Wave Soldering Process Basics

1. Wave Soldering Process Basics Wave soldering has come forward as an extremely popular and successful method of soldering where surface mount technology is concerned. This method gets its name from the fact that literally a wave of solder is passed over the assembled printed circuit board on which components are mounted. In this article, you will learn about basic considerations for a wave soldering process. When and why to use wave soldering? While it is popular, this method is still a subject of perplexity for many electronics enthusiasts. Most people don’t understand when wave soldering is used best. The fact is that since it involves passing the printed circuit board over a molten wave of solder alloy, this method is best applied to surface mount technology only. The wave of solder ensures efficient contact between board and components when there is a definitive surface to stick to. This ensures a good connection is achieved. Through-hole applications are very difficult to solder using this method, typically because the components are housed on the board through a hole. Wave solder cannot achieve a good bond in such situations and it is important to keep in mind if you decide to go for wave soldering. Things to remember when using a wave soldering process While wave soldering is a relatively quick and easier process, there are still some things you need to keep in mind while performing it. The flux you use should have a good coverage, but no overspray or spillage as it would interfere with the wave soldering if there is accumulation or inefficient drying. While flux is important, the more important factor while wave soldering is to maintain a good preheat temperature of the board before sending it into the wave. Typically, a topside preheat temperature of 140 – 150 °C is recommended, with a linear rise to 210 °C. It is suggested to preheat the board while applying the flux to ensure the flux evaporates completely before going into the wave soldering apparatus. The slope at which your printed circuit board assembly is entering the wave solder apparatus is also an important factor which determines the contact time. While the contact duration depends on a lot of other factors, it is necessary to precisely design the angle, entry depth and contact size.