Everything You Need to Know About Soldering Paste and Its Functions

Many people must have heard of the soldering paste at one point or another. But, the majority of them have no idea what it actually is or how to use it. So, if you are also one of those people then you have landed at the right place. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about soldering paste and its different functions. Stay tuned!

What is Soldering Paste?

Before we dive into detail about the various functions of the soldering paste, you first need to know what it actually is. It is a mixture of flux and metal solder powder. These two elements are extremely important to solder two pieces of metal together. This is why they are the main components of the solder paste as well. Just like any other form of solder, solder paste is available in different types of alloys as well. Silver and gold alloys are the major examples of alloys in which the solder paste is available.

What’s more, different types of solder pastes melt at different temperatures as well. To sum it up, a solder paste is just like any other form of solder that you can buy in the market. The only difference is that it is mixed with flux in the beginning.

What are the Advantages of Soldering Paste?

There are countless benefits of using soldering paste over other forms of solder. Want to know some of them? Keep reading then.

1.     Accurate Soldering

The major advantage of using the solder paste is that you can now achieve more accurate soldering with it. Most of the time, the soldering paste is held in a syringe. The syringe helps the users a great deal to reach the tiny spaces. As a result, you can achieve more accurate soldering than any other form of solder. What’s more, you can even solder the metal elements in detail with the solder paste.

2.     Stays In Place

Unlike other forms of soldering, the solder paste stays in its place. This is a huge advantage for people that have previously worked with a solder wire or solder strip. When you work with a solder strip or a solder wire, they easily blow out of place when you heat the metal. But, this is not the case with a soldering paste. The paste will stay in its place for as long as you want.

3.     At Once Application

Another huge advantage of using the solder paste is that it allows the application of the paste to the entire board all at once. The other forms of solder use one pad at a time which is quite time taking. This is why the manufacturers are now using solder paste over other forms of solder.

4.     Good Soldering Joints

Although the primary use of solder paste is for surface mount components, you can use it for thru-hole parts as well. If you use solder paste successfully for thru-hole parts, you will get the soldering joints that are incredibly effective.

5.     Faster and Accurate Work

Soldering paste is not only easier to work with, but it is an extremely faster and accurate method as well. That’s because the solder paste uses incredibly effective stencils. As a result, you will not only save your time and labor but get better results than other forms of solder. This is why it is one of the most preferred forms of soldering.

Funtion

Soldering paste is not only used in mass PCB assembly but it is used in many stages of prototype PCB assembly as well. The paste is only applied to the areas that actually require soldering. The users use a solder paste stencil to make sure the solder paste accurately reaches the area where it is required.

Typically, a solder stencil is positioned over the board and the soldering paste is applied to the parts with the use of the stencil. Although there are many other methods of applying the paste as well, this is the standard method that is used. It ensures that the joints receive the sufficient amount of solder that they require. This method also ensures that the joints do not receive too much of the solder paste. Otherwise, there might be a possibility of poor joints.

Once the paste is successfully applied to the circuit board, it then goes into the pick and place machine. In this stage, the components are added to it. The main function of the solder paste here is to hold the components of the board in place. But, you need to make sure that the board is not knocked at this stage. Otherwise, its components will fall off. You should also ensure that you solder the board within a few hours of placing it. If you do not do this, the solder paste will deteriorate.

Where Can You Store the Soldering Paste?

If you want your solder paste to provide the highest performance for the assembly of PCB, you must store it in a suitable place. When you will store the paste in a suitable area, it will retain its properties that are required for soldering the parts. Make sure that you always store it in an airtight container. Storing it in an airtight container will prevent oxidation in the solder paste.

Furthermore, you must always store the solder paste at a lower temperature. When you store it at a lower temperature, it not only reduces the rate of oxidation but also reduces the degradation rate of the flux. Although a lower temperature is extremely important, make sure that you do not store it at below freezing point. The temperature below the freezing point is not suitable for the soldering paste.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know in detail about soldering paste and its functions, we hope that you will make an informed decision while choosing the right type of solder for your tasks.

For More Information, Contact Us Today!