Palomar technologies Automates Assembly of Power Amplifiers with New "HotRail RFA"
Palomar Technologies, an innovator in high precision automated assembly systems for broadband communications, introduces the HotRaiI™ RFA (Radio Frequency Assembly) Cell for automated assembly of RF power amplifier components. The new automation system lowers the cost of production for power amplifiers used in wireless base stations, ultimately helping wireless carriers lower their costs to subscribers.
Power amplifiers amplify the radix transmission of voice and data to and from wireless base stations. These components are essential to expanding wireless services and implementing new technologies, including Bluetooth and next generation 3G wireless. Because power amplifiers are the most expensive component in wireless base stations, manufacturers are locking for ways to reduce costs while meeting increasing performance requirements to support new services.
In manufacturing power amplifiers, precise placement of fragile galliumarsenide (GaAs) die is critical to the component's performance. Palomar has already significantly reduced manual labor with its automated wire bonding and die attach equipment that precisely picks and places die into its package and bonds it in place. The new HotRail RFA takes even more time out of the manufacturing process by eliminating batch processes. The full system, called an assembly cell, provides a highly accurate and repeatable process that meets stringent performance requirements at high volume production levels.
"With the introduction of this fully automated RF component assembly system, we continue to lower production costs far broadband component manufacturers while achieving higher yield and accuracy," said Bruce Hueners, director of marketing. "A customer using our automated equipment was able to replace four manual workstations and 20 operators while increasing yield by 50 percent and achieving a payback in two months."
With the HotRail RFA, operators can load an entire shift of parts while the machine uses a sophisticated vision system to eject and attach fragile die. Pre-heat mesas, or HotRails, pre-heat the parts prior to bonding to achieve higher throughput. The HotRail clamping mechanism holds the parts in place at the optimum temperature to achieve precision side-by-side placement of die for subsequent wire bonding. Highly accurate and repeatable spacing of the die is critical so that wires connecting them to the package are the same length. This process is essential for meeting high frequency RF device impedance specifications. The HotRail RFA process control system monitors the heat, generating an alarm if temperatures exceed user-defined limits.
About Palomar Technologies Palomar Technologies provides a full line of automation solutions for the assembly of optoelectronic and RF wireless components. The company's equipment eliminates manual processes by precisely placing and attaching microchips to their packaging. Palomar's systems use a patented process to produce the highest yield, and include equipment solutions ranging from islands of automation to complete integrated assembly lines.
Palomar Technologies, 2230 Oak Ridge Way, Vista, CA 92083-8341. Tel: 760-931-3600; Fax: 760-931-5191.