The invention relates to a method for operating a soldering system for selective wave soldering comprising at least one solder crucible, the solder crucible comprising a solder reservoir, a solder nozzle and a solder pump, the solder pump being designed to guide the liquid solder out from the solder reservoir through the solder nozzle for generating a standing wave from liquid solder. The invention relates, in particular, to a method for cleaning a solder nozzle comprising the following steps: conveying solder from the solder reservoir at a first pump capacity which is adjusted in such a way that a standing wave of liquid solder is generated at a solder level which is below an upper edge of the nozzle outlet of the solder nozzle; introducing a cleaning agent into the nozzle outlet of the solder nozzle; increasing the pumping capacity of the solder pump to a second pump capacity such that the cleaning agent flows over the upper edge of the nozzle such that the cleaning agent is guided to an outer side of the solder nozzle.

A jet solder bath for performing soldering by jetting molten solder to bring the molten solder into contact with a substrate is provided with a primary jet nozzle that jets the molten solder by a first jet pump, as a first jet nozzle, and a secondary jet nozzle, as a second jet nozzle, which is arranged at a downstream side of the primary jet nozzle along a carrying direction of the substrate and jets the molten solder by a second jet pump. The primary jet nozzle includes a first nozzle body, and a first solder-flow-forming plate that is provided at an upper end of the first nozzle body and has a plurality of jet holes, and the secondary jet nozzle includes a second nozzle body and a second solder-flow-forming plate that is provided at an upper end of the second nozzle body and has a plurality of jet holes.

A jet solder bath for performing soldering by jetting molten solder to bring the molten solder into contact with a substrate is provided with a primary jet nozzle that jets the molten solder by a first jet pump, as a first jet nozzle, and a secondary jet nozzle, as a second jet nozzle, which is arranged at a downstream side of the primary jet nozzle along a carrying direction of the substrate and jets the molten solder by a second jet pump. The primary jet nozzle includes a first nozzle body, and a first solder-flow-forming plate that is provided at an upper end of the first nozzle body and has a plurality of jet holes, and the secondary jet nozzle includes a second nozzle body and a second solder-flow-forming plate that is provided at an upper end of the second nozzle body and has a plurality of jet holes.

The invention relates to a method for operating a soldering system for selective wave soldering comprising at least one solder crucible, the solder crucible comprising a solder reservoir, a solder nozzle and a solder pump, the solder pump being designed to guide the liquid solder out from the solder reservoir through the solder nozzle for generating a standing wave from liquid solder. The invention relates, in particular, to a method for cleaning a solder nozzle comprising the following steps: conveying solder from the solder reservoir at a first pump capacity which is adjusted in such a way that a standing wave of liquid solder is generated at a solder level which is below an upper edge of the nozzle outlet of the solder nozzle; introducing a cleaning agent into the nozzle outlet of the solder nozzle; increasing the pumping capacity of the solder pump to a second pump capacity such that the cleaning agent flows over the upper edge of the nozzle such that the cleaning agent is guided to an outer side of the solder nozzle.

The invention relates to a soldering nozzle for the simultaneous selective wave soldering of at least two spaced-apart rows of solder joints in a soldering installation, with a base portion which can be arranged on a nozzle plate, and with a wave portion which forms the solder wave during operation and which has a peripheral wall having a free upper side, and with at least one separating strip which can be inserted into the wave portion and which can be wetted with solder, wherein the at least one separating strip is formed as a frameless separating strip. The invention also relates to a soldering installation having a nozzle plate and having at least one soldering nozzle.

A nozzle for directing a stream of solder during a soldering operation is disclosed. The nozzle comprising a body portion having an inlet for receiving a supply of solder; an outlet portion having one or more outlets for dispensing solder therefrom; and at least one channel fluidly coupling the inlet to the one or more outlets. Therein the outlet portion is adapted to be arranged above the inlet, such that, in use, solder flows from the inlet to the outlet portion along the at least one channel in a generally upward direction. The outlet portion has first and second over-flow sections, each over-flow section being integral with, or connected to, a peripheral edge of an outlet of the one or more outlets, such that in use, the solder is dispensed from an outlet of the one or more outlets and flows over the first and/or second over-flow section. At least a portion of the first over-flow section has a first width, such that in use, solder flowing over the first over-flow section produces a stream of solder with a width substantially corresponding to the first width. At least a portion of the second over-flow section has a second width, different to the first width, such that in use, solder flowing over the second over-flow section produces a stream of solder with a width substantially corresponding to the second width. A method of manufacturing a nozzle of this type and a method of soldering a component with a nozzle of this type are also disclosed.

A soldering assembly and a method of manufacturing a soldering assembly is disclosed. The soldering assembly includes at least one nozzle for directing solder during a soldering operation. The at least one nozzle includes an inlet for receiving a supply of solder; an outlet for dispensing solder therefrom; and at least one channel fluidly coupling the inlet to the outlet. The at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of stacked layers of stainless steel or titanium, provided so as to at least partially define the at least one channel. The at least one nozzle is at least partially diffusion coated with chromium carbide so as to protect the stacked layers from corrosion.

A system for flux residue detection is provided. The system includes a flux heater, where the flux heater controls a temperature of a flux spray applied to a printed circuit board, and an infrared camera, wherein the infrared camera provides a thermal image of the flux on the printed circuit board. A method, a computer system, and a computer program product for flux residue detection is provided, including setting flux application parameters, applying flux to a printed circuit board, and capturing an infrared image of the flux applied to the printed circuit board. A method, a computer system, and a computer program product for flux residue detection is provided, including setting flux application parameters, applying flux to a printed circuit board, capturing an infrared image of the flux applied to the printed circuit board, and determining there is excess flux residue on the printed circuit board.

A method of manufacturing a pallet for use during manufacture of a printed circuit board assembly includes determining optimal solder flow for establishing connections between lead pins of a plurality of pin-through-hole components arranged on a circuit board, designing a pallet to include geometries configured to provide the optimal solder flow when the pallet, supporting the circuit board thereon, is passed through a wave solder machine, and creating the pallet based on the design. Pallets configured for optimal solder flow and methods of manufacturing printed circuit board assemblies using such pallet are also provided.

A soldering apparatus 100 including: a chamber 120 configured to contain solder and include an opening 122 configured to discharge the solder in a bottom surface or a side surface; a pump 140 configured to transport the solder to the chamber 120; and an inner bath 160 configured to communicate with the opening 120 and perform soldering using the solder fed through the opening 120.