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There are many more ways to cut a solder preform than most customers realize. We use each of these methods depending on the volume, precision, or complexity of the solder preform. Whichever method we

My most recent blog topics have had to do withWave Soldering Machine Components, butstatistics is also something that interests

After a delightful lunch with Rob, Pete, and the Professor, Patty settled into her office to prepare a lecture on statistics. She was still enjoying the academic environment and this weekly lunch was

Have you ever had to choose something (a new computer, kitchen cabinets, eyeglasses) and had so many choices that you became overwhelmed and got analysis paralysis? You might feel that way when

My last post was about the benefits and disadvantages of using aplaten or hot plate preheater in wave soldering. There are many different kinds of preheating, (I mentioned some here). Calrod®

The previous post introduced all of the different type of preheaters. The Hot Plate or Platen preheater will be the first type I will discuss. If you are looking for a low-cost option for preheating,

I mentioned, in my last post, that preheating is needed to decrease wave soldering cost. With trying to decrease the cost of the wave soldering process there have been many different types of

Many of my posts have been discussing the different types of wave soldering fluxers: their capabilities and their shortcomings. This section will be similar, except preheaters will be discussed. But

Folks, Richard asks: Dear Dr. Ron, Recently we had a solderability problem with tin-finished component leads and SAC305 solder paste. One of our engineers claimed that the problem was that the tin

My last two posts (1) (2) have been about the different facets of spray fluxing and the systems that are used. In this post, we are moving on from spray fluxing and discussing the final type of

No matter how accurate the spray fluxer is there will at least be some flux that is not deposited on the board that needs to be removed from the system. I mentioned in my previous post that all spray

Patty was just getting ready to leave her office for a bi-weekly luncheon with the Professor, Pete, and Rob. They had regular meetings like this to discuss new technical topics or to review books. It

The total loss system is a method of applying spray flux that utilizes the minimal amount of material to properly create a satisfactory solder joint. In this process, the flux is sprayed directly

If you haven’t heard about Bi-containing (bismuth) solder alloys recently, that may change in the near future. Low-melting Bi-containing solders are now in increasing use and gaining popularity due

Spray Fluxing is the most common way to flux a printed circuit board today. When spray fluxers were first developed they were clumsy, inefficient machines. They were messy and required a lot of

When the wave soldering machine was developed, the early flux application method was the same as the solder application method – a wave. While this technique is not common these days, it still

Previously we discussed the importance of dimensions and tolerances in the specification of solder preforms, however these data points are best expressed in the form of an engineering drawing. You

A wave solder machine’s foam fluxer is a device in which compressed air is fed through a porous tube (commonly referred to as a “stone” because this part used to be made out of

Packaging is an extremely important part of specifying solder preforms. Not only does packaging affect the price of the order, it also effects how the individual preforms will be presented to your

Flux is an essential component in the creation of a solder joint. For the sake of this post, I will be referencing flux as it is used in wave soldering machines. But, if you want to know of other

There are many types of wave solder machines, each with their own quirks, characteristics, and personalities. The good news is, each has the same core process elements, making it easier (maybe not