Questions & Answers: Resistance Soldering
Q. When and why are Resistance Soldering methods usually recommended?
A. Any time you cannot reach the required temperature fast enough to prevent thermal damage. Many applications can be done faster, safer, more economically and more efficiently with Resistance Soldering equipment than with other available methods. With the introduction of an intense localized heat, your soldering will be completed much faster and more direct, with less chance of thermal shock, or damage to materials or components adjacent to the soldering area.
Q.What are the benefits to be gained by using Resistance Soldering in place of other available soldering methods?
A. Four come to mind:
- Safety: The human body does not conduct the low (<10VAC output) current that is supplied by the various Power Units that we manufacture. The electrodes begin cooling upon completion of the application and cool rather quickly. There is no open flame. There are no hot irons left idle on the workbench. With faster soldering there is less dissipative heat in the work piece for safer operator handling.
- Economical: There is no idle time waiting for the tool to warm up. There is lower electrical consumption because current is only used during actual soldering applications. Less flux is needed because of more thorough activation due to the faster and higher heat introduction. You will have lower labor rates because of faster, more efficient and more consistent solder joints. Electrode replacement costs are lower than most soldering iron tips.
- User friendly: Learning, or training others to operate Resistance Soldering equipment is very easy and because of the consistent output you have a high level of repeatability. All of our Resistance products are made in the most generic manner possible to allow for user modifications to meet even the most custom applications. We offer a wider variety of Resistance Soldering and Thermal Wire-Stripping Equipment than any other manufacturer of similar types of products.
- Improved Quality: Once you have established the appropriate operating parameters, you will achieve extremely consistent solder joints and a high level of repeatability in your process. Achieving a higher level of consistency and repeatability means better soldering, with less rework and fewer repairs.
Q. Is there any chance of current leakage from the Electrodes, which can harm voltage sensitive components?
A. No. The current being used is supplied by an isolated (there is no electrical connection between the primary and the secondary) transformer. Because it is an isolated transformer, there is no path available for the current except from one Electrode directly to the other, or through a conductive material (like the lead of the component being soldered). The current will not seek a path other than that of least resistance. Therefore there is no current flow to any of the components on the board.
Q. Because Resistance Soldering Systems have the capability of producing intense heat, is there any reason for concern about lifting pads and traces, or burning the base board or solder mask?
A. There is less concern about lifting pads and traces, or burning the base board, or solder mask with Resistance Soldering equipment than with other means of applying heat. The reason is that there is a lot shorter time lag for the heat to travel to areas other than where it is being directed. By achieving a higher level of heat where you intend to solder, you are able to flow the solder and remove the heat before it can dissipate to the surrounding area, causing thermal damage. All of our products have some method of selecting the most desirable output available for the application in question.
If you desire more detailed information please feel free to contact the Customer Service or Technical Support Teams at our manufacturing facility. We look forward to assisting you with your soldering, or thermal wire stripping, requirements.
