SOLDERING PROCESS

Soldering is the process of joining two

metals by the use of a solder alloy, and
it is one of the oldest known joining
techniques.
Faulty solder joints remain one of the
major causes of equipment failure and
thus the importance of high standards of
workmanship in soldering cannot be
overlooked.

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The following covers basic soldering

procedures to provide the fundamental
knowledge needed for hand soldering.

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PROPERTIES OF SOLDER

Solder used for electronics is a metal

alloy, made by combining tin and lead in
different proportions.
You can usually find these proportions
marked on the various types of solder
available.

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With most tin/lead solder combinations,

melting does not take place all at once.
Fifty-fifty solder begins to melt at 183C
(361F), but it's not fully melted until the
temperature reaches 216C (420F).
Between these two temperatures, the
solder exists in a plastic or semi-liquid
state.

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The plastic range of a solder varies,

depending upon the ratio of tin to lead.
With 60/40 solder, the range is much
smaller than it is for 50/50 solder.
The 63/37 ratio, has practically no plastic
range, and melts almost instantly at 183C
(361F).

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The solders most commonly used for

hand soldering in electronics are the
60/40 type and the 63/37 type.

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Due to the plastic range of the 60/40

type, you need to be careful not to move
any elements of the joint during the cool
down period.
Movement may cause what is known as
disturbed joint.

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A disturbed joint has a rough, irregular

appearance and looks dull instead of
bright and shiny.
A disturbed solder joint may be unreliable
and may require rework.

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WETTING ACTION
When the hot solder comes in contact with
a copper surface, a metal solvent action
takes place.
The solder dissolves and penetrates the
copper surface.

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The molecules of solder and copper

blend to form a new alloy, one that's
part copper and part solder.
This solvent action is called wetting
and forms the intermetallic bond
between the Parts.

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Wetting can only occur if the surface of the

copper is free of contamination and from
the oxide film that forms when the metal is
exposed to air.
Also, the solder and work surface need to
have reached the proper temperature.

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Figure 1: Wetting occurs when

molten solder penetrates a copper surface, forming an
intermetallic bond.

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Although the surfaces to be soldered may

look clean, there is always a thin film of
oxide covering it.
For a good solder bond, surface oxides
must be removed during the soldering
process using flux.

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FLUX
Reliable solder connections can only
be accomplished with truly cleaned surfaces.
Solvents can be used to clean the surfaces
prior to soldering but are insufficient due to
the extremely rapid rate at which oxides form
on the surface of heated metals.

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To overcome this oxide film, it

becomes necessary in electronic
soldering to use materials called
fluxes. Fluxes consist of natural or
synthetic rosins and sometimes
chemical additives called activators.

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It is the function of the flux to remove

oxides and keep them removed during
the soldering operation.
This is accomplished by the flux action
which is very corrosive at solder melt
temperatures and accounts for flux's ability
to rapidly remove metal oxides.

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In its unheated state, however, rosin flux is

non-corrosive and non-conductive and
thus will not affect the circuitry.
It is the fluxing action of removing oxides
and carrying them away, as well as
preventing the reformation of new oxides
that allows the solder to form the desired
intermetallic bond.

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Flux must melt at a temperature lower than

solder so that it can do its job prior to the
soldering action.

SWAB STICK FOR APPLICATION

OF FLUX.

It is mandatory that flux be melted to flow

onto the work surface by the hot iron tip to
provide the full benefit of the fluxing action.
There are varieties of fluxes available for
many purposes and applications. The most
common types include: Rosin - No Clean,
Rosin - Mildly Activated and Water Soluble.

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When used, liquid flux should be applied

in a thin, even coat to those surfaces being
joined and prior to the application of heat.
Cored wire solder and solder paste should
be placed in such a position that the flux
can flow and cover the joints as the solder
melts. Flux should be applied so that no
damage will occur to the surrounding parts
and materials.

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SOLDERING STATION SET UP

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOLDERING BITS

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SOLDERING IRONS

Soldering irons come in a

variety of sizes and shapes.
A continuously tinned surface
must be maintained on the
soldering iron tip's working
surface to ensure proper heat
transfer and to avoid transfer of
impurities to the solder
connection.

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Before using the soldering

iron the tip should be cleaned
by wiping it on a wet sponge.
When not in use the iron
should be kept in a holder,
with its tip clean and coated
with a small amount of solder

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SOLDERING OF COMPONENTS

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NOTE
Although tip temperature is not the key
element in soldering you should always start at
the lowest temperature possible. A good rule of
thumb is to set the soldering iron tip temperature
at 260C (500F) and increase the temperature
as needed to obtain the desired result.

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CONTROLLING HEAT
Controlling soldering iron tip temperature is not
the key element in soldering. The key element is
controlling the heat cycle of the work.
How fast the work gets hot, how hot it gets, and
how long it stays hot is the element to control for
reliable solder connections.

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THERMAL MASS

The first factor that needs to be

considered when soldering is the
relative thermal mass of the joint
to be soldered. This mass may
vary over a wide range.
Each joint, has its own particular
thermal mass, and how this combined
mass compares with the mass of the
iron tip determines the time and
temperature rise of the work.

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SURFACE CONDITION

A second factor of importance when

soldering is the surface condition.
If there are any oxides or other
contaminants covering the pads or leads,
there will be a barrier to the flow of heat.
Even though the iron tip is of the right size
and temperature, it may not be able to supply
enough heat to the joint to melt the solder.

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THERMAL LINKAGE
A third factor to consider is thermal linkage.
This is the area of contact between the iron
tip and the work.
Figure 2 shows a view of a soldering iron tip
soldering a component lead. Heat is transferred
through the small contact area between the
soldering iron tip and pad. The thermal linkage
area is small.

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Figure 2: Minimal thermal linkage due to insufficient solder between

the pad and soldering iron tip.

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Figure 3 also shows a view of a soldering

iron tip soldering a component lead. In this
case, the contact area is greatly increased
by having a small amount of solder at the
point of contact.
The tip is also in contact with both the pad
and component further improving the
thermal linkage. This solder bridge
provides thermal linkage and assures the
rapid transfer of heat into the work.

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Figure 3: A solder bridge provides thermal linkage to

transfer heat into the pad and component lead.

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APPLYING SOLDER
In general, the soldering iron tip should be
applied to the maximum mass point of the
joint. This will permit the rapid thermal
elevation of the parts to be soldered.
Molten solder always flows from the cooler
area toward the hotter one.

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Before solder is applied; the surface

temperature of the parts being soldered
must be elevated above the solder melting
point.
Never melt the solder against the iron tip
and allow it to flow onto a surface cooler
than the solder melting temperature.
Solder applied to a cleaned, fluxed and
properly heated surface will melt and flow
without direct contact with the heat source
and provide a smooth, even surface,
filleting out to a thin edge.

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Improper soldering will exhibit a built-up,

irregular appearance and poor filleting.
For good solder joint strength, parts being
soldered must be held in place until the
solder solidifies.

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If possible apply the solder to the upper

portion of the joint so that the work
surfaces and not the iron will melt the
solder, and so that gravity will aid the
solder flow.
Selecting cored solder of the proper
diameter will aid in controlling the amount
of solder being applied to the joint. Use a
small gauge for a small joint, and a large
gauge for a large joint.

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POST SOLDER CLEANING

When cleaning is required, flux residue
should be removed as soon as possible,
but no later than one hour after soldering.
Some fluxes may require more immediate
action to facilitate adequate removal.
Mechanical means, such as agitation,
spraying, brushing, and other methods of
applications may be used in conjunction
with the cleaning solution.

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The cleaning solvents, solutions and

methods used should not have affected
the parts, connections, and materials
being cleaned.
After cleaning, boards should be
adequately dried.

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WORKMANSHIP
Solder joints should have a smooth
appearance. A satin luster is permissible.
The joints should be free from scratches,
sharp edges, looseness, blistering, or
other evidence of poor workmanship.
Probe marks from test pins are acceptable
providing that they do not affect the
integrity of the solder joint.

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An acceptable solder connection should

indicate evidence of wetting and
adherence when the solder blends to
the soldered surface.
The solder should form a small contact
angle; this indicates the presence of a
metallurgical bond and metallic continuity
from solder to surface. (See Figure 4).

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Figure 4: Solder blends to the soldered

surface, forming a small contact angle.

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Smooth clean voids or unevenness

on the surface of the solder fillet or
coating are acceptable.
A smooth transition from pad to
component lead should be evident.

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Conventional Soldering Technology =
Fixed Power / Variable Temperature
Conventional soldering irons are fixed power systems
that store energy in the tip, they dont adjust power in
response to thermal demand.
The temperature needs to be manually set and
adjusted to vary the amount of thermal energy
applied, the operator can vary the process.
The tip cools as it heats the joint and the heater
reheats the tip, often overshooting the set temperature.
Conventional soldering systems require calibration.
The actual tip temperature can vary widely from set
point, slowing the process and causing thermal damage
and poor solder joint quality.

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SmartHeat Soldering Technology =
Variable Power / Fixed Temperature
SmartHeat tips and cartridges sense the load
and instantly deliver the right amount of heat directly
to the solder joint.
The required solder joint temperature drives the
heating process, as opposed to the idle tip
temperature setting (as in a conventional iron).
Operates at lower safer temperatures. Power is
delivered in proportion to the load. SmartHeat
technology eliminates overshoot.
No calibration required - saves money and
eliminates system down-time.

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THANK YOU

PREPARED BY
SUJATHA FRANCIS
DM/ASSY/NS2