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What is the difference between a soldering iron station. Soldering iron or soldering station? The main task of the soldering station is to provide high-quality soldering of elements. It depends on the technical and design parameters

The need to use soldering equipment can arise at any time even at home, but not every master knows how to ensure that its technical capabilities meet the current need.

And to understand this, you need to understand the technical potential of modern soldering equipment.

Soldering involves not only the presence of a soldering iron, but also the necessary components, the minimum set of which consists of a control module and a spring holder.

For using the soldering tool at home, this is the best configuration option that can provide a stable temperature, protection against overloads and static.

Whereas a standard soldering station for special purposes, including industrial ones, can also be equipped with:

  • hot tweezers (used for assembly and disassembly operations of miniature components);

  • local heating dryer (used as an auxiliary heater at the soldering point);

  • a heat emitter (used to heat up the board when group soldering is performed);

  • vacuum tweezers;

  • auxiliary fittings.

Depending on the purpose of the soldering station, its equipment may include devices for highly specialized operations.

It is the complete set that ultimately determines the classification of soldering equipment.

Soldering station happens:

  • hot air - this type of device is equipped with a hairdryer and provides for hot air soldering;

  • induction - is a miniature, but very powerful and durable device;

  • pulsed - used for mounting and dismantling any modern circuit;

  • infrared - along with gas soldering irons, this is the best opportunity to independently repair a mobile phone or tablet.

Technological features of the use of soldering stations

Depending on the type of soldering performed, devices are divided into 2 categories - lead and lead-free.

Lead soldering equipment is equipped with a module that regulates the level of tip heating. These can be both devices whose operation is based on electricity, and induction-type stations.

A characteristic feature of induction stations is that their operation is provided by an alternating magnetic field.

In this case, each soldering element is processed with a different power, the choice of which is carried out automatically, since the device independently determines the heat capacity of the soldering component.

The use of induction soldering stations is convenient to operate and has a high heat dissipation.

In cases where it is necessary to solder small circuit elements or hard-to-reach components, the non-contact soldering method is used. Non-contact soldering stations include hot air and infrared soldering stations.

The principle of operation of infrared soldering equipment is based on the properties of infrared rays obtained from ceramic or quartz elements.

The main scope of infrared type stations is computer circuits and motherboards.

Hot air stations work on the principle of hot air point transfer, so with their help you can easily warm up hard-to-reach elements without touching adjacent contacts.

It is this type of soldering device that is usually used in workshops for the repair of consumer electronic and mobile equipment.

The nuances of operating various types of soldering equipment

The technological diversity of types and categories of soldering equipment significantly complicates its choice.

Therefore, before giving preference to any model, it is worth familiarizing yourself in detail with their technical potential and the recommended scope.

Craftsmen who use a conventional soldering iron at home are well aware of the situation when the sensitive elements of the device overheat, and it is not possible to adjust the temperature.

This is one of the reasons why a soldering station is better than a soldering iron.

Because the equipment of the station includes a power supply, and with its help you can change not only the voltage, but also the temperature regime of the device.

However, it is not enough to simply choose a soldering station with a thermal stabilization system. It is also important to take into account the power of the device, especially if refractory solders are used.

Otherwise, negative consequences cannot be avoided:

  1. excessive soldering temperature leads to overheating of circuit components;

  2. the durability of the soldering iron tip is sharply reduced due to overheating;

  3. the shelf life of the heating element is reduced;

  4. the tracks on the board overheat;

  5. soldering quality is poor.

In such cases, it is recommended to pay attention to equipment specially designed for lead-free soldering - firstly, the power of such devices is much higher, and secondly, they can also be used for lead-free soldering.

Ways to control soldering equipment

Given that soldering stations are one of the main tools in the electronics manufacturing industry, and the level of demand for them is high, multifunctional devices have been created that combine the technical capabilities of various types of equipment.

Such devices are distinguished by the connection of several modules, which allow the use of contact or non-contact soldering, as well as the use of several nozzles and tips.

When choosing soldering equipment, the method of controlling the station deserves special attention. It is digital and analog.

Analog type devices require constant monitoring, because when a certain temperature mark is reached, they must be turned off so that the soldering tip does not overheat.

On the other hand, after turning off the device, the temperature drops, and in order to carry out soldering, it is necessary to wait for it to rise again.

Digital type devices work thanks to the appropriate software, which automatically controls the heating temperature of the tip.

This means that the digital control method provides a more stable and accurate level of temperature maintenance than the analog one.

Principles for choosing a soldering station

The main task of soldering equipment is to ensure high-quality connection of elements, which in turn depends on the following design and technical parameters:

  • type of heating element. Modern manufacturers offer soldering stations with two types of heaters - ceramic and nichrome. Ceramic heaters heat up quickly, but are sensitive to uneven heating and can crack. But in the presence of thermal stabilization, ceramic heaters show good heat dissipation, high power and durability. Whereas nichrome is not able to provide long-term operation of the heater and is therefore recommended for infrequent use. True, a nichrome heater is much cheaper than a ceramic one;
  • Range of adjustable temperature indicators;
  • heating speed;
  • Power. As a rule, the quality level of the soldering station depends on the expediency of its operation. It all depends on what kind of soldering is required and for what components. Therefore, power is one of the most important parameters that determine the choice of soldering equipment. Especially if the device will be used to repair such sensitive types of equipment as mobile phones, tablets, navigators, etc.;
  • voltage;
  • Ergonomic indicators - weight, size, shape.

Also, the objective factors influencing the choice of a soldering device are:

  1. Globally accepted standards for lead-free soldering. This means that soldering will require equipment with an operating temperature of 250 °C;
  2. Placement of microcircuits in BGA-type cases. On the one hand, this is justified, as it allows you to reduce the size of products. On the other hand, this complicates all soldering processes due to the inaccessibility of the components.

Other Important Points for Choosing a Soldering Station

Regardless of what type of soldering station you choose, experienced craftsmen recommend that you stock up on replacement tips in advance.

Different types of stings differ in the shape and area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe edge, and the final result of soldering largely depends on these parameters.

First of all, because the larger the edge area, the better the heat transfer during the soldering process. And secondly, not only the type of processed elements, but also its temperature can depend on the shape of the sting.

Therefore, good manufacturers make sure that the material from which soldering tips are made has good heat dissipation.
Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the possibility of replacing parts of soldering equipment if they fail.

It makes no sense to invest in equipment that cannot be repaired.

Modern electronic circuits are made using miniature components. A large share among the elementary base of most electronic devices is occupied by multi-output integrated circuits and SMD components. It is difficult to use a conventional soldering iron for the repair and installation of such devices, especially when dismantling elements with a large number of leads. Simultaneous heating of a large number of outputs is required.

In addition to the difficulties, printed circuit boards have a multilayer structure, when the inner layers of the board are a solid metallization with good thermal conductivity. This layer makes it difficult to warm up the leads and requires precise maintenance of the temperature of the soldering tip.

What is a soldering station for?

To solve these issues, electric soldering irons with temperature stabilization of the heating of the working element have been developed. The tip of modern soldering irons has a built-in temperature sensor. Temperature control and adjustment is carried out using control devices that are part of the soldering iron or are made in the form of remote units. Dismantling and soldering of multi-output radioelements is more convenient, and sometimes it is only possible to carry out only at a stable heating temperature of all the conclusions at the same time, which cannot be achieved with an ordinary soldering iron.

The soldering station allows you to control the heating zone and accurately maintain the set temperature even if there is a heat sink at the soldering point. The choice of soldering station depends on the area of ​​application and experience with the equipment.

Varieties of soldering stations

All soldering stations for the installation and repair of electronic devices can be divided into three types:

  • Contact. Heating of conclusions of radioelements is carried out by means of a soldering iron with adjustable and stabilized temperature of a working element. They are used for mounting SMD components and radio components with wire leads;
  • Contactless. Heating is produced by a stream of heated air or infrared emitters. The main purpose is the dismantling of multi-terminal components. Also, non-contact soldering stations carry out soldering of leadless components (BGA type);
  • Combined. In fact, they combine the first two types.

According to the principle of adjustment, soldering stations can be of two types:

  • Analog. The most simple and have discrete temperature control according to the on-off principle. Until the temperature of the tip has reached the required value, the heating element is switched on. When the required heating level is reached, the voltage supply is switched off. The advantage of this control principle is low cost. Analog stations are characterized by the inertia of temperature control and poor stabilization of heating;

  • Digital. The microcontroller built into the device not only monitors the temperature of the soldering tip, but also regulates the heating power. That is, the more the temperature lags behind the required one, the more voltage is applied to the heating element. This achieves high accuracy in temperature control, and the inertia will be better than that of analog ones.

Many manufacturers produce soldering stations separately for lead-tin and lead-free solders. Which one to choose? There is no difference between them, except that lead-free solders require more temperature and, accordingly, more power.

Note! It is not only possible, but also desirable, to use a soldering station with high power, since the main parameter in the work is the temperature of the working element and its stabilization. A more powerful device with such requirements copes much better.

The above applies not only to contact devices. Air and infrared soldering stations have the same principles of heat regulation and stabilization.

Types of soldering iron heating elements

The soldering iron tip can be heated in three ways:

  • With the help of a high-resistance heating element - the classic way. The heater is a winding of high-resistance heat-resistant wire (nichrome), wound on a soldering iron tip through an insulating gasket. There is a temperature sensor nearby. They are characterized by high inertia and low reliability;

  • Ceramic heaters are a variation of the classic version. The heating element is embedded in the ceramic layer together with a temperature sensitive sensor. Much less inertia, high reliability, but does not tolerate shocks and falls;

  • Induction heaters. An inductive element is used to heat the ferromagnetic tip. The material of the working tool is selected in such a way that heating occurs up to the so-called Curie point, when the ferromagnetic properties disappear. Provides perfect thermal stabilization without the use of temperature sensors. Heaters of this type are able to work only with a single temperature value. Since they appeared recently, they are overpriced and are used only by lovers of exclusive products. The question of the influence of strong electromagnetic radiation on the human body remains controversial.

hot air gun soldering station

Non-contact heating of radioelements is carried out by supplying heated air. A soldering dryer according to the principle of operation does not differ from a construction dryer and in some cases can be replaced by it. The main difference lies in the more accurate stabilization of the temperature of the outgoing air and the regulation of the flow rate. Too high a speed can lead to soldering and blowing out nearby components.

According to the principle of supply, compressor and fan hot air guns are distinguished:

  • The compressor is located in the body of the soldering station and is connected to the hot air gun via a flexible hose. The design of the nozzle itself is quite convenient to use, but the air supply hose has increased rigidity, which is a disadvantage of this design;
  • Fan hot air guns have a small-sized fan (turbine) built into the handle, similar to a household hair dryer. Only connecting wires go from the actual hair dryer to the soldering station, which do not hinder movements, but the handle has an increased weight and dimensions.

Both types have equal characteristics, and you need to choose a device from personal preference.

Any model of hot air gun has a set of nozzles that come with the kit, or they can be purchased separately. The shape of the nozzles allows them to be used to work with components of various sizes and lead configurations without overheating nearby radio elements.

infrared heater

Professional equipment for the repair of radio equipment is equipped with infrared heating devices. The emitters are powerful sources of infrared radiation, which are located on the desktop for preheating a large area of ​​the printed circuit board and on the working element for direct impact on the components of the electronic circuit. Preheating the printed circuit board shortens the time of exposure to high temperature during soldering and reduces the temperature gradient over the area of ​​influence.

Infrared heating equipment has a high cost, therefore it is used mainly by professionals in the repair of complex equipment.

Additional features of soldering stations

For the dismantling of some small-sized elements (SMD resistors, capacitors, diodes), the possibility of hot air heating is unnecessary. This is especially true for elements with plastic housings (LEDs). The work is facilitated by the use of hot tweezers, which are a hybrid of a soldering iron and tweezers. The shape of the jaws of the thermal tweezers is designed to work with two-pin miniature radio components, but there are models with jaws designed to dismantle ICs with a double-sided pin arrangement.

Those who decide to purchase a soldering station should pay attention to the presence of a convenient holder for tools - a soldering iron or a hot air gun. Such holders can be mounted on the device case or installed separately, in any place of the desktop convenient for work.

How to choose a soldering station among all the variety? The selection criterion should be not only a set of additional options and characteristics, but also the quality of workmanship and the possibility of repair, the availability of consumables.

A good soldering station should have a set of accessories and consumables available for purchase. The soldering iron tips and nozzles for the air heater that come with the equipment are often not convenient enough to perform the necessary types of work, and the necessary ones have to be purchased separately.

Heating elements of soldering irons can act as consumables. Working at high temperatures and mechanical loads, heaters often fail.

Video

The use of a soldering station may also be needed at home (for beginners), for different needs and situations. But the choice can become a problem - not everyone knows by what signs, characteristics and nuances to do it. In order to deal with this issue, you need to familiarize yourself with the technical potential of the soldering iron, namely: functions, heating capability, power, etc. In this article, we will try to talk in detail about how to choose a soldering station and which one is better in 2017.

What does the kit consist of?

When carrying out soldering work, you need not only a soldering station, but also complete parts: a control and monitoring module and a spring holder. All this will be able to provide the necessary temperature, protect against overloads.

With the specifics of the operation of the soldering station, the kit may include:

  • tweezers (soldering and removing small parts);
  • hair dryer for heating (additional heating of the place of soldering);
  • heat emitter (board heating when soldering a group);
  • vacuum tweezers;
  • additional fittings.

Equipment classification

Depending on the specialization of the soldering iron, certain components are included. To choose the right soldering station, you need to remember that the bundle determines the profile of the device operation.

There are four types of soldering irons:


Based on this, we summarize - in order to choose one or another model, you need to know initially what will be soldered with this soldering iron.

Technical features

When choosing, you need to know that two categories can be distinguished by type of soldering:

  • lead;
  • lead-free.

Lead devices are equipped with a module that regulates the temperature level of the soldering tip, which makes the work more accurate and better. Mechanisms based on electrics and induction type of station, for the operation of which it generates a magnetic field. Using such a device you get a high heat output.

When soldering inaccessible components, non-contact soldering (hot air or infrared) is used. Infrared is used for circuits in computers or motherboards. Hot air (point transmission) - for heating inaccessible parts, while not affecting nearby parts. This option is better to choose for soldering plastic, as well as adjusting household appliances and mobile phones.

Operation of soldering stations

Today, there are many types of equipment for the technical part of the soldering device, and this greatly complicates the choice when buying. Because of this, before choosing a suitable model, you need to decide on the technical features and scope. Those who like to repair something with their own hands for the home mainly use ordinary soldering irons, but they overheat the parts, resulting in not repairing parts, but vice versa. This is the most important reason for choosing a soldering station. The presence of a power supply makes work easy and simple due to the ability to change the voltage and temperature.

Power plays a role, this is important when using refractory solders. Otherwise:

  • high temperature - overheating of circuits;
  • the sting is destroyed when exposed to high temperature;
  • the heating part eventually fails;
  • overheating of board tracks;
  • soldering quality decreases.

To avoid the above nuances, it is better to choose a station for lead-free soldering. You can also, as we talked about in the corresponding article!

Control type

A soldering station is one of the most important devices in the manufacture of electronics. This indicates a high degree of need among the people doing it. The installation allows you to connect a pair of modules that allow soldering with and without contact, you can also replace nozzles and tips.

To choose the right device, it is important to correctly determine the control method:

  • digital (certain programs provide control over the heating of the tip, stability and accuracy in operation than analog);
  • analog (devices must be under constant control, as high temperatures adversely affect the component parts of the device).

Main selection criteria

First-class bonding of elements is the most important goal of a soldering station. To choose the right device, you need to know the design and technical parameters:

  1. Heating element and its type. Today, the bulk of the devices, among which you can choose, have 2 types - ceramic and nichrome. Ceramic ones heat up quickly, but they can burst with uneven heating, if there is a heat stabilizer, all this will not happen, it will control the temperature and the device will last longer. Nichrome quickly fails and is not suitable for frequent use. It costs much less than ceramics.
  2. The temperature adjustment range should be wider.
  3. heating rate.
  4. Power. To choose a soldering station by power, you must initially know the area of ​​\u200b\u200boperation of the device: phones, laptops, tablets or household appliances, etc.;
  5. Voltage; weight, size, shape, etc.

You also need to take into account things like:

  • world standards for lead-free soldering, which indicates equipment with a temperature of 250 degrees;
  • the circuits are housed in a BGA chip package, making the device itself smaller and lighter.

What else is important to know?

When buying, the masters advise stocking up on spare replacement tips as well. All of them differ in the shape and area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe end, which determines the result of the work itself. Also, in order to choose a suitable design, you need to know that a larger edge provides better heat exchange during soldering. In turn, the shape affects the type of elements that will be soldered, as well as accessibility to soldering points and temperature.

Another important tip is that in order to choose everything correctly, you need to pay attention to the materials from which the soldering tips are made, they must conduct heat transfer well. In addition, you need to pick up equipment with easy replacement of parts in case of failure of one of them.

The best manufacturers and models

Well, the last thing I would like to talk about is which soldering station is better to choose for home (for amateurs), work (electronics repair), as well as soldering plastic car parts.

First of all, let's talk about the manufacturers of devices. The best today are the German company Ersa and the Chinese Quick. However, for fans of repairing electrical appliances at home, choosing Ersa soldering equipment will not be the most rational solution. The fact is that the price of the equipment is quite high, so this option is better suited for professional use. At the same time, Quick has in its range of budget soldering stations, more or less good quality.

Another popular company is Lukey. Many masters and radio amateurs claim that this is the cheapest China, which breaks down quickly and can also cause a fire. Another part of the masters recommends choosing a Lukey soldering station for beginner radio amateurs, because. some models of equipment are quite well made and for their price are the best option for a home workshop. To make a choice, we recommend that you look at the reviews on YouTube. You can find many video reviews of new technology, which show the main functionality, equipment and disadvantages of certain soldering stations.

Still, the most popular inexpensive models are Lukey 702, 852D + and 868. From Quick, 202D ESD (for amateurs) and 702 ESD (for professionals) are most often bought.

A hot air station is suitable for repairing bumpers. A good option is Lukey 868, the work with which is shown in the photo:



Beginner Tips

That's all I wanted to tell you about this rather complicated issue. We hope now you know how to choose a soldering station and which one is better in 2017!

Today, the soldering iron has already become an ordinary tool that is only suitable for solving everyday soldering issues. To perform high-quality restoration and repair of modern devices, it is necessary to have more professional equipment. In this area, for specialists and beginners, a large selection of types of various devices is offered. To repair complex electronic devices, soldering stations are used, which have gained great popularity among both beginner radio amateurs and professionals.

Classification and device

Given the large selection of various models of soldering stations on sale, consider their types, purpose and capabilities.

Contact soldering stations

This type of station in its design resembles a soldering iron equipped with an electronic temperature control unit.

Soldering contact stations are divided into two categories, depending on the type of solder used:
  • Stations for work with tin-lead solders .
  • Lead Free Solder Stations . This type of station is distinguished by the presence of a heating element with a power of up to 160 watts. This is due to the higher melting point of lead-free solders, so more power is needed. The presence of a soldering station in this type allows them to be used for soldering with conventional low-melting solder with lead.

Digital and analog

Soldering stations are divided into digital and analog, depending on the principle of operation of the control units.

At analog stations, the temperature is stabilized as follows:
  • The heating element works until the soldering iron core reaches a certain temperature, then the power is turned off.
  • When the temperature drops below a certain limit, the heating element is connected and begins to heat the soldering iron tip.

The functioning of the soldering iron is monitored, which is controlled by electronics and. The advantage of an analog soldering station control system is its low cost. The disadvantage is the low accuracy of work, leading to excessive heating of the soldering tip. From here, other problems arise: overheating of radio components, frequent change of the sting.

digital station soldering works by controlling the heater using a PID controller, which is controlled using a program embedded in . The digital control method is much more accurate than the analog one.

Induction devices

In this type of soldering station, the soldering iron tip is heated by an induction impulse coil, which operates from high-frequency oscillations, which form eddy currents in the ferromagnetic coating. Heating is carried out to a temperature called the Curie point. After that, the magnetic properties of the ferromagnet change and the heating stops.

Contactless stations

Such devices are used for repair and disassembly work with circuits, as well as for replacing microcircuits with a large number of pins.

The non-contact soldering station can be infrared, hot air or combined, depending on the principle of operation.

  • infrared station includes a heating element in the form of an infrared ceramic or quartz emitter. Compared to hot air soldering stations, infrared stations have their own dignity :
    - it is allowed to work with complex-profile components;
    - no need to look for a hair dryer nozzle for a specific microcircuit;
    - radio components during soldering are not blown away by air from the board;
    – uniform heating of the soldering place. It should be noted that infrared stations are expensive and are professional equipment. They are rarely used by novice radio electronics enthusiasts.

  • Soldering station with hair dryer (hot air). Contact stations are assembly stations, and they are not suitable for dismantling radio components with a large number of pins, like microcircuits. For this, special equipment with a hot air gun is used. In the absence of such equipment, radio amateurs sometimes use an industrial hair dryer or gas burner. But this is not a professional tool that does not allow you to achieve good quality work. Too much air jet can blow the radio components off the board. Therefore, it is better to use equipment specially designed for this. The station model shown is equipped with digital controllers. Such equipment costs more than simple models. Most often, hair dryers are equipped with nozzles that regulate the flow of air.

  • Combined soldering stations combine other types of equipment in their device, for example, a hot air gun and a soldering iron.
Dismantling stations

The design of this type of equipment includes a compressor acting on suction. Heated solder from the surface is sucked into a separate container.

Optional equipment
Many soldering stations come with accessories to make your job easier. These include:
  • Lamps for illumination.
  • Smoke extractors.
  • Demolition pistols.
  • Vacuum tweezers.
  • Heat emitters for heating the circuit board.
  • Hairdryer for local heating.
  • Thermal tweezers for mounting and dismounting miniature parts.
How to choose soldering stations
The main task of the soldering station is to provide high-quality soldering of elements. It depends on the technical and design parameters:
  • Type of heating element . Manufacturers today present soldering stations equipped with two types of heating elements: ceramic and nichrome . The first ones heat up quickly, but are too sensitive to uneven heating, and often crack. Thermal stabilization helps ceramic heaters to provide good heat dissipation, durability and high power. Nichrome elements cannot provide a long heater life, so they are best used for occasional use. However, the nichrome heater has a low cost, unlike the ceramic one.
  • Temperature control interval.
  • Heating rate.
  • Power . The quality of a soldering station largely depends on its power and the type of soldering. Power is the main parameter when choosing equipment for soldering. This is especially important when using a soldering station to repair sensitive devices: navigators, tablets or smartphones.
  • Voltage .
  • Ergonomic parameters : shape, dimensions, weight.
  • Standard temperature lead-free soldering for equipment should be at least 250 degrees.

Regardless of the type of soldering station, stock up on a few replacement tips in advance. Different types of stings have a different edge area, shape. These parameters affect the final result of the work. The larger the area of ​​the end of the tip, the better the heat transfer during soldering. The shape of the tip and its temperature affect the ability to solder certain elements and radio components.

Conscientious soldering equipment manufacturers control the quality of soldering tip material. When choosing a soldering station, the ability to replace parts when they fail is of great importance.