Although they are high-tech components, not to mention the current stronghold with processors in terms of chips and semiconductors, graphics cards are not free from flaws. Many times there are different problems which, even if they do not seem to be so at first sight, have a solution or at least a possible solution. One of the solutions for repair graphics card is to submit to reballing process. We will explain what it is and what to take into account.
Graphical failures, spontaneous restarts, freezes after minutes or hours of play, black screens as soon as you turn on the PC… GPU-related failures are numerous and in almost all cases they have a common denominator: the chip itself. -even or the VRAM, elements which can be exchanged or repaired with the PCB.
Reballing for graphics cards, what is it?
It is simply a repair technique that consists of removing the existing solder between the PCB of the graphics card and the component in question, usually the GPU itself and its interposer, to repair said solders and replace them already renewed , clean and new. Flow in order to obtain the best contact and transfer between the two components.
Therefore, the reballing it is only intended as a last resort to try to recover a graphics card that has already been diagnosed with a soldering problem or at least is suspected that way.
The problem comes from the diagnosis, since the chip itself (and as expected) cannot be checked, since the only ones who can do it are the chip itself. NVIDIA, AMD or Intel. Therefore, the technician in question must assess whether reballing the graphics card is indeed a viable option and a possible solution to the specific problem.
The same happens with the VRAM, except that on this occasion the module or modules can be replaced totally or temporarily and check if we have really solved the problem.
A partial solution to avoid reballing
The current reballing requires a series of models to VRAM modules or the graphics chips that place the solder balls just at key points on the PCB, so if we have 1800 pins there will be 1800 solder balls and logically they all have to be spot on and with millimeter precision.
Hence the use of professional welding machines for this, which are extremely expensive (if good), include infrared cameranormal view camera for pins, temperature and cooling settings, buttons for heat settings, airflow and panel position and much more.
We are talking about thousands of euros, normally more than 5,000 as soon as it has a minimum quality, so either we use basic molds and heat them with a heat gun, or we can try to repair the welds by inserting the whole GPU in a oven between 150º C and 180º Cwhere time is also a key factor.
Keep in mind that in these cases only the PCB is inserted, no plastic parts of any kind, just the bare PCB and this should be done by an experienced person, if possible a professional, as there are components who will suffer when they see their maximum temperature raised by several tens of degrees.