Selective soldering systems reduce defects

Two new selective soldering systems use dedicated drop-jet fluxing, which reduces the amount of flux at the point of soldering, so eliminating surplus flux on the PCB and reducing wastage.

Contax , the production automation system specialist, has announced the availability of the Jade and Orissa, two new selective soldering systems from Pillarhouse.

Ideally suited to manufacturers who wish to improve the quality and consistency of hand or wave soldering processes, these new systems reduce defects and offer exceptional accuracy for both leaded and lead-free applications.

The Jade and Orissa use dedicated Drop-jet fluxing, which reduces the amount of flux at the point of soldering, so eliminating the problems associated with surplus flux on the board and reducing wastage.

Furthermore, both systems use a nitrogen atmosphere, so reducing dross and maintenance and improving wettability.

The entry level Jade system is a cost-effective standalone platform that offers single point soldering.

Each solder joint is individually controlled and can be varied according to requirements.

Although the Jade offers a small footprint, it can handle PCBs or pallets of up to 457mm x 508mm.

Another feature is its small 15kg solder pot, which is a fraction of the size of the standard 200kg wave solder pots.

This provides savings in both time and material costs, and the smaller size ensures that it is quick and easy to change from leaded to lead-free solder.

The larger, in-line Orissa system is suitable for both small and large batch processing.

Offering the same features as the Jade, the Orissa also combines a belt driven conveyor system to load and unload the PCBs, so providing both flexibility and fast cycle times.

Both systems are PC controlled, and use the Windows-based PillarCOMM 'Point and Click' interface.

The systems can be easily programmed to cater for different board layouts, and each solder joint is programmable to its own set of parameters.

A component data library stores details for similar joints, and visually assisted and self-teach alignment facilities ensure that programming is fast and simple.

Commenting on the Jade and Orissa, Mike Rapson, managing director of Contax said, "We are seeing a great increase in demand for selective soldering systems.

This has been driven partly by the move to lead-free.

Converting wave solder systems is very expensive, and it can prove more cost-efficient to buy an alternative, lead-free compatible solution.

Another factor is the demand for greater quality and flexibility.

Selective soldering ensures that there is no excess flux on the board, and also provides manufacturers with the ability to solder through-hole components, which could otherwise only be soldered by hand.

The Jade and Orissa give small to medium sized PCB manufacturers the ability to increase the accuracy and quality of their production.

It offers them high performance and total flexibility at a reasonable cost," he concluded.

* About Contax - Contax is one of the UK and Ireland's most comprehensive suppliers of automation equipment.

Products range from PCB assembly, automatic optical and x-ray inspection, reflow solder, screen printing, precision liquid dispensing, cable preparation, robotic soldering and robotic assembly as well as cleaning systems.

All of this is backed up by Contax's unique support programme called 'hands-on' and an extensive second user department to fully support their installed base.

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