Printed Circuit Board Assembly & PCB Design SMT Electronics Assembly Manufacturing Forum

Printed Circuit Board Assembly & PCB Design Forum

SMT electronics assembly manufacturing forum.


Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine

G. Henning

#15783

Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 21 May, 1998

Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering with a drag solder machine. Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot for extended periods and bridging. Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? Thanks in advance.

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Mike Konrad

#15784

Re: Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 21 May, 1998

I am a former employee of a drag soldering machine manufacturer. For years they attempted to devise a method of soldering surface mount devices via the drag soldering machine. Bridging was the largest problem along with component damage due to excessive dwell times (needed to reduce bridging). My advice� Keep the drag soldering machine for through-hole and forget about using it for SMT. | Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering | with a drag solder machine. | Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs | on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot | for extended periods and bridging. | Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I | throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? | Thanks in advance.

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Earl Moon

#15786

Re: Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 21 May, 1998

| I am a former employee of a drag soldering machine manufacturer. For years they attempted to devise a method of soldering surface mount devices via the drag soldering machine. Bridging was the largest problem along with component damage due to excessive dwell times (needed to reduce bridging). | My advice� Keep the drag soldering machine for through-hole and forget about using it for SMT. | | Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering | | with a drag solder machine. | | Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs | | on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot | | for extended periods and bridging. | | Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I | | throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? | | Thanks in advance. I am not being critical but, in hopes of learning something, I thought drag soldering was a dead issue. Is it still alive and, if so, for what purpose? Earl Moon

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Mike Konrad

#15787

Re: Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 22 May, 1998

You're right Earl� Drag soldering is a dead issue as far as new technology is concerned. They do, however, work for most through-hole boards� but so do wave machines. There are only two manufacturers left that still produce drag soldering machines. It is a very niche market. Basically, they are good for large size, through-hole boards, low volume, low budget. If it were my money� Buy a wave soldering machine. Drag soldering machines, 8 mm projectors, reel-to-reel tape recorders, and Volvo 240's are all good, just not practical for today.

| | I am a former employee of a drag soldering machine manufacturer. For years they attempted to devise a method of soldering surface mount devices via the drag soldering machine. Bridging was the largest problem along with component damage due to excessive dwell times (needed to reduce bridging). | | My advice� Keep the drag soldering machine for through-hole and forget about using it for SMT.

| | | Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering | | | with a drag solder machine. | | | Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs | | | on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot | | | for extended periods and bridging. | | | Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I | | | throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? | | | Thanks in advance. | I am not being critical but, in hopes of learning something, I thought drag soldering was a dead issue. Is it still alive and, if so, for what purpose? | Earl Moon

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G. Henning

#15785

Re: Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 22 May, 1998

Thanks for the advice. We are experiencing only limited success with SMT on the drag. Problems are indeed bridging and misses on the smaller discretes. Works well on PTH as long as the pitch is not too tight. I'll have to justify a new machine. Regards, G. Henning

| I am a former employee of a drag soldering machine manufacturer. For years they attempted to devise a method of soldering surface mount devices via the drag soldering machine. Bridging was the largest problem along with component damage due to excessive dwell times (needed to reduce bridging). | My advice� Keep the drag soldering machine for through-hole and forget about using it for SMT. | | Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering | | with a drag solder machine. | | Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs | | on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot | | for extended periods and bridging. | | Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I | | throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? | | Thanks in advance.

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Jon Gruett

#15788

Re: Selective Soldering wih Drag Machine | 25 May, 1998

I agree with Mike. They are a dead issue. As a manufacutrer's rep for many types of equipment and 11 years in the engineering field I have seen several attempts to revive the technology (if you can call that technology). Most if not all attemptds to use it are small contract assembly or OEM shops that have no money and are attempting to start up a shop on a very small shoestring of a budget. The machines are pretty good though for thru hole boards that are really basic in design. Good luck! If I were you I would start justifyong a wave soldering machine for the versatility that it gives you for new designs. JON | You're right Earl� Drag soldering is a dead issue as far as new technology is concerned. They do, however, work for most through-hole boards� but so do wave machines. There are only two manufacturers left that still produce drag soldering machines. It is a very niche market. Basically, they are good for large size, through-hole boards, low volume, low budget. | If it were my money� Buy a wave soldering machine. Drag soldering machines, 8 mm projectors, reel-to-reel tape recorders, and Volvo 240's are all good, just not practical for today. | | | | I am a former employee of a drag soldering machine manufacturer. For years they attempted to devise a method of soldering surface mount devices via the drag soldering machine. Bridging was the largest problem along with component damage due to excessive dwell times (needed to reduce bridging). | | | My advice� Keep the drag soldering machine for through-hole and forget about using it for SMT. | | | | | Looking for suggestions from anyone doing selective soldering | | | | with a drag solder machine. | | | | Needs dictate automated soldering of double-sided mixed tech with SMT ICs | | | | on both sides. Concerns arise regarding immersing some packages in the pot | | | | for extended periods and bridging. | | | | Is is possible to use pallets with this type of process. Should I | | | | throw out the drag machine and look at a wave or some sort of specific selective machine? | | | | Thanks in advance. | | I am not being critical but, in hopes of learning something, I thought drag soldering was a dead issue. Is it still alive and, if so, for what purpose? | | Earl Moon

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