10.

0 New Features

Workshop 1

ANSYS Workbench 10.0

Thermal Transient Analysis of a Ball
Grid Array
ANSYS Workbench v10.0
Thermal Time Transients Workshop

Analysis of a Ball Grid Array (BGA)

model for transient thermal analysis

Temperature contours
for BGA analysis
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Thermal Transient Workshop Workshop

Goals: This workshop is intended to familiarize

users with the thermal transient capabilities
introduced in Workbench Simulation 10.0.
Model: The model for the workshop represents
a ¼ symmetry Ball Grid Array (BGA) typical of
the type used in electronic packaging
applications.
Symmetry Planes

Background: A BGA represents a form of chip Ball Grid Array

packaging where component connections are
accomplished via spherical solder joints. One
area of interest for designers of these devices
is the transient thermal response when the unit
is put in service.
Side View

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Description: The BGA is composed of a chip

embedded in an epoxy mold. The mold/chip is
mounted to a substrate via the spherical solder
connections.

To set up the analysis a steady state solution is

performed. The temperature distribution
throughout the model will then be used as an
initial condition for the thermal transient
analysis.
During its operation the chip produces 5W of
heat. The chip is assumed to operate cyclically
5 minutes on and 5 minutes off. For the
transient portion of the analysis a 10 minute
duration is investigated.
Chip Embedded in Mold

Boundary conditions consist of convection and

radiation conditions on all exposed surfaces.

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Thermal Transient Workshop Workshop

Workshop Steps:
1. From the Workbench launcher start
Simulation.

• IMPORTANT!: Before proceeding check your

geometry preferences (Geometry details
window).
• Make sure:
– Named Selection Processing = Yes
– Named Selection Prefix = NS

2. When Simulation opens choose “Geometry >

From File . . . “. Browse to and open the file
“bga10.agdb” 2

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Thermal Transient Workshop Workshop

Before setting up and solving the model we

will import the necessary material properties 3
and construct the load history for the heat
generation cycle mentioned earlier. A
material file has been prepared for this
workshop
3. Activate the “Engineering Data” application
using the “Data” icon in the main menu. 4
4. From the Engineering Data application
choose “Import > Materials . . . “. From the
browser open the file “BGA_mat.xml”.

5. Check all the materials in the library for use

with this analysis.
5

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To simulate the cyclic heating caused by the

intermittent operation of the chip a load
history will be created. As with material
properties, the Engineering Data application
is used to manage load history information.

6. From the Engineering Data application

choose “New > Load History”. 6

7. Choose “Heat Generation” from the

Dependents list.

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The chip portion of the BGA is assumed

to produce 1 Watt during operation. Our
aim is to simulate a 10 minute on/off
cycle.
The chip volume is 13.2 mm^3 (1/4 8
symmetry). The load applied will be:

HGEN  1W / 13.2mm 3  0.075W / mm3

8. Fill in the times and loads as shown in the

table at the right.

9. Return to Simulation.

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Thermal Transient Workshop Workshop

10. Highlight individual parts in the tree and

make the appropriate material assignment
to each from the detail window 10
The table at the bottom right shows the
complete material assignments.

• Note: the material assignments for all

ball/pad components can be simplified by
first selecting the named selection group
for each.

When the appropriate group has been

selected move the cursor to the graphics
window, RMB > Go to > Corresponding
Material Assignments

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11. Highlight the Environment branch, RMB >

Rename: “Steady State”.

11

12. From the Geometry branch in the tree

highlight the part “Chip”, RMB and choose
to “Hide All Other Bodies” (note: you may
need to expand the Geometry and Mold
branches).

12

13. Activate the Body select filter. 13

14. Select the chip.

14

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15. Highlight the Steady State (Environment)

branch.

16
16. “RMB > Insert > Internal Heat Generation”. 15

17. In the details window choose enter a

Magnitude of 0.075 W/mm^3 17

18. Click the “Geometry” tab and return to the

graphics window, “RMB > Show All
Bodies”.
• Note: the load history input earlier will be
used during the transient solution.

18
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Several Named Selections have been

defined in DesignModeler to simplify the 19
addition of boundary conditions.
Convection conditions:
19. Highlight the Environment branch, “RMB >
Insert > Convection”.
• Note: since we have assumed ¼ symmetry,
there will be no boundary conditions
applied to the surfaces on the cut
boundary. This simulates an adiabatic
condition.
20. Change “Scoping Method” to “Named
Selection”.
21. In the Named Selection field choose 20
“NS_BGA_Surfaces”.
21
22. Set the film coefficient to 0.0002 W/mm^2*C
23. Set the “Ambient Temperature” to 25
degrees C. 22

23

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Radiation Conditions:
24. With the Environment highlighted, RMB > 24
Insert > Radiation.

25. Change “Scoping Method” to “Named

25
Selection”.
26
26. In the Named Selection field choose
“NS_RadSurf_1”.
27. Set the emissivity to 0.7. 27
28. Set the “Ambient Temperature” to 25
degrees C. 28

This represents the radiation losses to the

device’s surroundings from all surfaces
except the solder balls and the symmetry
cut planes.

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Radiation conditions (continued):

29. With the Environment highlighted, RMB > 29
Insert > Radiation.

30. Change “Scoping Method” to “Named 30

Selection”.
31
31. In the Named Selection field choose
“NS_RadSurf_2”.
32. Set the emissivity to 0.9. 32

33. Set the “Ambient Temperature” to 25 33

degrees C.
This represents the radiation losses to the
device’s surroundings the ball and pad
surfaces.

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34. Highlight the Solution branch.

34

35

35. “RMB > Insert > Thermal > Temperature”,

“RMB > Insert > Thermal > Total Heat Flux”.

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36. “RMB > Insert > Thermal > Temperature”.

36

37. Make sure the group “NS_BallGrid” is in the

drop down window and choose “Selection >
Select Items in Group”. 37

38. In the details for the temperature result 38

“Apply”

Note: we now have a temperature result which is

scoped only to the BGA components (see right). This
will allow us to explore the responses in this localized
region.

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39. “RMB > Insert > Probe Tool > Probe Tool”.
39

40. Switch to vertex selection from the filter. 40

41. Select the top vertex in the interior of the

model.
41

42. In the Probe detail “Apply” the selection.

42

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43. Highlight the Probe Tool in the tree, “RMB >

Insert > Probe Tool > Probe”.
43

44. Select the top vertex on the exterior of the

model. 44

45. “Apply” this selection.

The new Probe Tool allows users to attach result

quantities to various geometries and to make these
results parametric. For this workshop we are using
the probes to track temperatures on the mold
assembly in the center and outside edge positions.

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46. Solve the steady state thermal problem.

46

47. When the solution is complete highlight the

temperature result, RMB > Generate
47
Transient Environment with Initial
Condition.

• When the new branch is created it is

automatically renamed as shown here.
Also, inspection of the “Initial Condition”
branch will show the non uniform
temperature distribution from the steady
state solution is being used as the initial
condition.

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48. Highlight the Thermal Transient branch and

enter the end time “600”.
48

49. Highlight the “Internal Heat Generation”

branch and modify it for the transient 49
solution.

50. Change “Define As” to “Load History”.

51. In the “History Data” field choose “Heat
Generation vs. Time”. 50
51

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With the heat generation load history applied to the chip both a graphical and a tabular
representation can be viewed by highlighting the load in the tree as shown below.

Note: the chip has been

isolated here for clarity.

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52. Highlight the “Transient Settings” branch

below the solution. 52

The transient settings screen

appears in the graphics
window as shown here. The
top section contains a time
line showing the various
loads, results and
predetermined time reset
points. Reset points are
based on the severity of load
changes.
The lower right portion of the
transient settings allows
users to choose whether data
is visible on the graph and
whether it is used (active) to
calculate time reset points.
For this workshop we will
stay with the default settings.
The documentation contains
a full discussion on the
transient settings options.
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The next step in the Workshop is to solve the

transient thermal problem.

NOTE!!: The solution can take an hour or more

depending on the computer!!
For this reason a solved .dsdb file along with
the necessary .rth file is included. For those
who wish to progress to the result evaluation
immediately you may open the file
bga10_solved.dsdb and bga10_solved_1.rth to
continue.

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Thermal Transient Postprocessing Workshop

When the solution is complete results

can be viewed in much the same way
static results are viewed with one basic
difference.
When the quantity of interest is
highlighted in the tree the result
displayed represents the last solved (or
retrieved) time point. If results from a
different point in time are desired they
must be requested.

The results shown here represent the

temperature distribution at time = 263.7
seconds as the legend shows.
The next page shows the method to
retrieve results from various time points.

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As shown, the time line controller is used to

select the desired time point from which to
retrieve results.
Simply click (in the graph or the table), RMB
and “Retrieve Results”.

Shown here, time = 265.15 seconds is selected

then the results are retrieved via a right mouse
click.

Time point selected

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In order to access results from various time points an ANSYS results file is written. During
post processing it is the result file which is queried when a result from a new time point is
requested.
The result file name, location and size will appear in the Project page under “Environment”.

Note: in this case the result file is located in the working directory (project
directory). Files which are located in the working directory do not show the full
path. Only files located outside of the working directory will have the file path
displayed.

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A new animation controller is introduced in Simulation 10.0 which allows animating

results over a preset time period.
To access the new animation feature, choose the “Animation” tab at the bottom of the
graphics window. This will expose a timeline graph which can be used to choose
animation periods.

Additionally a new animation controller is displayed at the top of the GUI as shown here.

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The animation controller contains several key features:

Select the number of frames

to be used for the animation.
More frames = smoother
animations. Caution: more
frames require more time to
build the animation

Animation Save an avi

Start/Stop/Pause file

Choose evenly spaced Select the time delay for

time increments or times each frame (animation
clustered around solution speed). Frames/second
points are displayed next to the
speed controller

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Looking at the example below, the desired portion of the timeline has been selected by
dragging the cursor over the range.
When the animate button is depressed an animation will be built using 20 frames over a time
period of approximately 125 to 325 seconds.

Time Frame Selected

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Recall that several Probe results were requested prior to the solve. Shown below is the
display of one of those results. The probe location is displayed on the graphics screen
while a timeline and table display the quantity mapped to the probe.
Note: in this case we chose a vertex location for the probe, thus there is no contour
quantity to view. With other selections (surfaces, edges, etc.) this will not be the case.

Temperature variation
over time at Probe
location

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