Patent ID: 8091766
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: B23K,H01L,H05K

Abstract:
1. A method of loading solder balls onto pads of a printed wiring board, comprising: providing solder balls onto a surface of a ball array mask having a plurality of openings that are aligned with pads on a printed wiring board; positioning a cylinder member having an opening portion over the ball array mask such that the opening portion of the cylinder member faces the surface of the ball array mask having the solder balls thereon; suctioning air from a suction section within the cylinder in order to suction air flow into the cylinder member through the opening portion of the cylinder member; adjusting a speed to the air flow so as to gather together at least some of the solder balls in a pile on and in contact with the surface of the ball array mask under the opening portion of the cylinder member so that the solder balls can be dropped onto the pads through the openings of the ball array mask; and moving the ball array mask and the printed wiring board relative to the cylinder member in order to move the pile of solder balls gathered together under the opening portion of the cylinder member such that the pads of the printed wiring board are loaded, by dropping the solder balls through the plurality of openings of the ball array mask.