KIC, the leader in smart thermal process technologies for electronics manufacturing, will exhibit and present at the upcoming SMTA Tijuana Expo, taking place Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Quartz Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico.
During the event, Miguel Flores, field service engineer, will present the company’s latest research paper, “Thermocouple Tactics: A Comparative Study of Attachment Methods.” The presentation will share findings from a comprehensive study developed in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Shea Engineering, and DYMAX, exploring how different thermocouple (TC) attachment techniques impact accuracy and repeatability in thermal profiling.
The research evaluates commonly used attachment methods, including high-temperature solder, aluminum tape, polyimide tape, and thermally conductive adhesives, on high-density circuit boards. The results offer practical insights for process engineers working to improve measurement precision and consistency in modern reflow soldering applications.
“Selecting the right thermocouple attachment method is one of the most important factors in achieving consistent, reliable reflow profiles,” said Flores. “This study helps manufacturers better understand how these methods perform in real production environments, particularly as PCB designs continue to shrink and become more complex.”
Attendees can expect to learn:
- How adhesive formulation affects measurement stability and repeatability.
- Why tape-based methods often fail on densely populated assemblies.
- The role of solder volume in heat transfer accuracy.
- Real-world data from high-density interconnect (HDI) and fully populated test boards.
Flores will also be available at the expo to discuss the company’s thermal profiling, process control, and smart factory solutions, designed to help manufacturers optimize yield, traceability, and operational efficiency.
For more information about KIC’s profiling technologies, visit www.kicthermal.com.
