Hand soldering is the core skill of every electronics enthusiast and professional. As components become more compact over the years, it is crucial to have precise soldering skills, as the chances of soldering issues occurring are much higher.
The ideal solder joint must have good and complete wetting and a shiny and clean concave fillet. It’s the same for through-hole components and surface-mount solder joints. Through-hole solder joints specifically look like the shape of a Hershey’s kiss.
IPC online training courses are designed to reduce assembly issues. Taking an IPC 610 certification online is explicitly required for inspectors, operators, and trainers to maintain standards in electronics assembly.
That being said, one can learn and practice proper soldering and avoid the following mistakes:
1. Insufficient Wetting of Pad and Pin
Wetting is the condition of the solder reaching its ideal fluid state, making it easy for a component to form a secure connection with the board.
When pins and pads aren’t wetted enough, solder doesn’t flow properly, leading to gaps and exposed spaces in the through-hole. This can be fixed by cleaning the board thoroughly and applying even heat to the pad and pin with the tip of your soldering iron.
2. Disturbed Joints
Disturbed joints happen when the board is not stable, or when there’s a lot of movement while the alloy is solidifying. They usually look rough or frosted and have a ripple pattern on the solder joint surface.
This can be fixed by reheating the joint and letting the alloy cool without moving the joints or the board itself.
3. Solder-Starved Joints
A solder-starved joint is exactly as its name suggests. You do not have enough solder to cover the through-hole, therefore, not forming a stable electrical connection. This makes the joint much more susceptible to cracking and electrical malfunction.
This occurs when you don’t apply enough solder to the joints, and can be resolved by simply reheating the joint and adding more solder.
4. Untrimmed Leads
Untrimmed leads of electrical components may cause short circuits if they come into contact with other leads or nearby traces.
This can easily be fixed by simply trimming the leads at the solder joint tops to avoid any risk of them bending and causing short circuits.
5. Cold Solder Joints
A cold joint has the appearance of a dull, lumpy, and rough surface. It results from insufficient heat applied to the joint, making the solder not melt completely.
This could be caused by either a soldering iron that’s not hot enough or maybe a flaw in the design of the pads and traces themselves. Leaving cold solder joints unfixed might result in cracking and failure over time.
This can be resolved by reheating the joint with a properly heated iron and removing excess solder.
Conclusion
Soldering mistakes can be avoided with proper training and certification. Taking an IPC 610 certification online with IPC online training will benefit those who are working or want to work in the electronic assembly industry. It can give them a better capability to help their company by way of improved product quality and increased efficiency. In turn, this can also help advance their careers.
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