Most wave soldering systems used in electronic productions are equipped with one or two solder nozzles that generate a turbulent wave. This configuration is ideal for most products, however, this concept reaches its limitations if, for example, PCBs in masks are to be processed.
The reliable wetting of all solder joints is not guaranteed, depending on the thickness of the mask and the size of the cutouts. Additionally, it might be challenging to achieve a reproducible process if the distances between covered SMD components and the THT pins to be soldered are too small. Incomplete solder joints, insufficient hole fill, or solder bridges are typical defects when soldering sophisticated assemblies that are processed in soldering masks.
So how can these soldering defects been avoided and overall productivity in electronics manufacturing increased? Automatic nozzle height adjustment that does not influence the wave soldering system’s cycle time, provides an innovative approach for these applications.
The height of each solder nozzle can be adjusted via the software within a total distance of 20 mm, creating the optimal product-specific distance between circuit board and solder nozzle. The automatic nozzle height adjustment provides additional process reliability and better product quality, as all solder joints are reliably wetted, sufficient topside hole fill is achieved and a component-specifically defined solder peel-off is possible.
The system is linked to the sector soldering feature. With this function, parameters for pump speed (wave height) and conveyor speed can be programmed individually for up to 16 areas of a circuit board. By adding the individual nozzle height, i.e. the optimum distance between PCB and solder nozzle, at up to 16 different circuit board sectors, this system provides an incredibly large process window and maximum flexibility. It also ensures sustainability of the wave soldering machine regarding future applications.
