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How does soldering iron act on PCB

  • 2023-09-16

Electronics has converted analog world into digital due to which the standard of living of people is improved. Space exploration, industrial revolution,telecommunication, internet, etc are possible due to advancement of electronics. From the beginning and till today the electronic circuit board requires soldering.Mostly soldering iron is used for making printed circuit boards, the solder which is made from metal alloy is heated up till its get melt and solidifies on electronic components terminal leads.

What is a soldering iron?

Soldering iron is a tool used for making circuit boards. The soldering iron make the solder to melt which is then applied on the copper traces present on PCB and make electrical contact to terminals of electronic component. The soldering iron consist of a heating element which is necessary to increase the temperature of the bit. This bit melts the solder helps to properly route solder pathways for electrical current to flow.

Can you use a soldering iron on a circuit board?

A soldering iron is designed to work on the circuit board. The temperature range is set to not damage the circuit board and only melts the solder paste. The soldering iron is designed in such way to enable everyone use by without fear and consist of a handle to hold it by hand and a metal part which heat up the bit enough to melt the soldering wire.

What type of soldering iron should I use for electronics?

There are many types of soldering iron available which is used by different departments and depending upon the purpose of use. Normally, hobbyist uses soldering pencils for DIY projects. When it is use for industrial work environment use different soldering irons are used such as:

  • Soldering Pencils:

For cheap and less efficient use, soldering pencils are the best option. They are easy to use, requires less practice and compact in size.

  • Soldering Gun:

Soldering gun is a better option for hobbyist and repairman due to its short warm up time. They are expensive compare to soldering pencils. It consist of transformer which increases the current due to which heating takes less time.

  • Soldering Station:

Soldering station is a better version of soldering iron which is used by professional PCB designers. It is mostly use in industry and jewellery making.

  • Rework Station:

Rework stations are advanced form of soldering iron which provide all things necessary when soldering a circuit. It is mostly used commercially and in industry. It consist of soldering station, hot air gun and suction unit. In case of de-soldering hot gun is use to melt the wrongly soldered part of the PCB by using controlled temperature so as not to damage the PCB. They are most expensive compare to other soldering irons but provide professional approach in repairing and making circuit boards.

What are the advantages of solder?

The solder is the joining agent which is used in all types of soldering. It is an alloy whose composition can vary depending upon the nature of work. It is a metallic solid whose melting point ranges from 90℃ to 450℃. The main advantage of solder is that it conducts electricity, solidifies quickly and provide strong joints which supports the electronic components on circuit board. The repair of circuit board is also easy. Hot air gun station is use to remove components by applying specific temperature hot air on the component so that only solder melts and the electronic components remain safe. Solder sucker removes unwanted melted solder from the PCB.

Can you start a fire with a soldering iron?

The soldering iron works on the principle of heating element when current is pass through it. Basic soldering pencils which do not have temperature control feature, if left turn on may lead to fire incident. It is important to remove any flammable material from the vicinity of soldering works.

How to use a soldering Iron?

If you are new to soldering than it is best that you with a soldering pencil. It is cheap and easy to handle. It has an insulated part to hold it in hand and a heating part which is put at point where soldering is required. When power is turn on the LED light turns on of the soldering iron which indicates heating has started. From there on carefully apply its steel tip on the point where soldering is needed. Solder is simultaneously apply with heated tip and melts over the surface of material. When soldering iron tip is remove the solder quickly solidifies and forms the joint.

Why does solder not stick to PCB?

Solder is an alloy which is normally made up of lead and tin. The solder has a property which allows it to stick to metallic surface only. This property makes it a good option for printed circuit board. Printed circuit boards are made up of insulated fiber sheet and copper is fixed on its PCB holes. When solder is applied on the PCB, it only make contact to copper present on the PCB and holds terminal of electronic components.

How to clean a soldering iron?

The tip of soldering iron can get oxidize and hold impurity on its surface. The uneven surface of soldering tip cause trouble in soldering boards and make soldering messy. It is better to clean the tip of heated soldering iron by a sponge. But sometimes sandpaper is also needed to clean rough surface of soldering iron tip after it is cool down. When tip is cleaned it is prefer to cover it solder layer which prevent it getting oxidize in future.

Conclusion

So that’s about everything you need to know about integrated circuits and how they work. We at Qtech are always ready to give you solid advice about PCBs, PCBA, and ICs. Talk to us today and find out more on what we offer. With over a decade of experience in this field, you’re guaranteed quality always.

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