KIC, a supplier of thermal profiling and process optimisation systems for the electronics manufacturing industry, has announced its participation in SMTA International 2026. The company will exhibit its Heat to Data platform alongside automatic profiling technology aimed at reflow soldering process control.
Heat to Data is KIC's framework for converting raw thermal measurement data into actionable process intelligence. In reflow soldering, maintaining precise temperature profiles across all zones of an oven is critical to solder joint quality and yield. Deviations from the established profile — whether caused by oven drift, board loading variations or product changeovers — can result in defects such as cold solder joints, tombstoning or component damage. KIC's approach addresses this by continuously correlating measured thermal data with process parameters.
Automatic profiling reduces the time and operator skill required to qualify a new product or oven recipe. Traditional manual profiling involves attaching thermocouples to a board, running it through the oven, and iteratively adjusting zone setpoints — a process that can take considerable time on a production line. Automated systems predict the required oven settings based on product and process inputs, accelerating the qualification cycle and reducing the risk of operator error.
SMTA International is one of the principal technical conferences for the surface mount and electronics assembly industry in North America, drawing process engineers, quality managers and equipment buyers from contract manufacturers and OEM production sites. For European electronics manufacturers with North American operations or supply chain relationships, developments showcased at SMTA events are often indicative of technology directions relevant to global SMT lines.
KIC's participation at SMTA International 2026 continues the company's established pattern of presenting at key industry events, allowing direct engagement with process engineers evaluating thermal management and oven optimisation solutions. Specific product details, booth number and session information had not been published at the time of this report; further details are expected via the company's website at kicthermal.com.
Quelle: KIC – https://kicthermal.com/kic-to-bring-heat-to-data-and-automatic-profiling-to-smta-international-2026/
