Soldering is a joining process used to join different types of metals together by melting solder. Solder is a metal alloy usually made of tin and lead which is melted using a hot iron. The iron is heated to temperatures above 600 degrees fahrenheit which then cools to create a strong electrical bond.
Contents
- How does it work?
- What metals are used?
- Which flux can be used for soldering?
- Types
- Uses of a soldering iron
- What is a soldering gun used for?
- Industries
Solder is melted by using heat from an iron connected to a temperature controller. It is heated up to temperatures beyond its melting point at around 600 degrees fahrenheit which then causes it to melt, which then cools creating the soldered joint.
As well as creating strong electrical joints solder can also be removed using a desoldering tool.
Solder is a metal alloy used to create strong permanent bonds; such as copper joining in circuit boards and copper pipe joints. It can also be supplied in two different types and diameters, lead and lead free and also can be between .032” and .062”. Inside the solder core is the flux, a material used to strengthen and improve its mechanical properties.
Filler metals used in soldering were once lead based (lead solder), however, owing to regulations, lead-based solders are increasingly replaced with lead free solders, which may consist of antimony, bismuth, brass, copper, indium, tin or silver.
Occasionally at the site of the joint, there are impurities such as oil, dirt or oxidation, the flux helps prevent oxidation and can sometimes chemically clean the metal. The flux used is rosin flux which helps the mechanical strength and electrical contact of electrical joints. Sometimes it is also possible to apply a ‘wetting agent’ to reduce the surface tension.
There are three types of soldering which use increasingly higher temperatures, which in turn produce progressively stronger joints:
- Soft soldering (90 °C - 450 °C) - This process has the lowest filler metal melting point of all the soldering types at less than around 400°C these filler metals are usually alloys, often containing lead with liquidus temperatures under 350°C. Because of the low temperatures used in soft soldering it thermally stresses components the least but does not make strong joints and is then therefore unsuitable for mechanical load-bearing applications. It is also not suited for high temperature use as this type of solder loses strength and melts.
- Hard (silver) soldering (>450 °C) – Brass or silver is the bonding metal used in this process, and requires a blowtorch to achieve the temperatures at which the solder metals.
- Brazing (>450 °C) – This type of soldering uses a metal with a much higher melting point than those used in hard and soft soldering. However, similarly to hard soldering, the metal being bonded is heated as opposed to being melted. Once both the materials are heated sufficiently, you can then place the soldering metal between them which melts and acts as a bonding agent.
A soldering iron is a hand tool used to heat solder, usually from an electrical supply at high temperatures above the melting point of the metal alloy. This allows for the solder to flow between the workpieces needing to be joined.
This soldering tool is made up of an insulated handle and a heated pointed metal iron tip.Good soldering is influenced by how clean the tip of your soldering iron is. To maintain cleanliness, a user will hold the soldering iron and use a wet sponge to clean the soldering iron tip prior to soldering components or making soldered connections.
In addition to the soldering iron, solder suckersare an important part of the soldering setup. If excessive solder is applied, these small tools are used to remove the solder, leaving only that desired.
Soldering guns are used for applications where more heat is required as irons use lower power. This tool is used for joining stained glass, light sheet metal and heavy electronic soldering work. When you need to solder intermittently, the soldering gun is much more practical as it cools much quicker.
FAQs
Soldering is a process used for joining metal parts to form a mechanical or electrical bond. It typically uses a low melting point metal alloy (solder) which is melted and applied to the metal parts to be joined and this bonds to the metal parts and forms a connection when the solder solidifies.
What is soldering a full guide? ›
Soldering is the joining of two metal surfaces mechanically and electrically, with the use of metal called solder. Solder secures the connection so it doesn't break loose due to vibration or other mechanical forces.
What is the meaning of soldering? ›
Soldering is a joining process used to join different types of metals together by melting solder. Solder is a metal alloy usually made of tin and lead which is melted using a hot iron. The iron is heated to temperatures above 600 degrees fahrenheit which then cools to create a strong electrical bond.
What are the 4 types of soldering? ›
This article will review the eight commonly used forms of solder and their applications and necessary specializations in processing.
- Lead-Based Solder. ...
- Lead-Free Solder. ...
- Rosin-Core Solder. ...
- Acid-Core Solder. ...
- Flux-Core Solder. ...
- Solid-Core Solder. ...
- Silver-Alloy Solder. ...
- Lead-Alloy Solder.
Soldering refers to restriction of work output. Taylor says that there are two types of soldering. 1. Natural Soldering- It refers to restriction of the work output because of certain inherent or ingrained limitations with the workers like laziness, indolence, shyness etc.
What is soldering and types of soldering? ›
There are three forms of soldering, each requiring progressively higher temperatures and producing an increasingly stronger joint strength: soft soldering, which originally used a tin-lead alloy as the filler metal. silver soldering, which uses an alloy containing silver. brazing which uses a brass alloy for the filler.
How many types of soldering are there? ›
In summary, there are three main types of solder: lead-based, lead-free, and flux. Lead-based solders are the best understood, are reliable, and preferred in mission critical applications such as aerospace or medical electronics.
What is the number one rule of soldering? ›
Rule 1. The metal. Always make sure the area which you wish to solder is clean, dry and free from grease. lf necessary clean the area with a solvent (MEK, Mek Pak, Plasticweld or generic equivalents).
How to solder step by step? ›
How to solder wires
- Remove the insulation from the wire ends that are going to be soldered. ...
- Heat the soldering iron and touch the tip to the end of one of the wires and hold for 3-4 seconds.
- Keeping the iron in place as discussed in Step 2, touch the solder on the wire until it melts and coats the entire wire.
Soldering allows you to create strong, electrically conductive connections between components and printed circuit boards (PCBs).
Always make sure the area which you wish to solder is clean, dry and free from grease. If necessary clean the area with a solvent (MEK, Mek Pak, Plasticweld or generic equivalents). The area must also be bright ready to take the solder. Abrade the metal so that there is no oxidisation present.
What is the strongest solder? ›
What is the strongest pipe solder? Silver solder also sometimes called silver brazing. It is a hard solder that has a much higher melting temperature. It is used for joining refrigerant lines that are made of copper.
Which soldering wire is best? ›
When working with electrical components 63/37 is the best. This means that this solder wire has a sharp transition between solid and liquid states when the temperature changes. This property is very useful for reducing cold joints which usually happens when the components move while cooling.
What are the different types of hard soldering? ›
Metals and alloys of dissimilar compositions can be hard-soldered (brazed or silver-soldered) together, for example: copper to brass; copper to steel; brass to steel; cast iron to mild steel; and mild steel to stainless steel. There are two basic types of brazed joint, namely the lap joint and the butt joint.
What do you need for soldering? ›
- Here is a list of what you need.
- First off, a soldering iron, not a pistol. Basically a long stick with a metal rod.
- Solder. It needs to be 60/40 that has a rosin core. People use 63/37, it is personal.
- Flux.
- Helping Hand/soldering Jig.
- Brass coil/or just use a damp cloth that you don't need.
- Desoldering Braid.
However, a proper solder connection will withstand vibration and shock like a crimp connection and may be less susceptible to corrosion. The soldering process is also more time-consuming than the crimping method, and it can create problems with both quality and reliability if not performed correctly.
What is the number 1 rule of soldering? ›
Rule #1.
Make sure that the metal is clean before soldering.
What are the rules of soldering? ›
Safety Precautions
1) Soldering Iron Safety • Never touch the element or tip of the soldering iron. It is very hot (about 400°C) and will burn. Hold wires to be heated with tweezers, pliers or clamps to avoid receiving burns from objects that are heated. Keep the cleaning sponge wet during use.
