page_title: Thermal profiling
section_title: Reflow process
hierarchical_section_title: Thermal profiling / Soldering of electronic products / Reflow process
caption_attribution_description: English: The graph is captures by a Solderstar thermal profile, showing component temperatures as the assembly passes through a reflow oven
context_page_description: A thermal profile is a complex set of time-temperature data typically associated with the measurement of thermal temperatures in an oven. The thermal profile is often measured along a variety of dimensions such as slope, soak, time above liquidus, and peak.
  A thermal profile can be ranked on how it fits in a process window. Raw temperature values are normalized in terms of a percentage relative to both the process mean and the window limits. The center of the process window is defined as zero, and the extreme edges of the process window are ±99%. A Process Window Index greater than or equal to 100% indicates the profile is outside of the process limitations. A PWI of 99% indicates that the profile is within process limitations, but runs at the edge of the process window. For example, if the process mean is set at 200 °C with the process window calibrated at 180 °C and 220 °C respectively, then a measured value of 188 °C translates to a process window index of −60%.
context_section_description: In soldering, a thermal profile is a complex set of time-temperature values for a variety of process dimensions such as slope, soak, TAL, and peak. Solder paste contains a mix of metal, flux, and solvents that aid in the phase change of the paste from semi-solid, to liquid to vapor; and the metal from solid to liquid. For an effective soldering process, soldering must be carried out under carefully calibrated conditions in a reflow oven.   Convection Reflow Oven Detailed Description
  There are two main profile types used today in soldering: 
  The Ramp-Soak-Spike (RSS)
  Ramp to Spike (RTS)
caption: Profile temperature data plotted against reflow oven settings
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