Large, high-mass assemblies are a challenge for any soldering process, but are particularly troublesome for selective soldering, where process heat is applied only to the bottom side of the assembly. The ability to apply continuous, real-time top-side preheating during the selective soldering process is critical to achieving good soldering results when processing such assemblies. ACE Production Technologies has introduced a real-time top side preheating module that applies heat to the top side of the PCB during soldering. For high-mass assemblies, this top-side preheating promotes the draw of the solder through the barrel to the top side of the board, enhancing the formation of solder fillets on the top side. The implementation of internal continuous preheat, during the selective soldering process, improves thermal distribution and solderability of difficult assemblies. This function is not practical or possible on machines that grip and robotically move the PCB, since the pre-heater would need to travel with the board and the gripper simply is in the way. The design of all ACE KISS selective soldering machines keeps the PCB stationary while the flux and solder stations move beneath. The top-side heating module can be used as the primary preheating function, or to maximize productivity when used in combination with the company’s discrete pre-heaters to maintain board temperature during the soldering operation. An optical pyrometer reads the actual PCB temperature with real-time closed loop control.
EPP Europe 434
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