Currently, soldering stations are used not only by professional engineers, but also by ordinary hobbyists who like to work with electronics at home. Many beginners who have never used such a device often encounter problems when choosing. To avoid any difficulties, you need to understand in advance what a soldering station with a hair dryer is, which model a novice engineer should choose, and how to use such a tool.
Soldering station - often used for electronics repairs
Description
A soldering station is specialized equipment that is used to repair radio components. With their help, people can solder microcircuits, transistors and capacitors.
There are both budget models that have only a contact soldering iron, as well as more expensive specialized soldering irons. They are equipped with additional tools. Most often, stations equipped with a hot air gun are found on sale on Aliexpress and other online stores. According to the principle of its operation, this device resembles a hair dryer. It heats the solder by circulating heated air.
Additional Information! Some models have an additional heated stand, the use of which helps protect the boards from deformation during the soldering process.
Design features
The infrared soldering station is a fairly large piece of equipment:
- width – 450-475 mm;
- height – 430-450 mm;
- depth – 420-450 mm.
- the height of the IR emitter support stand is 200 mm.
Additional Information. Dimensions of different station models may vary slightly from the above data. The desktop area is designed for printed circuit boards of maximum size and any configuration.
Location of controls and moving parts of the IR station:
- The work table is a deep platform made of a series of heating elements, covered with a metal mesh.
- Parallel stops with clamps move along guides. They clamp the printing platform on both sides.
- The cross sides are equipped with screw supports that support the board at the desired height.
- The kit includes rails that additionally secure the board.
- A rotating mechanism is installed on the vertical support, on which the infrared heater is fixed.
- The IR emitter can move in a straight direction along the tripod guides. At the same time, the soldering iron can rotate around the vertical support.
- On the front panel of the equipment there are:
- power button;
- thermocouple connector;
- stop button;
- desktop fan key;
- backlight switch;
- top cooling button;
- thermal controller for bottom heaters;
- programmable controller of the upper IR heater.
The temperature of the upper IR heater can reach from 220 to 270 degrees. The lower platform warms up to 150-1700 C.
Design and principle of operation
Soldering equipment consists of the following elements:
- Control module. This unit is equipped with a temperature control chip and a step-down transformer. It is thanks to this module that the user can independently select the heating temperature.
- Soldering iron. The main element of the tool, which is connected to the control module.
- Stand. Needed to secure a heated soldering iron when it is not in use.
Some models are additionally equipped with thermal tweezers, a hair dryer and a compressor.
Rules of use and safety precautions
The following list contains standard recommendations from manufacturers:
- Before starting operation, check the serviceability of the device, connecting cables, and integrity of the housings.
- When performing work operations, do not use actions that could damage the station.
- Flammable and explosive objects are removed from the work area and immediate environment.
- Do not touch nozzles or other heated parts.
- Provide ventilation of the room to prevent harm to health from chemical reagents.
- When storing and during breaks in work, use a specialized stand with automatic shut-off.
- For long-term storage, disconnect the equipment from the power supply.
- Do not use a soldering iron in rooms with excessive humidity or with wet hands.
- Prevent children from accessing potentially dangerous equipment.
For your information. The service life of the soldering iron can be extended if you use the minimum heating temperature and maximum fan (compressor) speed.
During operation, you should follow the correct sequence of actions when changing nozzles. Such procedures are performed only after the temperature has dropped to a safe level. If malfunctions are detected, the equipment is immediately disconnected from the 220 V network. Self-repairs should not be done without appropriate qualifications. If necessary, contact experienced specialists to diagnose and replace failed parts.
Soldering station and its main types
Before choosing soldering irons for further use, you need to familiarize yourself with the main types of such tools.
Contact soldering stations
Contact models - ideal for beginners
Quite often, contact models are used to repair electronics. Most of them use lead-tin solder. However, some soldering irons can work without lead. There are two main types of contact devices:
- Analog. It is equipped with a special electromagnetic relay and a temperature sensor, which are responsible for automatically turning the soldering iron on and off.
- Digital. They have a built-in programmed microcontroller with which the heating temperature is regulated.
Additional Information! Such models are ideal for beginners who have not soldered before.
Contactless soldering stations
In such devices, soldering is carried out using thermal radiation or heated air. Contactless models can be divided into two categories:
- Thermal air. Equipped with a turbine hair dryer that supplies hot air to the surface.
- Infrared. They have an infrared emitter installed, with the help of which soldering work is carried out.
In rare cases, there are combined devices equipped with both a hair dryer and an emitter.
Work in practice
Before starting work, it is important to properly configure the IR soldering station.
Settings
After fixing the printed circuit board on the heating table and connecting the IR emitter to the microprocessor, they proceed to setting up the operation of the station. This is done using the interface keys of the thermal controllers of the upper and lower heaters.
The display of the bottom heating controller at the top shows the current temperature. Use the buttons on the bottom line to set the final value of the degree of heating of the printed circuit board.
The programmable top heating controller has 10 options (thermal profiles). The thermoprofile reflects the dependence of temperature on time. That is, warming up can be programmed in steps. Each step sets a certain time during which the temperature does not change.
Difficulty in work
Mass-produced infrared soldering stations are easy to use and easy to operate. Difficulties in the operation of the station may arise due to a discrepancy between the actual characteristics of the station and the data in the accompanying documentation. The equipment manufacturer is responsible for this in accordance with the warranty.
For people who repair modern electronic devices at home, a homemade infrared soldering station is a must. Purchasing professional equipment makes sense for workshops where there are large volumes of repair work.
Criterias of choice
To purchase a high-quality soldering iron, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic selection criteria.
A heating element
The heating element is one of the main components of a soldering station.
Ceramic and nichrome heaters are most often used in such devices. The latter are most often installed in budget models. People who regularly repair electronics should not buy models with nichrome heating elements. The fact is that they are not suitable for long-term and constant use.
Important! For production purposes, it is better to purchase a model with ceramics. However, this element also has disadvantages. For example, it does not tolerate uneven heating well and sometimes cracks due to it.
Equipment
Hairdryer - must be included
When choosing a soldering iron, you need to make sure that all the necessary complete parts are sold with it. These include:
- tweezers;
- heating hair dryer;
- thermal emitter for heating boards;
- additional fittings.
If the package is incomplete, it is better to refuse to purchase such a device and look for another model.
Power
One of the most important criteria that you must pay attention to when choosing. To determine the appropriate power for a compressor soldering iron with a hair dryer, you need to know in advance for what purpose it will be used. For example, if you need it to repair laptops or cell phones, it is better to choose models with a power of no more than 60 watts.
Maintainability
Another criterion that should not be forgotten is the maintainability of the device. The fact is that soldering irons can break the heating element or tip. Therefore, sometimes people have to repair them. However, in order to avoid having to repair anything, you must first buy a high-quality soldering iron that will work properly without breakdowns.
Important! It is recommended to read customer reviews in advance to determine the quality of a particular soldering iron model.
TOP products
Before purchasing, be sure to familiarize yourself with the TOP best models of soldering irons for amateurs and professionals.
Best hot air soldering station
Zhongdi ZD-8907 - the best hot-air model
Among electronics lovers, Zhongdi Station ZD-8907 is especially popular. This is a fairly popular model that is of good quality and durability. With careful use, ZD-8907 will serve a person for decades.
One of the main advantages of this soldering iron is its compactness. It does not take up much space on the table, making it very convenient to work with. The power of the device is 300 W. This allows you to use it to repair any electronics.
The best two-channel soldering station
People who want to purchase a two-channel soldering iron should pay attention to the Element 937D. This is a universal tool that allows you to work with both large electronics and small microcircuits. Among the advantages of this model is its heating accuracy. The error is only 8-10 degrees, which is very small.
Additional Information! The Element 937D is equipped with an excellent ceramic heater. This allows you to use the device for high-quality repairs of the smallest parts.
Best Ceramic Soldering Station
Bison 55334 is one of the highest quality ceramic soldering irons.
Among the best devices with a ceramic heater is the Bison 55334. This is a budget model that is available to every electronics lover. The device is universal and suitable for both amateurs and professionals.
The device is equipped with a small screen that displays the heating temperature. Bison 55334 heats up to 550 °C, the error is 10 degrees. Because of this, some radio amateurs rarely use it to repair sensitive elements.
Best Induction Soldering Station
The best induction device is considered to be Quicko 202. This soldering iron is suitable for high-quality soldering and desoldering of microcircuits. The device is equipped with a temperature regulator and a special system that protects against overvoltage and overheating.
Quicko 202 is ideal for working with sensitive elements, as its temperature error is only two degrees. The main disadvantage of a soldering iron is its high cost.
Best digital soldering station
If you need a digital station, you need to pay attention to Yihua 992D. This model differs from other soldering irons in its temperature stability and almost instantaneous heating. The station body is made of high quality plastic.
The device is equipped with a built-in computer and a small display that displays temperature information.
DIY making
The high cost of an IR soldering station (60-150 thousand rubles) encourages home craftsmen to manufacture such equipment on their own. If you have some experience, making a homemade infrared soldering iron with your own hands is quite possible. Material costs usually do not exceed 10 thousand rubles. You need to prepare the materials and components necessary to assemble the IR station.
Parts for a homemade device
To assemble an infrared soldering station with your own hands, you will need the following:
- sheet of tin;
- flexible spiral metal lamp tube;
- lever tripod from an old table lamp;
- halogen lamps;
- galvanized fine mesh;
- aluminum profile in the form of narrow slats;
- 2 thermocouples;
- Arduino Mega 2560 R3 board;
- SSR 25-DA2x Adafruit MAX31855K board – 2 pcs.;
- DC adapter 5 volts, 0.5 A;
- wires.
Assembly
Installation of a soldering station consists of several stages:
- Thermal table;
- Infrared heater;
- PID controller on Arduino.
Thermal table
It is advisable to make a heating table with your own hands in an equipped home workshop. The design is a bottom heater consisting of the following components:
- housing, reflector, lamps;
- board fastening system;
- flexible thermocouple tube;
- lamp.
Frame
- The base of the heating table is made in the form of a frame from an L-shaped tin profile. You can bend strips of metal with a corner. Cutouts are made with scissors and the metal is bent along them, connecting the parts with self-tapping screws.
- The opening is covered with a metal mesh. To prevent it from bending, metal rods are pulled over the mesh in the transverse and longitudinal directions.
Installation of metal mesh
- The old halogen lamp is disassembled, freeing the reflector from the lamps. It is cut along the inner perimeter of the body.
- The lamps are returned to their place. The heater is inserted into the support frame from below.
Reflector installation
Board mounting system
The aluminum strip is cut into several sections. Mounting holes are drilled in them.
Two sections of the profile are fixed on the wide sides of the body, in the grooves of which the screw clamps of the transverse rails will move. Everything will become clear from the bottom photo.
Board fastening
Flexible thermocouple tube
A spiral metal tube is installed in one of the corners of the frame, and the thermocouple wires are pulled through. The length of the tube must provide access for the thermocouple to the entire working area of the station.
Lamp
A socket with a five-volt light bulb with a reflector is attached to the end of the flexible tube. The base of the metal hose is attached to the corner of the frame in the same way as in the previous case.
Upper heater
The infrared emitter consists of two elements, these are:
- Ceramic plate in the housing.
- Holder.
Attaching the tripod to the upper heater housing
Ceramic plate in the housing
The plate can be purchased on the electrical market or ordered on the online store website. The main thing is to make a durable case in which free air flow is ensured. How to do this can be seen in the photo.
Additional Information. A computer cooler mounted in the upper plane of the IR plate case will help protect the radio component from overheating.
Holder
A two-piece table lamp bracket is ideal for the holder. The base of the bracket is attached to the station frame. The upper rotary hinge is connected to the body of the upper heater.
PID controller on Arduino
A do-it-yourself IR station must be equipped with a control unit. You need to make a separate case for it. An Arduino board and a PID controller are placed inside. An approximate diagram of the layout of the station control unit parts is visible in the photo.
IR station control unit
The Arduino Mega 2560 R3 microprocessor platform controls the heating modes of the ceramic IR emitter and the thermal table platform. Wires for fans (top and bottom), PID controller, thermocouples and lamp are connected to the Arduino board.
Programming of the soldering station is carried out through the controller interface. Its screen reflects the current heating process of the printed circuit board on both sides.
Homemade IPS
Tester
Thermocouples act as testers. They are ultimately sources of information about the state of the heating level of the back side of the printed circuit board and the top surface of the microprocessor.
Rating of soldering stations with hair dryer
Lukey 868 is one of the best models for both beginners and professionals.
Before choosing a soldering station, you need to familiarize yourself with the rating of the best devices with a hair dryer:
- Lukey 868. The device has analogue airflow control, which allows you to work with any electronics. The device comes with several hair dryer attachments and a special wrench for replacing them.
- Ksger STM 32. High-quality soldering iron with built-in hair dryer. The model is equipped with an automatic cooling system and shutdown of the hair dryer.
- Rexant 12. A powerful device used for melting large areas. The maximum heating temperature is 450 degrees.
A soldering station is a device that every electronics enthusiast should have. People who decide to purchase such a soldering iron should familiarize themselves in advance with all the nuances of choosing a device. This is the only way to buy a truly high-quality soldering iron.
