Headers and SMT

Hi Marlyn,

We use durastone pallets over a wave - so areas machined out so the solder can get to the pins but not the SMT.

You can also get fancy selective solder machines, but I'm guessing that as you're asking you haven't got one.

Hope that helps, Rob.

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Typically - hand soldering as you are currently doing.

Should your volume justify it you can invest in a selective soldering solution, these might take the form of a robotic arm that essentially replicates manual soldering or a solder jet similar to Flow Wave soldering.

I am led to beleive some would also add flow wave with some kind of devious specially designed shield protecting your surface mount parts. However I have no idea as to the costs involved, feasability or just how early you would have to design such a process into your product.

Another option might be pin in paste should you have reflow compatible headers.

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> Hey there fellow people with SMT > issues... What's the proper procedure for > soldering through-hole headers on the back-side > of the PCB (pins poking out on same side as SMT > parts)? ( Yes - I did the SMT side first and am > now faced with LOTS of pin-point hand soldering. > :-( )

Thanks for the clues! I initially envisioned polyamide film, a stencil cutter, wave - then SMT placement. But thanks to you guys, now I think I'll investigate the KISS-100 from ACE Production Technologies. I hope it's affordable! ;-)

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I would suggest investing in a selective solder machine as well. This has saved us on a ton of labor and headaches. The customized brackets for the wave is not cheap. I would first check auctions to save thousands...

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An alternative to selective soldering equipment is robotic soldering, like Japan UNIX.

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You don't say how many headers you have to solder. I usually spec in High temp headers and use a pin-in-paste methodology and double reflow. Can you get your headers high temperature?

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Selective Soldering machine depending on your volume? Happy to help find economical solution for you. Just contact us at alan@atekllc.com or call 720-532-5100 x107

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Hi there! If they are just standard headers there's a company called Teka that makes headers and socket headers with solder preforms in them. They call it "Solder Bearing Lead Technology" You can drop them in the board and reflow them just like SMT parts.go to: http://www.tekais.com/animation.htm

Then click on Through Hole Technology and there's s shockwave animation of how they work. I buy the ones without flux and add flux to them when I use them. I just take a touch-up bottle of flux and go down the rows of leads before I drop them in the board. The solder joints come out beautifully.

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