A small see-through enclosure that surrounds a dispensing valve along with a heater and controller can maintain the temperature of sensitive materials to within 0.1°C. The ProcessMate 6500 Temperature Control System from EFD Inc., East Providence, RI, (efd-inc.com) allows isolating temperature-sensitive materials such as solder paste and thermal-cure epoxies, from fluctuations that generate variations in material placement.

Temperature changes as small as 1°C can make or break an assembly process. For instance, bump some material temperatures just a little with heat from nearby equipment or operator handling and needle shots become inconsistent.

The developer says the controller eliminates temperature fluctuations that can cause variations in shot size, viscosity, and pot life when dispensing solder pastes, adhesives and other assembly fluids.

The stand-alone system maintains precise temperature control across an operating range of 10 to 40°C for more consistent fluid deposits and better process control. The system is available with a customizable line of static-dissipative enclosures for automated, handheld, bench top and cartridge dispensing applications.