Soldering Techniques

Before discussing soldering techniques, one must set up a \soldering

work station".
1. Variable temperature soldering iron: used for applying heat to
joints during the soldering process.
2. Damp sponge: for cleaning soldering iron tip.
3. Rosin-core solder: to electrically and mechanically bond a component
to the PCB.
4. Wire cutters or side cutter: for trimming component leads and
stripping insulation from wires.
5. Needle nose pliers: for holding, placing and shaping components.
6. Desoldering pump and/or desoldering braid: for removing solder.
7. Scotch tape and/or a \Third Hand": for securing components.

8. Safety glasses: for eye protection. These are mandatory in the lab.
9. Magnifier: to provide more detail during intricate work. A magnifying
glass is convenient, but an illuminated magnifier is better.
10. Light source: to prevent eye-strain.
11. Ventilation: to extract and dispel fumes generated during the soldering
process.
12. Flux: to clean components and PCB pads.
13. Acid brush: to assist in the removal of flux residue.

1.2 Important Soldering Tips

The following tips provide a quick guideline on how to make proper joints.

Cleanliness: All parts, including the soldering iron tip, must be clean and free from
grease, oxidation and contamination. Solder does not flow over contaminated
areas; moreover, solder is repelled by dirt. Severe contamination is evident when
solder begins to \bead". A common source of contamination is oxidation. Old
components and copper boards will often have oxide layer that prevents a good
solder joint. Ensure all components have shiny leads and the PCB has clean traces.
An abrasive such as a blue or pink eraser, emery paper, or still wool
can be used to remove the oxidized layer from the PCB board and components.
Tinning: In addition to being clean, the soldering iron tip must also be tinned
(coated with solder). Tinning the tip allows solder to flow on the components more
quickly rather than the soldering iron tip itself. Tinning involves adding a few
millimetres of solder to the tip and then wiping and rotating the tip on the damp
sponge to reveal a shiny surface on the tip of the soldering iron: a thin layer of
solder will coat or \tin" the tip of the soldering iron when Soldering.

Precautions

Tinning the iron is required to protect the tip from oxidation thereby dramatically
increasing its life.
Temperature: Ensure that both the component leads and the PCB's copper layer
are heated at the same time. The soldering iron tip should contact both the
component and the PCB pad. This will ensure that each surface is relatively close
in temperature resulting in a good joint.
If there is a temperature difference between the two surfaces, the solder will form a
\dry" joint. Soldering irons are typically set around 650 Fahrenheit, depending on
the lead-tin ratio of the solder being used. Too much heat causes excessive \
sputtering" of flux, and too little doesn't melt the solder in a timely manner.
Duration: The duration that the iron is in contact with the component and PCB is
dependent on the size of the joint and your soldering iron temperature. For the
typical PCB through-hole joint, it should take a few seconds to heat the joint and
apply the solder. This will require practice, so don't expect to be fast if you are a
beginner. Excessive heat (several seconds in duration) will damage sensitive
semiconductors. If this is a concern, use a heat sink attached to the
Component leads: sometimes as simple as an alligator clip. These concerns can
sometimes be avoided by soldering sockets instead of the semiconductor itself.
Adequate solder coverage: If too little solder is applied, the joint will not make a
secure connection and will cause erratic behaviour. However, if too much solder is
applied, the joint may bridge with adjacent joints resulting in electrical shorts.
Handling: Most modern electronics systems contain static-sensitive devices.
Use proper handling procedures to minimize the likelihood of

Precautions
Soldering Irons get very hot (600-8000F, 315-4250C), please ensure you follow
precautions during use. Basic safety precautions are listed below.
_ Never leave your iron turned on while unattended.
_ Turn the soldering iron off when it is not being used. If the iron is left
on for long periods of idle time, the soldering iron tip will be destroyed through
oxidation.
_ Eye protection must always be worn when soldering. Hot flux can spit
up into an unprotected eye. In the Capstone Design Lab, use of eye protection is
mandatory.
_ If the cord of the soldering iron is damaged, inform the laboratory attendant who
will ensure it’s replaced.
_ Never set the soldering iron down on anything other than an iron stand.
_ To prevent burning your fingers, use needle nose pliers, heat resistant gloves, or
a third hand tool to hold small pieces.
_ Familiarize yourself with the safe handling of all materials used during the
soldering process. This includes solder, flux, alcohol, and de-soldering braid.

How to Solder Through-Hole Components

Most of the soldering done in the Capstone Design Lab is through-hole. A through-
hole joint is a type of soldering joint in which the component joins with the PCB
pad through a physical hole in the board. The following steps will illustrate how to
make a proper through hole solder joint on a PCB.
1. Ensure that the printed circuit board and all components are clean.
Cleaning can be achieved with a mild abrasive and/or the application
of flux.
2. Plug in the soldering iron, turn it on, and let it warm up for 2{3
minutes.
3. Wet the soldering station sponge with the water provided in the lab. Do not wet
the sponge in the bathroom or the water fountain.
4. Clean the tip of the soldering iron and tin it with solder.
5. Insert the component into the holes. Ensure that the component is secure by
taping the component or by using a third hand.
6. Apply the soldering iron tip to one side of joint making contact with the
component lead and the board copper foil, ensuring that both are heated up to the
same temperature
7. Slowly add a few millimetres of solder to the other side of the joint.
DO NOT apply solder to the soldering iron tip. If enough heat was applied to the
PCB pad and component wire, the solder will flow freely onto the joint.
8. Remove the solder when the joint is suitably covered
9. If the PCB is double-sided, the solder should flow through the hole around the
component lead and make a bond on the component side
of the board (opposite to the side that the solder was applied). If this \wicking"
does not occur, the hole may be undersized, clinching could be blocking the
solder's path, or the component lead is not clean.
10. Remove the soldering iron and allow the joint to cool naturally.
11. Cut the lead of the component, if necessary.
1.5 How to Solder Surface-Mount Components
1.5 How to Solder Surface-Mount Components
Surface mount soldering requires more experience and skill than through hole. It is
recommended that one practices with through-hole prior to attempting any surface
mount soldering. As the name suggests, surface mount involves soldering a
component to either the top or bottom surface of a PCB. Depending on the
footprint, the pads are usually a spaced closer together (of_ner pitch), making the
soldering more susceptible to solder bridges, etc.
1. Align the component on the PCB pads. This can be aided with the use of
tweezers and dental picks.
2. Secure the component to the PCB by applying a small amount of pressure onto
the top of the component using a small slot screwdriver.
9
An index finger resting on the end of the screwdriver provides enough
force to secure the device.
3. Solder one of the corner component leads to the PCB pad.
4. Align the remaining pads and solder the opposite corner PCB pad.
5. Solder the remaining pads in a pattern that does not build-up too
much heat in the device.
Wire Connectors and Headers
When PCBs are manufactured they often have connectors to peripheral devices.
These connectors are like other components in how they are soldered onto the
PCB. However, the plug that matches the connector usually also requires some
soldering. Please note that with very few exceptions, the wire used for cabling is
stranded (rather than solid-core) due
to its higher strength and edibility. Below are procedures for a few of the more
common plug types.
Crimp Connectors and Pins
1. Strip of about 1cm of the wire insulation.
2. Place the exposed wire into the crimp-style connector or pin. The wire should
just barely show coming out the other side. Some crimp pins have two crimping
areas { one for the stripped wire, and the other for the wire with the insulation.
3. Crimp the connector with the appropriate crimping tool. Note that the
connectors are colour coded to settings on the crimping tool, try and match the
correct colour.
4. As added insurance, apply solder to the joint to solidify the connection. Before
crimping all pins destined for a connector housing, start with one and ensure that it
_ts successfully into the housing. If the crimp is made too tightly, or otherwise
mis-shaped, the pin may no longer fit.
DB Connectors (Solder Cup Type)
1. Strip o_ about 5mm of the wire insulation.
2. Tin the wire.
3. Slide shrink wrap on the wire.
4. Place the wire into the DB - connector solder end.
5. Apply the soldering iron tip to the connector and wire.
6. Apply a few millimetres of solder until the joint is adequately covered.
7. Let the joint cool.
8. Slide the shrink wrap over the joint and heat the shrink wrap with a heat gun (or
other heat source) until the wrap shrinks around the joint.
Joining Two Wires
1. Slide shrink wrap on one of the wires.
2. Tin or coat each wire with some solder.
3. Join the wires in a way that provides a good mechanical connection (such as
twisting together) and apply the soldering iron tip and some solder.
4. Let the joint cool.
5. Slide shrink wrap over the joint and heat the shrink wrap with a heating gun or a
heat source until it the the wrap shrinks around the joint. Two wire joint insulated
by shrink wrap, [4]
Testing Connections
After completely soldering a component to a PCB, it is good practice to ensure
connectivity between the component wire leads and the PCB pads they are
soldered to. A DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) is sufficient to deter Soldering mine
connectivity; many DMMs include an audible connectivity setting, but failing this,
measure the joint resistance.
Filled Board Soldering
In-lab manufacture of PCBs uses a technique known as \milling". The milling
technique involves cutting out the PCB tracks and pads from the copper-clad
board. Due to its construction, a milled PCB is susceptible to solder-bridging
across the milled grooves, particularly when an excess of solder is used. Finding a
short caused by a bridge is a difficult task, particularly when
many solder joints exist. To this end, make a limited number of solder connections
and then test for bridges using a multimeter. The flux left behind by rosin-core
solders, or perhaps as part of the cleaning process, needs to be removed from the
PCB. Due to the flux's sticky
nature, dirt gathers and contributes to short-circuiting problems. The most
frustrating part of this situation is that a short does not necessarily occur
immediately. Weeks, or even years later, a short can develop. To remove flux,
alcohol is used. Apply the alcohol liberally and then
brush away with an acid brush, starting at the center of the PCB and working out
toward the edges. This is a time-consuming task, but a clean board is well-worth
the effort. Work Area Cleanup .The importance of keeping your work area clean
cannot be emphasized
enough. When clear of obstructions and garbage, handling a hot soldering iron is
safer. The soldering process itself involves chemicals and substances which are
known to have ill-effects in humans. Wiping-down the work-area surfaces with a
moist paper towel will help reduce some contamination. When you are done
soldering, wash your hands with soap and water to get rid of contamination. The
primary concern here is accidental ingestion of the chemicals. For more
information, please refer to the Safe Operating Procedures, posted in the lab's
soldering area.
Chapter 2
De-soldering Technique
De-soldering may be required for several reasons:
_ a component may have failed
_ a wrong part was installed;
_ a design modification necessitates a change; or
_ if a board contains expensive components that can be salvaged.
Whatever the reason, there are three common techniques to remove solder from a
joint: using a de-soldering pump, a de-soldering wick, or de-soldering iron.
Regardless of the method used, if it is permissible to destroy the part during
removal, then a lot of time and effort can be saved. For instance, using wire cutters
to trim off all the pins of a through-hole IC so they can
be removed individually makes the removal process much easier. In most cases,
avoiding damage to the PCB is of paramount importance.
Solder Pump/Sucker
A de-soldering pump is exactly what it sounds like: a pump that sucks up solder.
Usually the pump is spring-loaded and provides a recoil when released. The four
steps below outline how to de-solder a joint using a de-soldering pump.
1. Prime the de-soldering pump. This involves depressing the de-soldering pump
spring. The pump will click when correctly depressed.

2. Heat the joint from one side with the soldering iron tip. Wait 1-2 seconds until
the solder begins to melt from the soldering iron heat.
3. Put the pump tip on the other side of the joint. Don't be afraid to actually touch
the joint.
4. Press the de-soldering pump spring-release button to suck up the solder.
This procedure should be repeated if the joint has a significant amount of solder. If
done correctly the joint should eventually look as shown in
De-soldering Braid/Wick
A de-soldering braid removes solder from a joint using a technique known as \
wicking". De-solder braid is a piece of material that sponges up molten solder by
capillary action that draws solder away from the joint the braid. The following
procedure outlines the basic steps involved in de-soldering a joint using de-
soldering braid.
1. Place the de-soldering braid over the joint.
2. Press the de-soldering braid onto the joint with the soldering iron tip. This will
apply heat to the de-soldering braid and the joint allowing the molten solder to
flow.
3. Wait for the solder to melt. The solder should flow onto the braid and away from
the joint.
4. Cut off the solder coated portion of the de-soldering braid. There should be no
copper visible in the portion that is removed: braid is very expensive.
De-soldering Iron
Using a de-soldering iron, available with higher-end soldering stations, is similar to
using a solder sucker. The de-soldering iron is essentially a soldering iron with a
built-in vacuum.
1. Make contact between the iron and the joint to be de-soldered, ensuring the
vacuum opening is not blocked.
2. Once the solder on the joint has become molten, depress the button on the iron
to activate the vacuum. It is very important for the life of the de-soldering iron that
the vacuum
assembly be cleaned after every session of use. Please ask the lab personnel for a
description of the cleaning procedure. As with a normal soldering iron, the de-
soldering iron tip should be tinned before and after every use.
2.4 Removing Components Effectively
To remove a component with little or no damage to the PCB or component takes
practice and patience. Often when removing a component, PCB pads and tracks
may be damaged by \lifting" off the board. Below are some tips that may be useful
when removing components from a PCB.
_ De-solder all joints pertaining to a component prior to removal. It may be
necessary to go over the joints several times before all the solder is removed.
Practice patience.
_ Use pliers and gently pull on components while applying heat to the joints. The
assistance of a friend can help with this.
_ Do not pull with force, because the PCB pads and tracks will be damaged.
_ Do not try and remove components by prying them.
_ Do not try to push the component out of the holes with the soldering tip. This
will certainly lift the copper pad of the PCB and ruin the iron tip.
_ In order to get better thermal conductivity between the iron and the solder joint,
it is sometimes effective to add a small amount of solder.
Chapter 3
Glossary
BOM: Bill of Materials, which contains a list of all components and values
contained on a particular PCB. Used as a \shopping list".
De-soldering Braid: A material used to remove solder with capillary action.
De-soldering Pump: A device used to remove solder with a swift vacuum action.
Flux: Cleans the surfaces that are being heated by bringing contaminants to the
surface. Most solders include flux in their core. For excessive contamination use a
ux pen.
Footprint: The spacing pattern or layout of pads for a particular component or
integrated chip, as used on a PCB.
PCB (Printed Circuit Board): A brimless board upon which copper traces are
laminated to make connections between various components. The copper traces
serve as at wires connecting various components.
Shrink Wrap: A tube that fits over a wire, that when heated shrinks to provide
insulation and support for the joints.

Fine tip soldering iron.

• Solder tip cleaning sponge.
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Tweezers or fine pliers
• Cleaning sponge (wet)
• Philips head screwdriver
• Small adjustable wrench
• Magnifying glass
• Emery board or 150 grit sandpaper
• White ink eraser, pink eraser
• 99% Isopropyl alcohol (get at pharmacy)
• Clean toothbrush
• Drinking straw
• Craft Knife
• Optional:
• 1/2 inch nut driver
• Small, inexpensive, hand-held VOM for electrical testing
• Solder pump

My everyday set-up for Soldering

Keep washing your hands to minimize your contact with it.

Don’t breath it.
Don’t burn yourself!
Don’t flick a hot tinned wire towards your face or body.
Soldering is NOT for children.
Soldering is NOT for anyone impaired by a medical problem that affects their
hands or their coordination or their ability to follow instructions.
Soldering is NOT for anyone impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Tinning: A soldering process absolutely necessary to prepare a wire AND

a foil or terminal in order for the wire to be tack-soldered onto the copper foil of a
PC board or, soldered to an eyelet or lug. Tin/lead solder has real tin in it hence the
name. That’s the shiny part.
How to Tin: Wires and Foils are “tinned” by holding a clean solder pencil
tip across the wire strands. Tease a tiny bit of solder into the center between the
solder pencil tip and the wire to create a molten bridge. This will heat the strands
of copper wire so that they will accept a thin coat of solder. This whole process
should only take one second.
De-Soldering: The process of removing a soldered wire from a foil pad,
eyelet, or terminal. Remember-molten solder flows towards heat.
How to De-Solder: Use solder wick. To remove a soldered wire, lay the
solder wick copper braid across the soldered wire or terminal, then heat with the tip
of your solder pencil. The solder wick contains flux and fine copper strands. When
it’s heated, it will draw in the solder you want to remove. When the braid heats the
joint, the solder is immediately wicked into the braid. The braid is between heat
source and thing to be de-soldered.

Know the 10 Solder Rules

1. Your solder pencil tip should remain clean and shiny. Clean it by feeding a little
solder onto the tip surface, then wipe the tip on a sponge soaked in water. Buy a
soldering sponge.
2. Use the least amount of solder pencil heat to give you a clean, shiny looking
joint. Don’t use a soldering gun less you intend to solder copper pipe or solder a
wire to chassis surface.
3. Solder is lead-bearing. Minimize your physical contact with it. Wash your
hands with soap and water when you finish soldering. Also avoid breathing the
smoke.
4. Solder melts at 700 degrees F. Use caution and don’t burn yourself. Don’t flick a
hot tinned wire towards your face or body. Hot solder will injure you. If you use a
solder sucker-be careful. They spray molten solder when they work. I recommend
using only braid-it is safer and actually cleans better. They also make 600 degree
and 800 degree tips/irons. But, I think 700 is best overall.
5. Use fast heat and fast feed and make sure your lighting is very good so you can
see what you’re doing. Work under a lighted magnifying glass if you can.
6. Do not move until the solder joint cools.
7. Inspect your finished soldering with a magnifying glass. Your soldering should
not be dull, grayish, mottled or crystalline-looking. These bad solder joints are
called “cold joints” and must be done over. You should NOT see thin brown rings
around the wires as they exit the soldered area. These are called “flux joints”. You
did NOT use enough heat. You have to do it over. Solder joint should look like a
smooth, shiny volcano.
8. Use a 25 to 35 watt solder pencil. A simple solder pencil works fine.
9. Clean and re-tin the solder pencil tip after every solder joint. This keeps oxides
and debris from becoming part of your next joint!
10. Use only quality solder with rosin-core flux. Use 60-40 (60% tin, 40% lead) or
63-37 (professional solder). Buy top brands. Do not EVER USE acid flux solder
used for copper pipe because it will corrode printed circuit boards and terminals
and ruin them. Many of the solders used in sound gear in early 50s were really bad.
10. Use only quality solder with rosin-core flux. Use 60-40 (60% tin, 40% lead)
or 63-37 (professional solder). Buy top brands. Do not EVER USE acid flux
solder used for copper pipe because it will corrode printed circuit boards and
terminals and ruin them. Many of the solders used in sound gear in early 50s were
really bad. You find round globs on old tube sockets that just cause endless
intermittents. Wick all the old stuff off and do over. What you see is what you
hear! GOAL OF WIRE TINNING: To prepare bare wire to be soldered. The flux
inside the solder cleans the metal as the solder flows across the wires or the copper
foil. Use just enough solder to form a thin jacket that conforms to the shape of the
stands. The wire strand outline should be clearly seen under the solder. If not,
you’ve used too much solder so reheat the tinned wire and tap on the top of the
table while it’s still hot. This will knock the extra solder off. This is called
“tinning” and is absolutely essential to prepare a wire to be tack-soldered onto a
PC board copper foil or lug or eyelet. To get the best solder joints, you can use a
pink bar eraser to clean the dull oxide off the component leads by rubbing away
from the part gently. Shiny leads make good solder joints. Dirty wire or leads will
make the solder joints weak. In general, use the least amount of solder pencil heat
that will give you a clean, shiny looking joint. A 25 to 35 watt solder pencil is
recommended. First, strip the insulated wire to 1/4 inch exposed strands. Twist the
wires so that they
are tight. Next, tin the wires by holding a clean solder pencil tip parallel to the
strands. Tease a tiny bit of solder into the center between the tip and the wire to
create a molten bridge. Solder will flow across the wire or the foil. Use a small vise
or weight to hold down wire so it won’t move while working.
Why Do We Use Solder?
Solder is a combination of tin and lead used to create a strong bond between other
metals. Since solder won’t
stick to glass, we apply a copper foil tape (our metal) to the edges of the glass. This
is referred to as the
copper foil method of stained glass construction. Solder is melted over the copper
foil, creating a structure that
holds the pieces of glass together. The other option is to set the glass into channels
of lead or metal, and
solder the channels together. This is referred to as the lead came method.

The Advantages of Solder

Some of the advantages of soldering versus other bonding methods are:
C Solders are easy to use and relatively inexpensive.
C Low energy is required to solder.
C Properly soldered joints are highly reliable.
C Solder joints are easy to rework or repair.
C Experienced craft persons can exercise a high degree of control over the
soldering process.
C Solder joints age very well. They can last for years, decades and centuries.

Why Do We Use Flux?

Flux is a chemical compound that is used to promote the bonding of metals by
removing the oxide residue simultaneously with the soldering process. Most metals
left exposed to the air around us react with the air to form residue on the surface of
the metal. The process is oxidization and the residues are oxides. Each mix of
metals being joined has a specific flux that best promotes this bonding process. In
stained glass, the metals being joined are primarily copper to tin/lead solder and
lead, brass or zinc to tin/lead solder.
Types of Flux
Selecting the correct flux for your application is as critical as any other step of the
soldering process. The proper
flux will assure less soldering problems and a satisfactory solder bond. The best
fluxes do three things:
C They remove all the residue that has formed on the surface of the metals you are
going to solder.
C They prevent oxides from forming while you are soldering.
C Any post-soldering residue they leave is noncorrosive and easily cleaned off.
Fluxes are available in organic and inorganic forms. If you touch the flux and your
skin seems to have a sensitivity
to one type of flux, an inorganic type for example, try an organic variety. Often
you will find that you are
less sensitive to irritation by using the opposite type flux. Organic fluxes are
generally some form of oleic (fatty)
acids, while inorganic fluxes are most often zinc chloride based.