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Digital technologies/Soldering/Soldering- Beginner (view source)
Revision as of 12:58, 6 June 2022
, 12:58, 6 June 2022→Safety When Soldering
=== Types of boards ===
=== Types of boards ===
==== Breadboards ====
Breadboards are used to build temporary circuits, they allow you to plug wires into the board and prototype circuits. The holes in a breadboard are typically connected in 2 ways: the (+) bars running down the board are connected vertically and the (-) are connected in a similar way. Each horizontal row of 5 dots is connected together. The part in the middle of the board is where the connection breaks.
==== Perfboards/Protoboards/DOT PCBs ====
A protoboard (also known as a perfboard or DOT PCB) is a PCB with pre-drilled holes that have square or circular copper pads. This board allows you to insert components into the holes to secure them and then the holes can be bridged together in order to connect them together and create a circuit.
==== PCBs ====
PCBs or Printed Circuit Boards are boards with connection pathways printed into the board. These boards are typically used in later stages of prototyping as there isn’t as much flexibility once the board is printed.
=== Tools ===
=== Tools ===
* Soldering Iron
This is the iron used to manipulate the solder onto the board or circuit.
* Exhaust
Melting the solder often results in the production of fumes, these fumes can be toxic with extended exposure and so, soldering if often done in areas with good ventilation or in the presence of an exhaust system/fan.
* Solder
The material used to create joints is called solder, this is often sold in rolls of wire, there are different forms of solder that can vary in dimension. Always be sure to use lead free solder as the alternative is toxic. When purchasing solder for circuits, ensure that it isn’t plumbing solder.
* Flux
Flux is a material used to aid in soldering, this chemical removes the oxides on the surfaces of the metals being soldered and allows the solder to flow more uniformly on the joint and components.
* Tip Tinner
This chemical aids in tinning the tip of the soldering iron, tinning allows for the iron to take up the solder and allows the solder with far greater ease. This material is great if the iron won’t tin with regular solder or sponge.
* Tweezers and helping hands
Often with smaller components and in the presence of a more complicated circuit, using additional equipment like helping hands or tweezers can help the process. These essentially aid in manipulating the components and keeping them in a specific position.
=== Tool Maintenance ===
=== Tool Maintenance ===
=== Set up ===
=== Set up ===
To begin soldering gather all of the equipment and components necessary. And begin by determining which connection needs to be made and how you plan on making it. Next we will set up the Iron and station; Ensure you have a working soldering iron and stand, gold wool sponge/wet sponge, solder, and (optional) flux and tip tinner. Turn on the iron and select the appropriate temperature for the iron:
* 700F (370C) for through hole components and wires
* 600F (315C) for surface mount components
* Higher temperatures can damage
==== How to Strip a Wire ====
==== How to Strip a Wire ====