UK based contract electronics manufacturer Speedboard Assembly Services has invested in an ERSA Versaflow 345 in-line selective soldering system, enabling to tackle increasingly complex double-sided, mixed-technology PCB assembly projects, and in particular boards that must be manufactured to the IPC-A-610 Class 3 standard.
Whilst some double-sided, mixed-technology PCBs can be manufactured using wave soldering − using either a glue and wave process or pallets to mask underside SMDs − this is becoming increasingly impractical for densely populated boards.
Selective soldering has much in common with wave soldering − in terms of fluxing, pre-heating and soldering stages – but components are soldered on a pin-by-pin basis and without disturbing pre-placed neighbouring components.
The ERSA Versaflow 345 is a modular system, and Speedboard’s machine is being configured as a single track system with fluxer, pre-heat zone and two solder pots.
