Sparkfun has a similar kit to make your own reflow toaster oven. I had thought of doing a similar kit, but using a Propeller to control it. But I have too much going on right now to take on a project like that. (I lost all the CAM files for SpinStudio due to a hard drive crash, I'm working on a new and improved version now, but it's significantly delayed my progress. Lesson learned? make backups!!!)
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Brian Meade
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night" - Edgar Poe
There also was a cool video of manual soldering an smd component with paste somewhere on the parallax forums can't find it now though - I am sure someone will ....
Quattro
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Post Edited (QuattroRS4) : 2/20/2007 6:26:27 AM GMT
BTW: I type as I'm thinking, so please don't take any offense at my writing style www.norfolkhelicopterclub.co.uk
You'll always have as many take-offs as landings, the trick is to be sure you can take-off again ;-)
I used to solder panels of 9 small DC-DC converters simultaneously using a domestic iron. You put paste on the pads, place the parts and pop on the iron, the solder reflows and you remove. No good for double sided but works great for single, the board thickness makes the warm up and cool down a bit more smooth than normal too.
RickJ,
I eventually found that article that I mentioned - I have attached it here.. I have a 300DPI Colour·version·scanned in for you·so send me a PM if you want me to email it on to you .Its about (36MB)
Regards, ·········· Quattro
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ 'Necessity is the mother of invention'
Post Edited (QuattroRS4) : 2/23/2007 4:49:09 PM GMT
I always use solderwick on SMT chips. especially if it's a really fine pitch package. Just lay the wick on top of the leads down one side and apply heat. Then repeat for the other side. It will wick out any solder between the leads, it also removes the solder from on top of the leads, but don't worry, the solder under the leads will not wick out.
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Brian Meade
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night" - Edgar Poe
Hi all.
Does somebody knows, what is exactly that 'gel or paste or ...???' used in the above Paul's sample video ?
I would like to buy some at DigiKey, but I can't find in the catalog, which is it.
You'll find both liquid flux and gel flux. Liquid flux usually has a high percentage of alcohol and evaporates quickly with heat. Once it evaporates, it's easy to create solder shorts when soldering fine pitch SMT devices. Gel flux has a much higher viscosity and doesn't evaporate. For soldering fine pitch SMT components (like the Propeller), I've had better results with gel flux because it's better at preventing shorts while soldering. For gel flux, Google Kester TSF flux
In a commercial line, the components are all placed. Then the board travels down the automated "conveyor" line.
The "wave" is a basically a "river" of molten solder being circulated. Then a "dam" is put accross the river. As the solder flows over the dam, there is a "wave" that is higher than the rest of the solder.
As the board travels over this area, the wave "floods" the board with molten solder. The solder mask keeps the solder away from where it should be away from, and everything else is soldered.
Simple in concept, kind of trciky in application.
I probably don't have all the little details right, but I think this conveys the jest of it.
John R. said...
As the board travels over this area, the wave "floods" the board with molten solder. The solder mask keeps the solder away from where it should be away from, and everything else is soldered.
Simple in concept, kind of trciky in application.
I probably don't have all the little details right, but I think this conveys the jest of it.
This for thru-hole part boards, I think. And only the bottom (solder) side of the board is 'wave soldered'. (Don't think they 'flood' the component side any!) And this would not support any SMD parts on the solder side of the pcb.
Think this clarifies the picture a bit. (I've been wrong a 'few times' before.)
Thanks to everyone who posted links. You've encouraged me not to fear the SMD.
I can see using an iron for "one off" projects or a repair here or there, but I need to do small runs with pin counts high enough where iron work is out of the question. Those links suggested toaster oven mods, hot air, and electric frying pans and there were pros and cons for each. My design is stable enough to invest in a mask, so that's isn't a concern. I'm just wondering what technique I should pursue. I am leaning towards using hot air since my runs are small enough and I would seemingly get a 2 for 1 since I could use the hot air tool for repair work too. But I wonder about the quality of the soldering since you would have very little control of the profile. I also wonder if you can easily use hot air on those really teeny components. Is the solder paste enough to hold them in place?
I know there is no one size fits all approach, but what are you DIY'ers really using?
This has been a good thread.
I down loaded software from Diptrace today and got it on my computer. It is the freeware version. I get a faster down load at school.
I have a toaster oven for the SMT soldering. I hope it works.
I wish I could get a logic analyzer.
Then a cnc router to finish it off.
I hope to have something built using smt by summer.
I have been looking to build something with 68K, PPC, Propeller, and Ubicom chips.
I have a lot of work ahead.
Later, Rick.
Rick, make sure that once you use the toaster oven for solder reflow, never ever use it for food preperation again (use a sharpie to indicate this on the top of the oven if you have to). You will be poisoning your food (and yourself) if you do.
RickJ
Posts: 14
Comments
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Brian Meade
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night" - Edgar Poe
I want to get into SMD aswell.
Thanks.
I do not know what the bouncing ball emoticon means.· : )
www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=SMD-HowTo-2
Is it dependent on the oven?
http://www.elektor-electronics.co.uk/default.aspx?tabid=28&art=52955
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'Necessity is the mother of invention'
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Brian Meade
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night" - Edgar Poe
I hope·I could get at least 80 percent of the leads done.
·
If I find that Elecktor article I can knock it on to you - if you are interested..
also see these:
http://www.engineeringlab.com/
Manual soldering smd:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq7fXcAMRcQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5qYG95bbz8&mode=related&search=
·- not sure·I like the length of time the Iron is at the pins here though
Tools at:
http://www.howardelectronics.com/tools.html
There also was a cool video of manual soldering an smd component with paste somewhere on the parallax forums can't find it now though - I am sure someone will ....
Quattro
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'Necessity is the mother of invention'
Post Edited (QuattroRS4) : 2/20/2007 6:26:27 AM GMT
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Cheers,
Simon
BTW: I type as I'm thinking, so please don't take any offense at my writing style
www.norfolkhelicopterclub.co.uk
You'll always have as many take-offs as landings, the trick is to be sure you can take-off again ;-)
Graham
I eventually found that article that I mentioned - I have attached it here.. I have a 300DPI Colour·version·scanned in for you·so send me a PM if you want me to email it on to you .Its about (36MB)
Regards,
·········· Quattro
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'Necessity is the mother of invention'
Post Edited (QuattroRS4) : 2/23/2007 4:49:09 PM GMT
I've always been a little scared of drag soldering; it just seems like it would be way too easy to accidentally create a short.
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Brian Meade
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night" - Edgar Poe
Can anyone explain Wave Soldering?
It looks like the board is up side down.
Looking at my original post.
If I Reflow Solder a 1 CM Propellor chip ( QFP, I believe ), How do I know what temperatures to use?
Post Edited (RickJ) : 2/24/2007 12:11:34 AM GMT
Wave soldering is a professional process which requires big and expensive machinery.
The reflow profile is dependent on the paste used.
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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer
Parallax, Inc.
Does somebody knows, what is exactly that 'gel or paste or ...???' used in the above Paul's sample video ?
I would like to buy some at DigiKey, but I can't find in the catalog, which is it.
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Regards.
Alberto.
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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?
I've killed a fly with my bare mind.
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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer
Parallax, Inc.
But, is it really liquid ? and it's so viscous, or it's a gel ?
What type can be removed by isopropilic alcohol ?
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Regards.
Alberto.
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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?
I've killed a fly with my bare mind.
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Regards.
Alberto.
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Regards.
Alberto.
In a commercial line, the components are all placed. Then the board travels down the automated "conveyor" line.
The "wave" is a basically a "river" of molten solder being circulated. Then a "dam" is put accross the river. As the solder flows over the dam, there is a "wave" that is higher than the rest of the solder.
As the board travels over this area, the wave "floods" the board with molten solder. The solder mask keeps the solder away from where it should be away from, and everything else is soldered.
Simple in concept, kind of trciky in application.
I probably don't have all the little details right, but I think this conveys the jest of it.
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John R.
Click here to see my Nomad Build Log
Think this clarifies the picture a bit. (I've been wrong a 'few times' before.)
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Harley Shanko
h.a.s. designn
I can see using an iron for "one off" projects or a repair here or there, but I need to do small runs with pin counts high enough where iron work is out of the question. Those links suggested toaster oven mods, hot air, and electric frying pans and there were pros and cons for each. My design is stable enough to invest in a mask, so that's isn't a concern. I'm just wondering what technique I should pursue. I am leaning towards using hot air since my runs are small enough and I would seemingly get a 2 for 1 since I could use the hot air tool for repair work too. But I wonder about the quality of the soldering since you would have very little control of the profile. I also wonder if you can easily use hot air on those really teeny components. Is the solder paste enough to hold them in place?
I know there is no one size fits all approach, but what are you DIY'ers really using?
-Rick
I down loaded software from Diptrace today and got it on my computer. It is the freeware version. I get a faster down load at school.
I have a toaster oven for the SMT soldering. I hope it works.
I wish I could get a logic analyzer.
Then a cnc router to finish it off.
I hope to have something built using smt by summer.
I have been looking to build something with 68K, PPC, Propeller, and Ubicom chips.
I have a lot of work ahead.
Later, Rick.
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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer
Parallax, Inc.