EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff => Topic started by: Wilson__ on August 10, 2024, 09:54:01 pm
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New to these, did not do it before myself (other team member do it). Please advise on solder/de-solder TOOLS and SUPPLY of very small imperial 0201 (0.6 x 0.3mm) RC and 0.5mm pitch leadless chip.
1. What to look for in buying soldering station? Wattage for hot air and soldering iron? Likely one unit with hot air and soldering iron. What tip size for air and soldering iron?
2. What
a. SOLDER (tin/lead or leadless) (what tin/lead ratio?),
b. FLUX (is non wash good?),
c. solder PASTE,
d. de-soldering copper wire-mesh-tape (what is the name for this?)
3. PCB board holder, fixture that allow turning PCB in multiple angles for easy soldering.
4. What cleaning fluid? 91% Isopropanol Alcohol?
5. Any other tools needed (apart from tweezers, work surface mat and SMD component box)?
4. Any other tools
Many thanks
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The most important issue is that you see exactly what you are doing. So the tool that counts most is the microscope, which you have adressed in you other recent post. Once you have the proper magnification together with an ergonomic position when working, good light, and a working distance (lens-PCB) of about 10cm, 0201 is well doable, although I prefer 0402.
Next issue is to make sure that your breath does not reach the working area, because you can easily blow away small components.
Then, you need a comfortable rest for your hands. Not only your wrists, but also your little fingers should be supported. It is amazing to what precision the human hand is capable when supported like that. You can easily push an item by 0.01mm with a tooltip controlled by thumb and index finger if your hand is fully supported by the desk.
The problem with PCB holders is that their use contradicts good hand support.
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First of all, you cannot solder this chip with a hand soldering iron. It has pins on the bottom of the chip, so there is no access to them.
Soldering with a hot air gun is problematic - it will just blow it off (the chip is too small). You need to be very experienced to use a hot air gun on it.
An acceptable soldering tool is an oven. But the easiest way to solder such a thing is to use a PCBA service from a PCB manufacturer.
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Soldering with a hot air gun is problematic - it will just blow it off (the chip is too small). You need to be very experienced to use a hot air gun on it.
An acceptable soldering tool is an oven. But the easiest way to solder such a thing is to use a PCBA service from a PCB manufacturer.
I have found hot air to work well even with small parts. The solder paste does hold them in place somewhat -- first by its tackiness, then by surface tension when molten. Just reduce the airflow a bit, and be sure to hold the hot-air handpiece close to vertically.
The vertical handpiece position is one reason why I think a long working distance is a key parameter for a stereo microscope for soldering. My cheap fixed-mag microscope provides a bit more than 20 cm of working distance, which feels generous. 10 cm of free distance would be too tight for my taste.
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My own limited experience with (budget) hot air stations is there are two besic types: The ones with a pump and ones with a fan, often in the handle. The pump gives a pulsed airflow which sends 0402s flying even at the lowest settings whereas the fan gives a much smoother airflow.
Downside of the fan-in-handle is it makes it more cumbersome, but still fine for low usage though.
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Use an infrared oven or laser soldering device, these do not contain air, you can buy them very cheaply.
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256803614558557.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt (https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256803614558557.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt)