The vast majority of PCBAs we manufacture are now double-sided, mixed technology with both surface mount technology (SMT) and through-hole (TH) components. To guarantee repeatability and reproducibility of the TH soldering we use our ERSA Versaflow 345 selective soldering line. This enables us to tackle increasingly complex PCBAs; and specifically boards which must be manufactured to the IPC-A-610 Class 3 standard.
The line is fully automated with board loaders/unloaders, fluxing, pre-heating, two lead free configurable nozzles utilising the ERSA dual pot system. In addition, we have a leaded pot and nozzle which we can swap in as needed. The whole process is monitored carefully with temperature profiles applied and live video monitoring of the soldering.
The actual process is quite clever as the soldering takes place in a ‘nitrogen atmosphere” or ‘bubble’ around each joint being soldered thus resulting in a ‘clean’ soldering process. The solder bath is precisely monitored for temperature, as is the solder level and height of the nozzle for consistent process parameters.
We pride ourselves on ensuring that continuous improvement underpins everything we do and to achieve this, we continue to invest in new machinery and will soon be taking delivery of a second selective soldering line, growing our capability to deliver a quality on-time service.
If you have mixed technology boards requiring soldering, please get in touch to discuss your manufacturing needs.