PCB Soldering Techniques You Should Know

Soldering is a technique that had been practiced for a very long period of time for making electrical connections as it is a process that is used in the joining process of two different types of metals together with the help of a rod-shaped device that is called melting solder. The solder itself is a device that is made up of iron and it is used to melt together two alloys, usually tin and lead. These two alloys are melted using a hot iron that is heated to temperatures above 600 degrees Fahrenheit. When this mixture of alloy cools down it creates a strong electrical bond that is a good conductor of electricity.

Types Of Soldering Techniques  

Soldering had been a very common technique when it comes to connecting the joints. However, the process of the soldering also has various types that are used according to the situation and circumstances in different ODM PCB manufacturing companies.

Mainly there are three types of soldering techniques that are used in very high temperatures, this, in turn, produces a very strong connection that is perfect even while conducting electricity. The most common types of soldering techniques are:

1. Soft Soldering (90 °C - 450 °C) 

Among all the types of soldering, in this type of soldering, the metals with the lowest melting point of at less than 400°C are usually used as the alloys. These often contain lead with liquidus that have temperatures under 350°C. However, this kind of soldering is not said to be very effective as it only thermally stresses the components but it fails to make a very strong joint thus, it is then considered as not a very suitable option for applications that involve load-bearing as the bonds would be very weak because of the low temperatures that are used in soft soldering. It is also not suited for high-temperature use as this type of solder loses strength and melts.

2. Hard Soldering (>450 °C) 

In this type of soldering process, the main metals that are used for soldering are brass and silver, however, this type of soldering requires a blowtorch in order to achieve the high temperatures at which solder metals are supposed to melt.

3. Brazing (>450 °C) 

These types of soldering processes require a temperature that is very much higher than the temperature that is used in soft and hard soldering. But just like in the process of soft soldering, in the process of brazing the metal that is to be attached is rather heated and not melted soon as both the metals are combined and heated well the metal could be placed in between, this would help to make it a strong bond.

Materials Required 

These are the various types of soldering that could be done, however, the type of soldering that is to be done is determined by the use and the application. Along with these techniques of soldering, there are some other things as well that you need to know before you can start up with the process of soldering, these include the materials that are involved in the process of soldering and the steps that should be followed in order to conduct the process of soldering successfully. The material that we need to use for the purpose of soldering involves:

1. Soldering Iron

Soldering iron is an iron rod that is the main component as a tip, wand, solder wick, and rest. It is a pen-like structure that is very important as it is used to melt the metals that are to be used in order to make the connection.

2. Solder Flux

The solder flux acts as a purifying agent as it is useful for purifying the components that are being worked upon, they perform tasks like cleaning them of any rust. However, it also closes every space that might that can bring in the air as it comes into contact with the material so that it cannot rust again in the future. 

3. Soldering Paste

It is the paste that is used in order to form the connection as the soldering paste is the putty-like material that is used in making connections. 

4. The PCB

The PCB is the circuit board over which the work is supposed to be done. It is usually sensitive.

Steps Involved In Soldering

The basic steps for the process of Soldering are:

1. Preparing your Soldering Iron which is done by the process of heating the rod before performing soldering

2. Prepare your surface by cleaning out all the rust and dust particles that could cause inconvenience.

3. Thirdly, all the components should be roughly placed in their original position in order to be efficient and to perform the process without hindrance.

4. When the joints are roughly joined some heat is applied over the metals through the tip of the solder.

5. Once it is heated place the metal is placed over the joint and apply solder.

6. Wait for it to cool down as it would strengthen the joint.   

If you want to know more about PCB's here is the guide that tells all about the PCB design and functionalities.