Nitrogen tunnel soldering

As PCB designs become more complex, thicker, and denser, through-hole soldering is becoming more difficult. The introduction of lead-free alloys compounds these problems because lead-free alloys don’t wet as well as lead-bearing alloys, and deeper holes (due to PCB thickness) make thorough hole-filling less certain in many cases. In traditional wave soldering systems, board assemblers are forced to increase wave height in an attempt to get more upward force (forcing the solder up into the through- hole) and slow down the conveyor speed (increased contact time with the wave).

Electrovert has developed several technologies to address the challenges of lead-free soldering and increase top side hole fill capability.

Nitrogen Tunnel:

  • Offered in Full and Short configurations;
  • Available with UltraFill and DwellMax Plus nozzles;
  • Significant cost savings through reduced dross and longer intervals between maintenance;
  • Helps flux survive longer dwell times in the solder;
  • Promotes to reduce the amount of flux applied for no clean applications;
  • Improved wetting in nitrogen tunnel;
  • Short tunnel inerts the entire solder module;
  • Full tunnel inerts the entire solder module and all preheaters;
  • Available with an optional Oxygen analyzer;
  • Short and Full Tunnel features are available as a field upgrade (check with the factory with serial # for configuration and compatibility verification).

UltraFill Nozzle technology:

  • Improves soldering results with lead-free alloys;
  • Nozzle placement increases wave contact time;
  • Increases hole fill and top side fillets;
  • Reduces bridges or solder shorts with Lambda wave exit characteristics;
  • Easily switched between air and nitrogen environments;
  • Patented.

DwellMax Plus:

  • Wide chip wave designed for difficult to solder assemblies;
  • Nozzle design increases production throughput capability;
  • Nozzle design reduces defects and improves topside hole fill at faster conveyor speeds;
  • Significant cost savings through reduced dross and longer intervals between maintenance;
  • Patented.

FloLift Technology:

  • Increases upward force of wave as the PCB is traveling over the wave;
  • Improves topside hole fill;
  • Software and recipe controlled.

Other Advantages of Electrovert Wave Soldering:

  • All new wave systems come with a lifetime warranty on the solder pot casting (applies to original owner);
  • Multiple preheat configurations (IR, IR Platen, VectaHeat, and High Velocity Forced Convection type preheat);
  • Multiple fluxing configurations (ServoSpray, ServoJet, OA ServoJet, and ServoSonic).

 

Wave Soldering Machines:
DeltaX Wave Solder Electra Wave Solder 
VectraElite Wave Solder VectraES Wave Solder

As board assemblies become increasingly complex and difficult to solder, board manufacturers are looking for wave solder machines that can provide closed-loop process control and automatic features.

Of the many flux products developed for soldering applications, most electronics assemblers prefer to use no-clean, low solids formulations, in part because they eliminate the post-reflow cleaning or defluxing process step.

In the demanding environment of lead-free soldering, it is important to understand the different characteristics of lead-free materials. Wetting times for lead-free alloys are slower than those of tin/lead, and flow characteristic are more viscous.

As the complexity of PCB assemblies continues to increase, many electronics assemblers are seeking a solution in a wave soldering machine.

Award-winning wave soldering technologies have long met the demanding throughput and process control challenges of applications such as lead-free wave soldering.

Even though most SMT soldering is achieved through reflow, some assemblies require that some of the Surface Mounted Devices (SMDs) on a board, such as chip components, must be wave soldered.