Data-analysis-based feedback of component positioning within an electronic assembly

1 . A computer-implemented method of providing component positioning feedback, the method comprising:

sensing, via a plurality of multi-position sensors, component position relative to a surface of an other component, the component and the other component being part of an electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors being disposed at respective corners of the component, in between the component and the other component, and the sensing by the plurality of multi-position sensors generating component position data for the corners of the component relative to the surface of the other component at different component positions, wherein the component position data includes dynamic position-change data obtained during insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly to facilitate dynamic evaluation of tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly during the insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly, and wherein at least one of the component and the other component comprises a circuit board of the electronic assembly;

determining, via data analysis of the component position data, a current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of the other component of the electronic assembly; and

generating a position feedback signal based on the determined current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of other component of the electronic assembly to facilitate the dynamic evaluation of the tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the sensing comprises sensing the component position relative to the surface of the other component at selected inspection points to obtain the component position data from the plurality of multi-position sensors of the electronic assembly at the selected inspection points as part of operatively inserting the component within the electronic assembly.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising obtaining component position change data from the plurality of multi-position sensors as part of positioning the component relative to a surface of the other component, wherein the determining and the generating include using the component position change data in determining the current positioning of the component relative to the surface of the other component, and in generating the position feedback signal based on the determined current position of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the component position data comprises position data indicative of whether there is an operative positioning of the component within the electronic assembly, and tilt data representative of a tilt angle of the component relative to the other component of the electronic assembly.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the component comprises a heat sink and the other component comprises an electronic circuit subassembly to be cooled, and wherein the component position data comprises position data indicative of an operative positioning of the heat sink relative to a subassembly circuit board of the electronic circuit subassembly, and tilt data representative of a tilt angle of the heat sink relative to the subassembly circuit board.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the heat sink comprises a rectangular-shaped heat sink surface, and wherein the determining comprises obtaining average component position data for each corner of a plurality of corners of the rectangular-shaped heat sink surface, and comparing the average component position data for the plurality of corners in ascertaining the position data indicative of whether there is an operative positioning of the heat sink, and the tilt data representative of the tilt angle of the heat sink relative to the subassembly circuit board.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the electronic circuit subassembly comprises multiple integrated circuit die, and the heat sink couples to the multiple integrated circuit die via a thermal interface material.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a heat sink of the electronic assembly and the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of multi-stage spring contact sensors disposed between the heat sink and a surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a heat sink of the electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of Hall-effect sensors disposed between a surface of the heat sink and a surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a subassembly circuit board of the electronic assembly, and the other component of the electronic assembly comprises a main circuit board of the electronic assembly, the subassembly circuit board being coupled to the main circuit board via a land-grid array socket, and wherein the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of shorter pin-contact sensors that are shorter than other pin contacts of the land-grid array socket.

11 . A computer system for providing component positioning feedback within an electronic assembly, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:

sensing, via a plurality of multi-position sensors, component position relative to a surface of an other component, the component and the other component being part of an electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors being disposed at respective corners of the component, in between the component and the other component, and the sensing by the plurality of multi-position sensors generating component position data for the corners of the component relative to the surface of the other component at different component positions, wherein the component position data includes dynamic position-change data obtained during insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly to facilitate dynamic evaluation of tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly during the insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly, and wherein at least one of the component and the other component comprises a circuit board of the electronic assembly;

determining, via data analysis of the component position data, a current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of the other component of the electronic assembly; and

generating a position feedback signal based on the determined current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of other component of the electronic assembly to facilitate the dynamic evaluation of the tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly.

12 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the sensing comprises sensing the component position relative to the surface of the other component at selected inspection points to obtain the component position data from the plurality of multi-position sensors of the electronic assembly at the selected inspection points as part of operatively inserting the component within the electronic assembly.

13 . The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the obtaining further comprising obtaining component position change data from the plurality of multi-position sensors as part of positioning the component relative to a surface of the other component, wherein the determining and the generating include using the component position change data in determining the current positioning of the component relative to the surface of the other component, and in generating the position feedback signal based on the determined current position of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

14 . The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the component position data comprises position data indicative of whether there is an operative positioning of the component within the electronic assembly, and tilt data representative of a tilt angle of the component relative to the other component of the electronic assembly.

15 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the component comprises a heat sink of the electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of multi-stage spring contact sensors disposed between the heat sink and a surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

16 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the component comprises a heat sink of the electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of Hall-effect sensors disposed between a surface of the heat sink and a surface of the other component of the electronic assembly.

17 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the component comprises a subassembly circuit board of the electronic assembly, and the other component of the electronic assembly comprises a main circuit board of the electronic assembly, the subassembly circuit board being coupled to the main circuit board via a land-grid array socket, and wherein the plurality of multi-position sensors comprise a plurality of shorter pin-contact sensors that are shorter than other pin contacts of the land-grid array socket.

18 . A computer program product for providing component positioning feedback within an electronic assembly, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage medium and program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being readable by a processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to:

sensing, via a plurality of multi-position sensors, component position relative to a surface of an other component, the component and the other component being part of an electronic assembly, and the plurality of multi-position sensors being disposed at respective corners of the component, in between the component and the other component, and the sensing by the plurality of multi-position sensors generating component position data for the corners of the component relative to the surface of the other component at different component positions, wherein the component position data includes dynamic position-change data obtained during insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly to facilitate dynamic evaluation of tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly during the insertion of the component into operative position within the electronic assembly, and wherein at least one of the component and the other component comprises a circuit board of the electronic assembly;

determining, via data analysis of the component position data, a current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of the other component of the electronic assembly; and

generating a position feedback signal based on the determined current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the surface of other component of the electronic assembly to facilitate the dynamic evaluation of the tilt and coplanarity of the component within the electronic assembly.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the program instructions readable by the processing circuit further cause the processing circuit to sense the component position relative to the surface of the other component at selected inspection points to obtain the component position data from the plurality of multi-position sensors of the electronic assembly at the selected inspection points as part of operatively inserting the component within the electronic assembly.

20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the component position data comprises position data indicative of whether there is an operative positioning of the component within the electronic assembly, and tilt data representative of a tilt angle of the component relative to the other component of the electronic assembly.