Reflow Soldering Equipment

What is a Reflow soldering Equipment? 

A reflow soldering Equipment is an oven that is mainly used for soldering surface-mount technology (SMT) and through-hole components onto a PCB. In SMT mounting, solder paste is applied at the connection points on the PCB and then with components placed on the respective points on the board, it is inserted into the reflow oven where solder melts and solidifies to create the proper electrical contacts on the board. In through-hole mounting, the solder paste is applied through special stencils to the holes in the PCB and then passed for reflow soldering via convection in the oven. 

The reflow soldering process has four stages: preheat, soak, reflow, and cooling. During the preheat stage, the PCB’s temperature gradually increases at about 2ºC per second to prevent component damage and solder splatter, which can result in solder balls. At the end of preheating, the board enters the soak stage, where the temperature is raised and held to ensure all components reach the appropriate temperature. This process usually lasts for approximately 60 to 120 seconds. Next, the temperature is increased sufficiently during the reflow stage to melt the solder paste. The surface tension of the molten paste aligns the components with their pads in a process lasting from roughly 30 to 60 seconds. In the end, the board goes through the cooling phase, where it cools by 2 to 4 ºC per second, the solder solidifies while the connections that are needed materialize. 

 Key parameters of Reflow soldering oven 

• Heat Type: Represents the type of method used in the heating process. Air convection and infrared heating methods are the most common. Some machines use both methods whereas others might use one. 
• Heating zones: Represents the number of upper and bottom heating zones available in the machine. 
• Heating zone Length: It is the length of the heating zone in the machine. 
• Cooling method: Represents the type of cooling used. Usually, air cooling is used. 
• Cooling zones: Represents the number of upper and bottom cooling zones available in the machine. 
• Temp Range: Represents the maximum operating temperature of the reflow oven.

PCB Directory has listed Reflow soldering equipment from the leading manufacturers in the industry and made it easy for users to find these machines based on their requirements. You can specify the heating/cooling zones, temperature range and other parameters to find equipment that meets your requirements. You can also view machine specifications, download the spec sheet, and get a quote. Quotes requested are routed to the manufacturers.

Click here to explore Reflow Soldering Equipment Manufacturers.