Causes and Practical Improvement Solutions of SMT Tombstoning
Tombstoning is a typical common defect for chip components. One end of the component lifts away from the pad while only the other end is soldered firmly. This defect will directly cause open circuit and lead to product function failure.

Main Causes

  1. Unreasonable PCB layout design leads to uneven heating on both ends of components;

  2. Placement position deviation caused by inaccurate machine calibration;

  3. Oxidation and dirt on single-side pads or component pins affect soldering performance;

  4. Missing printing and offset solder paste result in uneven solder volume;

  5. Too fast heating speed in reflow oven causes inconsistent melting speed of solder paste;

  6. Different pad sizes on two sides lead to unbalanced soldering tension.

Practical Improvement Measures

  1. Optimize PCB design to ensure same pad size and balanced heat absorption;

  2. Calibrate placement machine regularly to improve mounting accuracy;

  3. Take good storage measures to prevent oxidation and contamination of boards and components;

  4. Inspect stencils frequently to ensure even and complete solder paste printing;

  5. Slow down preheating speed inside reflow oven to balance solder melting progress;

  6. Adopt standardized components with stable and consistent solderability.

Tombstoning is mainly caused by uneven temperature and unbalanced solder distribution. Optimizing early design and adjusting production processes can effectively reduce such defects.
Globalwell is experienced in SMT mounting and PCBA processing. We have formulated professional adjustment standards to solve tombstoning and offset issues, strictly controlling printing and reflow technology to ensure stable mass production quality.


 

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