This section provides an overview for reflow ovens as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 14 reflow oven manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked reflow oven companies as of November, 2024: 1.AUTOTRONIK-SMT GMBH, 2.Intek Corp., 3.DDM Novastar Inc..
Table of Contents
A reflow oven is a heating device used in the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs), bonding electronic components to boards using solder.
Operating typically at temperatures between 150°C and 230°C, the reflow oven's temperature range may vary depending on whether the solder contains lead.
Reflow ovens are crucial in bonding electronic components to PCBs in unit board production. They are particularly advantageous when soldering a large number of components or those with small bonding surfaces. The precision of reflow ovens becomes essential as components get smaller and more densely packed, avoiding issues like weak adhesion or short circuits often encountered in manual soldering.
The reflow oven heats up by blowing hot air inside, with the temperature increased by directing hot air perpendicularly onto the board. When the solder, placed on the board, melts due to the heat, electronic components positioned on the solder adhere to the board. After soldering, the oven cools down, solidifying the solder and securing the components to the board.
A flow oven, used for flow soldering, involves boards passing over a bath of molten solder, requiring a solder bath and resulting in larger equipment. In contrast, a reflow oven utilizes paste solder or cream solder, applied to the board or component, which forms a metallic bond when heated in the oven, eliminating the need for a solder bath.
Filling the reflow oven with nitrogen gas (N2) can reduce the oxygen concentration, preventing oxidation of the rosin in the solder paste. However, this can sometimes lead to the soldering appearing cleaner than its actual quality, potentially passing inspection even if the bonding is insufficient. Decisions regarding the use of nitrogen gas should involve consultation with manufacturing, design departments, or contractors.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Madell Technology Corporation, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Ontario, California, USA, is a designer and a manufacturer of SMT equipment and tools. The company offers electronic test and measurement instruments, rework stations, and various laboratory equipment. It also specializes in power transformers, heating elements, solder iron tips, white LED ring lights, and replacement heat tubes, primarily serving the electronic manufacturing sectors. The company offers small quantity PCB assembling as well as technical resources, including dummy components and practice kits.
DDM Novastar Inc., established in 1982 and based in the USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of surface mount assembly and through-hole assembly systems for PCB assemblers. The company's product range includes stencil printers, pick and place machines, reflow ovens, wave solder equipment, and selective solder machines. These products are designed for the assembly of printed circuit boards. It primarily serves industries such as aerospace/defense/military, semiconductors, telecommunications, and medical devices. The company provides services like onsite and factory training, precision equipment repair, leasing, and customization.
Intek Corp, a Missouri-based company, is a premier industrial heating and space heating provider for industrial applications with over half a century of experience. Although Intek Corps primarily caters to Industrial heating needs, their range of products and services also benefit other markets, including screen printing, material handling, and custom manufacturing. Intek Corp uses patented Intek Heating Elements for its line of proprietary products, such as the ZONALL & STEALTH Space heaters and QUICKSILVER flash dryers. Intek Corps also offers services such as parts and service repair for all dryer and oven models.
Shenzhen Jaguar Automation Equipment Co. Ltd., founded in 2009 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is a manufacturer of industrial lead-free electronics equipment and machines. The company's products include SMT pick-and-place machines, DIP lead-free wave-soldering machines, and LED plug-in machines. Its equipment is used for constructing electronics and manufacturing material handling solutions. It offers full services for original equipment manufacturers and private label clients. It serves industries that include industrial automation, consumer product manufacturing, and product design.
Dou Yee Enterprises, in operation since 1982, is a manufacturer and industrial solutions provider catering to the semiconductor, data storage, electronics, and biomedical sectors. It offers a wide array of products, including cleanroom materials and equipment for electrostatic discharge control, micro contamination control solutions, static shielding bags to protect electronics, moisture barrier bags for safeguarding sensitive equipment from moisture, and desiccants. The company has over 45 strategically located international branch offices, and its manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Malaysia (Seremban), China (Suzhou), France, and Poland adhere to stringent quality standards, holding ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.
SHINKO SEIKI CO., LTD., established in 1949, and located in Kobe, Japan, is a manufacturer of vacuum devices, electric furnaces and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Its product line includes a vast array of vacuum pumps such as mechanical booster pumps, vacuum exhaust unit, oil sealed rotary vacuum pumps and water ring vacuum pumps. Its product range also inlcudes soldering equipments, optical inspection equipments, thin film forming equipments, and plasma processing equipments. The company holds several certification for its operation such as the ISO 14004, and the ISO 9001.
Tamura Corporation was founded in 1924 in Tokyo, Japan as Tamura Radio Store, making it one of Japan’s oldest electronics companies. Today the company serves the semiconductor, audio consumer appliance, power distribution, and other industries as a developer and manufacturer. The company’s Electronic Component segment has eight categories, among them, transformers, reactors, vacuum tube type power supply transformers, current sensors, and AC adaptors. The company’s Information Equipment segment has 3 subcategories including broadcast studio systems, communication systems, and network systems.
Autotronik SMT is a German manufacturer of surface mount technology (SMT) machines and equipment for PCB production that was founded in 2017 as a division of the Swiss company Autotronik GmbH. Based in Amberg, Germany, the company produces stencil printers for applying solder pastes to PCBs, automated pick-and-place machines for placing electronic components on PCBs, reflow ovens for melting solder pastes to create electrical connections between PCB components, as well as inspection systems for quality assurance after PCB soldering. These primarily supply clients in the solar energy, LED and consumer electronics sectors.
Circuit Imprimé Français (C.I.F) is a France-based manufacturer and supplier of equipment and products used in producing printed circuits boards (PCB) units used in the electronics industry since 1979. Their production line is segmented into equipment for small series & production and laboratory & micro-series equipment including rapid CNC prototyping machines, spray etching machines, PCBs drilling & milling equipment, and direct laser. The company also offers board & stencil cleaning products, compressed air & gas, and furniture such as modular workstations and modular mobile trolleys.
Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd. (SMIC) is a manufacturer of soldering systems, factory automation (FA) equipment, and slide bearings based in Adachi-ku, Tokyo. The company was founded in 1938 and produces various soldering solutions and materials for applications in aerospace, electronics, automotive and medical technology. The company's specialized product lineup includes wave, laser, reflow, and micro soldering systems, as well as FA equipment like pureloy wires and spray fluxes. SMIC's client corporations include Intel, Philips, and NASA.
UniTemp GmbH, founded in 2000, is a manufacturer based in Pfaffenhofen, Germany, specializing in thermal process equipment. UniTemp offers a range of products including reflow solder systems for research and development (R&D) purposes and prototyping in small series manufacturing. They also provide rapid thermal process ovens and vacuum solder systems (VSS) for soldering processes. Additionally, UniTemp manufactures hot plates, hot chunks, wire bonders, and die bonders that cater to various industrial applications. Furthermore, the company develops software utilizing the SIMATIC© controller from Siemens, which enables easy engineering of the thermal process equipment within the Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal).
Kurz Ersa has been a manufacturer of machines since 1779 and is based in Kreuzwertheim, Germany. The company operates across diversified business areas, encompassing Electronics Production Equipment, Casting Solutions, Particle Foam Processing, Automation, and Additive Manufacturing. In the realm of Electronics Production Equipment, they offer soldering machines and tools, the Casting Solutions division specializes in light metal casting techniques, and the Particle Foam Processing provides solutions for molded parts. Automation is another domain in which they provide technological solutions. Their expertise in Additive Manufacturing allows delivering of metal 3D printing solutions.
Hirata Corporation is a manufacturer and distributor of industrial robotic and logistics equipment based in Kumamoto, Japan. Established in 1951, the company first dabbled in manufacturing and marketing industrial vehicles. In 1958, they turned to manufacturing agricultural-related products. By 1959, they started their first conveyor belt line, and in May 1964, their television assembly line was launched. In 1977, they developed their first robot-controlled machine, and from there, they shifted towards robotic logistical equipment. The company is present in eight countries, namely Japan, Taiwan, the United States, Mexico, China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
ELPRO,s.r.o., a Slovakian dynamic technology company, is the manufacturer and distributor of inventive energy solutions, encompassing power generation, storage, and management. It offers a range of products including transformers, coils, and electric motors, tailored for energy, manufacturing, and transportation sectors. With a robust track record of delivering secure and eco-friendly solutions, it is well known in the energy sector. The company's devotion to excellence and forward-thinking approach continue to drive the development of groundbreaking solutions that address the world's energy challenges.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | AUTOTRONIK-SMT GMBH |
16.4%
|
2 | Intek Corp. |
11.9%
|
3 | DDM Novastar Inc. |
10.3%
|
4 | SENJU METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD. |
10.3%
|
5 | Madell Technology Corporation |
8.9%
|
6 | TAMURA Corporation |
5.9%
|
7 | Kurtz Ersa |
5.9%
|
8 | UniTemp GmbH |
5.4%
|
9 | C.I.F. – Circuit Imprimé Français |
4.9%
|
10 | SHINKO SEIKI CO., LTD. |
4.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the reflow oven page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
Japan | 4 | 33.3% |
United States of America | 3 | 25.0% |
China | 1 | 8.3% |
Singapore | 1 | 8.3% |
Germany | 1 | 8.3% |
France | 1 | 8.3% |
Slovakia | 1 | 8.3% |