Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/881969
54 SMT Magazine • October 2017 with high temperature on the tip, but then the intermetallic formation of the solder joint can be too big. You can have problems on the me- chanical strength of the solder joint. Later, it may crack, leading to product defects. Las Marias: What are the parameters to consid- er to make those perfect solder joints? Moreno: The most important is temperature. If it is too high, the pads will burn; while too low a temperature and the tin will not melt. But also important is how this thermal transfer is done to the PCB. For this, JBC has special tips that allow users to fill those barrels easily. We also have special preheaters that can help them if they need an extra heating system while they are soldering. Users don't need to reach a sol- dering temperature to 400°C to avoid this huge intermetallic part; they can control the temper- ature to avoid problems on the PCB. Good tools are needed. You need a system with good soldering tips, where energy is reac- tive, not cumulative—imagine a big soldering tip with plenty of heat inside. Temperature and tips change. Regarding thermal transfer, the by Stephen Las Marias I-CONNECT007 For more than 85 years, JBC Soldering has been providing soldering and rework tools for the electronics manufacturing industry. Head- quartered in Barcelona, Spain, the company also has branches in St. Louis, Missouri, in the USA; Guadalajara, Mexico; Hong Kong; and Shanghai, China. In an interview with SMT Magazine at the re- cent NEPCON South China event in Shenzhen, Enrique Moreno, technical support engineer, discusses the key parameters to consider dur- ing hand soldering to achieve the perfect sol- der joint. Stephen Las Marias: Solder joint defects are among the key problems in PCB assembly. Why do you think so? Enrique Moreno: Mainly, the problem with hand soldering on PCBs comes with the bigger planes, and most especially with barrel filling. Good thermal transfer is important to make a good solder joint. Maybe this can be solved FEATURE INTERVIEW