Suba Engineering VP450 soldering system

The VP450 soldering system has been developed for use in the lab for special applications and small series production. It is suitable for test soldering, for qualifying soldering processes and for soldering sample assemblies. Because of its semi-automatic operation, the system is suitable for small production runs.

In combination with the ASSCON de-soldering system, the appliance can also be used for repairing assemblies.

This soldering system provides all the advantages of modern vapour-phase soldering and enables correct soldering of complex SMD components with lead-free or lead-containing soldering pastes in virtually any arrangement.

Components such as quad flat packages, ball grid arrays, flip chips, cooling elements, SMD SIMM bars or ceramic substrates can all be processed.

Advantages of the system include: non-oxidising heating process in inert vapour zone without additional shielding gases; reproducible process conditions; infinitely variable temperature gradient; energy-savings, due to quick start function; electromechanically locked process space; no overheating of electronic assemblies; suitable for lead-free operation without restrictions; even heating of the assemblies without shadings; no time-intensive temperature profile creation; automatic heat transfer medium identification; user-friendly microprocessor control; no dependency on cooling water due to integrated re-cooling system; and suitable for unsoldering components with the ASSCON de-soldering system.

In the vapour-phase soldering process, an inert liquid is heated to boiling temperature. This creates a saturated, electrically and chemically inert vapour zone with a temperature that equals the liquid’s boiling point.

Once an electronic assembly has been introduced, the vapour condenses on its surface until the assembly has reached the same temperature as the vapour. The soldering paste, which has a boiling point that is lower than the vapour’s temperature, is, by then, already in a liquid state.

The use of liquid polymers in transferring the heat required for soldering renders the system inactive biologically and chemically and ecologically neutral.

These media have a number of unusual characteristics: excellent heat transfer coefficient; high vapour density; low vapour pressure; low surface tension; good wetting properties; good dielectric properties; good material compatibility; high thermal stability; no flash point; high resistance to reactive chemicals; no chemical activity (perfluorinated, ie, no free H or CI atoms); no health risk potential; and no ozone damage potential.

The appliance is a free-standing design with the process container made from steel. The heating units are arranged on the outside. The process is controlled via a micro-SPC unit integrated in the front of the appliance.

All important parameters such as cooling water levels, cooling water temperature, operating temperature and closure of the appliance are monitored. The process is controlled automatically.