Soldering
This type of Soldering is connected with the construction of electronic circuits. The process involves mounting electronic components onto a PCB board. The common equipment that they use in schools would be:
- A Soldering iron
- Solder
- Extractor fan
- Holding apparatus to keep the Printed circuit board steady
Common concepts and principles used in schools when using this process:
- Holding the soldering iron by the handle firmly
- Using the tip of the soldering iron and the tip of the solder wire to create the bond
- Soldering neatly - Making mountains not donuts
- The soldering iron is applied to the copper track and then the solder wire is rested onto the iron to heat
- Cleaning the tip of the iron with the flux every time you finish and start a new section
- Insuring all surfaces are clean before soldering for example component legs and pins and the copper tracks on the PCB
- All soldering irons used in schools are low voltage so that if any student accidentally burns the wire then there is no danger of a fatal electric shock
- Most soldering is completed in a well ventilated room or with a special extractor unit
Common Misconceptions when soldering in schools -
- Students can often think that the tip is not very hot and therefore touch it by mistake or perhaps on purpose and as a result they burn themselves or work surfaces
- Students sometimes use too much solder meaning the PBC appears very untidy and tracks can become unclear
- Students also can use too little solder meaning that the component is not attached properly creating problems down the line - Personal experience - During my Systems and Control project I hadn't actually soldered one component properly to the board and as a result when it came to testing my circuit it did not work and therefore I had to go back and re-solder the board.
- Often pupils will forget to turn the extractor fan on meaning they breathe in harmful fumes
- Some students melt solder onto the iron first and then apply it to the board and this does not have any effect as the flux burns.
Example of me soldering during my Systems and Control Project