Defining Selective Soldering
In the world of electronic assembly services, one soldering process reigns supreme – selective soldering.
In the simplest of words, selective soldering is a way of soldering parts onto a printed circuit board in a fast and efficient amount of time, when compared to doing it by hand. It has become a go-to soldering method for many companies. In a more technical sense, selective soldering is an automated soldering process in that parts are soldered to a PCB in quick succession or all at once. In a sense, it sets up a template to make the process quicker.
Selective Soldering Processes
Laser Selective Soldering
– The laser is what makes this process different. It uses the laser to perform the process, thus making it a precision-intensive option.
Miniature Wave Select Solder Fountains
– Using a “wave,” the board is manipulated to solder in premeditated locations. You do not need the aperture tooling and masking for this method.
Selective Dip Solder Fountain
– Relying on the solder fountain, this process works on exact points where the board is meant to be soldered. Once the board is dipped into the fountains, soldering components are sought out and correctly soldered, while other parts remain untouched.
Aperture Tooling Over Wave Soldering
– The second “wave” process in which the board is pushed through a wave of solder which creates a molten solder pool. Un-soldered areas are masked for protection.
After any of these processes, the soldering machine is left to cool and the finished board continues through the manufacturing process.
Why Use a Selective Soldering System?
Because of its efficiency and accuracy, a selective soldering system has become the preferable way of soldering. Reflow ovens and hand soldering is still used and have their benefits, but mass production demands selective soldering. The question comes down to this – how many boards need to be produced, and will it be cost efficient for you to use a selective soldering system?
In conclusion, for many modern operations, selective soldering is the most efficient electronic assembly services for precision and speed. It does so without compromising the delicacy of the board. The companies that use them are able to create and deliver the products their customers seek out in the most effective way.