Soldering Equipment

The basic soldering equipment needed is a solder iron and a soldering station. However, there are many options and accessories available to meet a variety of soldering needs. When purchasing soldering equipment, it is important to remember two things:

• Temperature and variable control are key. These features will help improve soldering, so be sure to consider the temperature ranges and variable control when choosing a soldering station.
• Keep extra nozzles and tips on hand. These are inexpensive and consumable. It’s easier and more cost effective to purchase extras in advance rather than place another order and pay for shipping in the future.

Soldering equipment is used by professionals as well as hobbyists. One of the benefits of soldering is that the process is reasonably permanent but reversible.

Soldering Equipment Applications

• Electronics
• Automotive
• Aerospace

Types of Soldering Stations

• Digital Soldering Station. In addition to the features and applications like those offered by analog soldering stations, digital soldering stations provide a digital readout as well as better temperature control.
• Desoldering Stations. Desoldering is the process of removing solder. It is used to repair, replace, and salvage in a variety of applications.
• BGA Rework Station. BGA rework stations are used for the manual alignment, replacement, or removal of BGA, μBGA, CSP, and other surface mount components with repeatable solder reflow profiles.
• Fume Extraction. Fume extraction devices are used to absorb widespread smoke and/or smoke around equipment users.

Desoldering Stations

There are two main types of stations: traditional desoldering stations and hot air rework stations.

• Desoldering Station. This is the classic style.  These stations come in a variety of styles and sizes. They are easy to use and clean. Pencil–style and/or gun-style desoldering tools are usually used on these stations. Some come with a built in vacuum pump.
• Hot Air Rework Station. These stations are ideal for small jobs such as soldering and desoldering small surface mount chip components, heating heat-shrink tubing, and other local heating operations. These systems allow you to desolder and solder using the same station.

Desoldering Equipment/Rework Stations Applications

• Remove solder with simple push-button operation
• Rework printed circuit boards
• Solder and desolder components and connectors mounted on PC boards
• Troubleshoot, salvage, and replacement

Hakko FM-24 Desoldering and Soldering station:

JBC Tools Precision Rework Station:

Fume Extraction

Fume Extraction devices are used to absorb widespread smoke and/or smoke around equipment users. They extract the contaminated air directly at the source, improving air quality and increase user safety. Various styles and sizes are available to meet a range of needs. The three main types are bench top smoke absorbers, extraction systems, and exhaust fans.

Fume Extraction Applications

• Absorb widespread smoke
• Absorb smoke around equipment users
• Reduce harmful soldering emissions from the source

Bench Top Smoke Absorbers

Bench top smoke absorbers remove soldering smoke and fumes quickly, safely, and efficiently. This improves the air quality in the work area and increases worker safety.

Key Features of Benchtop Smoke Absorbers

• Operates quietly
• Can be operated standing up or laying down in a low-profile position
• ESD-safe by design and is made of ESD-safe materials
• Standard activated carbon filter (PN: A1001) absorbs up to 80 percent of the odors from the air and is easy to replace
• No external air source required
• Compact size uses minimal bench space and allows portability

Extraction Systems

Extraction Systems are used with soldering stations to extract the contaminated air directly at the source. Contaminated air is captured from the workplace surrounding the soldering station by the hood or hoods and transferred to the unit by rigid ducts. The purified air is returned to the work area.

Key Features of Extraction Systems

• Powerful suction
• Quiet operation
• 3-airflow adjustment modes: High, Medium, Low
• Freestanding ducts
• Filter replacement notification function ensures excellent trapping efficiency can be maintained at all times
• Mobile fume extraction unit purifies air at up to two workplaces
• Can accommodate up to two operators
• Variable speed control
• H12 HEPA filter plus wide band gas filter
• F5 fine dust filter

Removes 99.5% of particulates up to 0.3 microns

Exhaust Fans

Exhaust Fans move air out of an area. They improve air quality by removing smoke, odors, and more.

JBC Fume exactor:

Tips for Soldering Irons

Soldering Tips transfer the heat to the connection point. They are essential to the soldering process and come in a variety of sizes and styles to meet a range of needs. It is important to maintain and replace tips when needed to ensure efficiency. Therefore, it is a good idea to purchase spare tips in advance. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Types of Tips

Soldering tips come in a variety of sizes and styles to meet a range of needs.

• Standard Gun Tip
• Screwdriver Tip
• Chisel Tip
• Conical. Series and long
• Hot Knife Tip
• Reach Threaded Tiplet
• Threadless Desoldering Tiplet
• Reach EPH Micropoint Tip
• Single Flat Tip
• Sloped
• Bent Chisel
• Reach Round LT Series Tip. Bent round, long round
• Blade Tip
• Cone Shaped
• Bevel tip
• Micro tip
• Thermal Tweezers
• Needle Tip
• Desoldering Tweezers

Nozzles

Soldering Nozzles are used on hot air pencils and with rework stations. Used mostly for surface mount components They transfer the heat to the connection point. They are essential to the soldering process and come in a variety of sizes and styles to meet a range of needs. It is a good idea to purchase spare nozzles in advance. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Nozzle Applications

• Soldering
• Desoldering

Types of Nozzles

Nozzles come in a variety styles and sizes to meet a range of needs. The available styles include the following:

• Flat Hot Air Nozzle
• 4-Sides Heated Nozzle
• 2-Sides Heated Nozzle
• Round Bent Nozzle
• Round Hot Gas Nozzle
• Round Nozzle
• Hot Air Measuring Nozzle