Soldering is a process in which two pieces of metals are joined together, with the help of a filler metal referred to as a solder. This filler metal has a low melting point compared to that of the metals to be soldered. The solder is melted in the soldering process. There are different ways in which soldering can be done. You must be thinking what are the different types of soldering used? Read the following post to get an answer to this question.
What are the Different Types of Soldering?
There are different types of soldering done based on the application. Here are a few types of soldering that are being done in several industries:
Selective Soldering: Selective soldering is the process in which components are soldered on a printed circuit board without damaging the remaining board by the heat produced. This type of soldering is done, particularly when high precision is required in any application. It is useful in most specific and sensitive applications. There are a number of ways in which selective soldering can be done. These methods are as follows:
- Laser Selective Solder Systems
- Selective Aperture Tooling Over Wave Solder
- Miniature Wave Selective Solder Fountain
- Mass Selective Dip Solder Fountain
Hand Soldering: As the name indicates, hand soldering is a process of soldering done with the help of hand tools. Some types of components to be mounted on a circuit board demand the hand soldering process. In hand soldering, different surface mount components are attached to a circuit board, with the help of solder, iron, and soldering wick. Sometimes, flux is also used in the process.
Robotic Soldering: Robotic soldering is done when a repetitive soldering process is required. It helps complete the tasks in much less time. In addition to this, you can program the robotic station and update it for new product lines. This type of soldering is done in following applications:
- Robotic soldering is used to create solder joints between a PCB and a metal frame.
- This type of soldering is used in through-hole solder applications
- Robotic soldering is of great help in resoldering of a solder spot after soldering bath is done.
- It is also used to create solder joints between pins and housing on a circuit board
Wave Soldering: Wave soldering is the process in which the printed circuit board to be soldered is passed over a solder wave. This saves a lot of time and the soldering is done in just a few seconds. This process is not only saves time, but also creates electrically and mechanically reliable joints.
These were some of the most popular types of soldering. Sometimes, the process of soldering can get quite intricate. Certain PCBs assembly require soldering, which has to be done with utmost skill. Thus, it is advisable to get such a complex PCB design done by an expert. One such expert in designing and manufacturing different types of PCBs with different capabilities and specifications is Accelerated Assemblies.