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I would like to find a site that is focused more toward thro... - Jan 22, 2002 by Shawn

Other on-line electronic assembly sites have no juice. This... - Jan 22, 2002 by davef

We have seen solder joints that have an orange peel or textu... - Jan 23, 2002 by Shawn

Shawn: So, when was your last solderanalysis and what were t... - Jan 24, 2002 by Wolfgang Busko

You didn�t tell us about your solder, wave temperature profi... - Jan 24, 2002 by davef

Thank you all very much for the responses. The solder is eut... - Jan 24, 2002 by Shawn

"How do/did they determine the 500F +/- 10F pot temperature?... - Jan 24, 2002 by davef

Shawn

#18699

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 22 January, 2002

I would like to find a site that is focused more toward through hole technology and wave soldering. This site has allot of helpful information regarding SMT but haven't seen much on wave soldering. If any one has a site or a link that they could pass on please do.

Thank you

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davef

#18705

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 22 January, 2002

Other on-line electronic assembly sites have no juice. This is it. We have wave soldered since 1982.

What's the issue?

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Shawn

#18709

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 23 January, 2002

We have seen solder joints that have an orange peel or textured appearance to them after running over our wave solder machine. We thought it may be disturbed solder joints but it does not have the lines or appearance that a disturbed joint usually shows. We have taken some steps to help assure that we are not moving the parts or disturbing them while the solder is still molten. If you have any ideas please respond or if I have not supplied enough information let me know and I will.

Thank you

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Wolfgang Busko

#18712

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 24 January, 2002

Shawn: So, when was your last solderanalysis and what were the results ? Did this phenomenom occur just so, out of nowhere, and is it with all your boards? Just missed these points in your request.

Wolfgang

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davef

#18714

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 24 January, 2002

You didn�t tell us about your solder, wave temperature profile, or the distribution of the problem. So, let�s assume the solder is near eutectic and the problem is wide spread.

Wolfgang makes good points. So, let's talk a different tact.

When we talk �orange peel� effect. It�s an uneven, pebbly surface somewhat resembling the skin of an orange.

Temperature appears to significantly influence the appearance of solder. It seems, when the bath or reflow temperature is high, tin continues smelting longer than the lead. This opens-up and oxidizes the grain. This oxidation causes the �orange peel effect.� Consider optimizing your thermal profile to: * Decrease dwell [Lower a time above reflow]. * Decrease pot temperature [Reduce reflow temperature]. * Increase conveyor speed / Speed-up the cool-down cycle.

Consider evaluating this problem in the end-use environment, but in most cases probably this defect is acceptable.

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Shawn

#18718

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 24 January, 2002

Thank you all very much for the responses. The solder is eutectic and the problem, as far as I can tell, has been around before I was here, 2+ years. The flow machine is a treiber with 2 bottom preheaters and 1 top. The solder pot temp is 500F +/-4F and the conveyor speed is 30 ipm. I am still on very much of a learning curve with this equipment so I have been questioning allot of the way things are done and their processes. The bulk of my experience has been in SMT so while there are some similarities there are also some great differences. For example, I was told the solder pot temp has to be 500F +/- 10F. My first question is, how do/did they determine this? So if any one has any references regarding flow soldering in general please feel free to post them or email directly if you can. Again thank you very much to those who have responded to my questions

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davef

#18721

Wave Soldering and Through Hole Forums | 24 January, 2002

"How do/did they determine the 500F +/- 10F pot temperature?"

No idea. Much of this is lore. The US military used to like to specify such things. J-STD-001 says something like => for regular eutecticish solders, keep the pot temperature between 230�C [446�F] and 290�C [554�F].

If you polled us on our pot temperatures, we�d be all over the map, but with more lower than higher than you. High pot temperatures tend to generate more dross, but more than anything else product requirements drive stuff like this.

Since wave soldering is pretty mature technology, there probably is little written about it of any consequence. I�d suggest checking with your machine suppler, but Electrovert acquired John Treiber years ago. But try those cats, anywho.

See they�re never going to let you change anything, unless you have a boatload of support for your recommendation. Consider doing experiments [DOE] to validate your machine settings. An analytical approach like that might make change and easier "sell".

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