Redesign of a solder iron feedback required.

[mcgee]

Hello guys.

I'm currently doing an Open University design course, and have been tasked with coming up with a new design for a solder iron. I'm thinking along the lines of a gun type iron that uses a pressure sensitive trigger to release precise amounts of solder via a syringe type needle, and to have another application built into the design to allow easy removal of excess runs of solder.

I'd just like some feedback on whether you feel such a design would be more useful to you, and perhaps if you would like to see something else implemented into a design that would address any personal issues you've experienced first hand with using solder irons.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[carbonzit]

Interesting idea. The problem, though, is that the solder really doesn't want to be released onto the iron. As we experienced solderers all know, you want to heat the joint, not the solder. So the solder should be released somewhere away from the tip of the gun.

Other than that, it might be a dandy idea. Maybe you could set it up so you could "aim" the solder where you want it to go.

 

[KJ6EAD]

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

See my response to your duplicate post on the AAC forum.

 

[mcgee]

First of all, thankyou very much to everyone for all the feedback and time taken to reply.

I had posted this topic on a number of forums, and the problems encountered by experienced and regular iron users are numerous and cover a pretty large area. What is pretty evident is that most of these problems could be rectified by tweaking in the design.

From all the input, I have decided that simple tweaking of my original idea for re-design won't cover all bases as it were, and have decided to build a design from scratch, implementing design features that should hopefully include

1.The tool needing to be based on a pen shape design, easy and accurate (nimble) to operate with just your fingers. Also for the heated tip to have some form of gaurd to prevent you from burning yourself while in operation.

2. To have alternating temperature settings for working with differing material surfaces that need solder applied too.

3. Interchangable tips, and the smaller, the better.

4. A way to cover the heated tip once soldering has been completed so you can pack your iron away safely.

5. Safe removal of fumes generated during the soldering process.

6. A way to desolder to rectify mistakes (probably the most difficult problem to resolve in an all-in-one design I believe .. but I'll give it a go)

Thanks for all the feedback, you've made the re-design process that much more difficult .. he he .. only joking, much more easy now I have a clear indicator as to what problems need addressing.

Once again, thanks to everyone for your time.

 

[Mosaic]

Her's an idea:

I recently modded a cheap $10 buck soldering iron from parts Express/ Amazon to operate like a hot air pencil.

**broken link removed**

Just took a bit of JBWeld to seal the housing, a T fitting and an aquarium air pump. The iron can still be used as a regular pencil tip by replacing the added iron coil with the regular screw on tip.

Basically I placed a coil of galvanized iron wire inside the iron where the tip goes, the coil is long enough to act as an air nozzle, about 1/2" exposed and 1.5" inside the iron. It works fine. I control airflow with my thumb to throttle the air passing thru the open end of the 1/8" T fitting so I can solder tiny 402 parts w/o blowing them away.

Something that would be a good improvement which I experimented with a bit is a hollow pencil tip which can either deliver hot air soldering or regular soldering. It sorta worked but I couldn't drill the pencil tip properly.

Total cost was bout $5 bux as a mod as I had the air pump already. I wired the pump to run from the Iron's on switch.

It desolders SOIC IC's very well. Simply heat a row of pins and lift with a tweezer, then do the same for the other row. Desoldeing caps and resistors are even easier, just air heat and lift off.

 

[mcgee]

Thanks Mosaic.

That is certainly something worth looking at.

I was considering having some kind of airflow generated around the tip of the iron to draw away fumes.

Would you not have any problems with control over what exactly gets heated? I'm by no means a regular solder iron user, I've only used one once or twice on simple wiring, but I'm thinking that there may be a scenario where precision is paramount, solder between two bits of plastic on a circuit board? or something like that?


It's actually a great innovative idea you have there, as there have been issues raised with fumes and the tip of irons becoming contaminated or worn.

And I didn't realise that you just have to soften solder to lift it off - I think a design like this will get me some extra marks in the innovation criteria, so cheers.

If I were you, I'd get a neat prototype knocked up and get it taken to market, it's a great idea.

Thanks once again.

 

[mcgee]

The design is almost finished, so thanks again to everyone who replied. The info and ideas have been fantastic.

Cheers.