome these challenges by providing:

Nitrogen purities up to 99.999%

Continuous positive pressure maintenance

Reduced moisture exposure

Improved product consistency and yield rates

A more cost-effective approach than delivered nitrogen

Rapid thermal processing (RTP) is a semiconductor manufacturing technique that heats silicon wafers to high temperature in a short amount of time.
Thermal processing is crucial for:

Semiconductor wafer production

Component stress relief

Material property modification

Surface oxidation prevention

Potential problems can arise during annealing and heat treatment - unless precisely controlled.

Challenges

Surface oxidation at high temperatures - Critical thermal processes like annealing and heat treatment are vulnerable to oxidation. Surface oxidation alters material properties and creates non-uniform results across production lots. This can affect semiconductor wafer properties and component performance. Nitrogen atmospheres prevent oxidation even at high temperatures.

Temperature uniformity - Uneven heating leads to inconsistent material properties and stress distribution. This causes quality variations and potential failures during subsequent processing. Poor uniformity can reduce yield rates by 20-25%. Nitrogen's thermal properties help maintain consistent temperatures throughout the processing zone.

Process control precision - Variations in atmosphere composition affect heating rates and cooling curves. This makes it difficult to maintain precise thermal profiles required for advanced electronics. Even minor deviations can compromise entire production batches. High-purity nitrogen enables precise control of critical thermal processes.

Solutions

Atlas Copco Specialty Rental nitrogen solutions offer the necessary control by ensuring:

Precise atmosphere control

Uniform heat distribution

Prevention of surface oxidation

Improved process reliability

Consistent material properties

Hermetic sealing protects sensitive electronic components from environmental factors through:

Complete encapsulation of components

Creation of controlled internal atmospheres

Long-term reliability assurance

Hermetic sealing is a critical manufacturing process and demands the following.

Challenges

Seal integrity - Impurities or moisture trapped during sealing compromise long-term hermeticity. Failed seals lead to premature component failure and warranty claims. Rejection rates can reach 15% without proper atmospheric control. Pure nitrogen environments ensure contamination-free sealing and reliable hermeticity.

Internal atmosphere quality - Trapped oxygen or moisture inside sealed components causes gradual degradation. This reduces product lifetime and reliability in the field. Component failures may not appear until months after production. Nitrogen purging before sealing creates an inert internal atmosphere for maximum component life.

Process consistency - Variations in sealing atmosphere affect bond quality and hermeticity. This creates inconsistent results and requires increased quality testing. Production delays from additional testing reduce throughput. A stable nitrogen supply maintains consistent sealing conditions across production runs.

Solutions

Atlas Copco’s nitrogen generation solutions for hermetic sealing processes provide several advantages:

High-purity nitrogen for consistent sealing environments

Improved product reliability

Extended component lifetime

Reduced warranty claims

Enhanced product performance

Equipment Overview

PSA nitrogen generators achieving 99.999% purity

Membrane technology systems for up to 99.5% purity

High-pressure boosting capabilities up to 150 barg

Operational Benefits

Flexible rental options for varying production needs

Quick deployment and installation

24/7 technical support

Energy-efficient operation

Scalable solutions for different production volumes

Industry-Specific Advantages

Meets semiconductor industry purity requirements

Supports various manufacturing processes

Reduces operational costs

Improves production reliability

Enhances quality control

The industry's reliance on high-purity nitrogen continues to grow as component sizes shrink and quality requirements increase. Atlas Copco's comprehensive range of nitrogen generation solutions, available through flexible rental options, provides manufacturers with the reliability, purity, and efficiency needed to maintain competitive advantages in this demanding sector.

For more information about our nitrogen generation solutions or to discuss your specific requirements, contact our technical team today.

Rental industrial nitrogen generators

Looking for a temporary supply of onsite nitrogen generation? We can support with rental nitrogen generators for a reliable onsite nitrogen generation up to 99.999% purity.