This paper describes a technique for the monitoring and control of the refl
ow soldering process. The technique combines state-of-the-art infra-red (IR
) sensor technology, coupled with application-specific process monitoring a
nd control software, providing a unique capability both to monitor product
temperatures during processing and to modify the process settings. The deve
lopment of techniques to allow variation of the heat transfer from the oven
to the in-process printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) provides the means to
adjust the soldering oven's process settings for each individual PCA, This
automatic profiling ensures consistent thermal histories and optimises oven
energy consumption. Archiving of the reflow profiles along with temperatur
es recorded for each PCA provides full traceability to the reflow process s
ettings for each individual PCA, The incorporation of IR sensing technology
also provides a means to monitor the performance of the process.