Redesign of a solder iron help required.

[mcg]

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.

 

[shrtrnd]

Wouldn't be of use to me, but maybe you'll get feedback from somebody else who could
see a use for it.
Biggest assist for me, is ability to change temperature of solder tip.
Some work requires very low operating temperature, other things with more mass, re-
quire higher tip temperature.
Somebody might come-up with a better idea for you. But that's my input.
Concentrating on a sensor that could automatically raise the tip temperature when the heat in the
solder tip drops below a necessary temperature, might be an idea to think about.
Good luck with the project.

 

[nepow]

One of the major problems with soldering is extracting the fumes!! adaptions are available to fit most irons, but from experience are not that effective. Fumes are a health hazard especially if you are tied to a work station for most of your working day! So how about addressing this problem for your project. The tool needs to be kept as lightweight as possible while not hindering it's ability to be flexible and precision in use. Consider an outer cylinder that fits around the tip but allowing a small gap to exist...use this gap to draw up a suction line of sufficient force to capture the fumes away from the operator. The air flow must not reduce the working temperature of the tip!! so some form of compensation may have to be considered.
Something different to look at!

 

[mcg]

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 everyone for your time.

 

[Solidus]

I like your idea of a needle-type solder 'injector'. Maybe design it with a solder 'cartridge' (somewhat analogous to a hot glue gun stick)?, with a solenoid advance mechanism so you wouldn't have to manually feed it.

Suggestion: locate the heating mechanism all the way from the base of the tip where the advance is to right before the end of the needle tip. That way, temperature at lower levels (if you choose to have a temperature control) remains adequate throughout and so solder does not freeze in the tip and jam up your mechanism.

Maybe have a 'clean' setting where it heats up to minimal temp to help clean the tip.

Also, for different tips,have a bayonet mount that allows you to change the head remotely without having to grip the mechanism bare. That way, you can interchange heads on the fly and/or break the gun down quickly to fit in a case. The bayonet mount would also make things hassle-free. Press the release, twist & go as opposed to unscrewing the tip or having to find a tool to loosen a screw on the side to do the same task. The remote mount would mean you could actually change the tip while working (think thermally insulated plastic handle?).

Hope it helps.

 

[daddles]

Here are some thoughts about what features I would like in a soldering iron setup. These are blue-sky thoughts, so wouldn't have to necessarily be present in a design I'd buy.

The ability to set the soldering iron down anywhere without it burning anything. This will clearly require some innovative thinking and design; I don't know if there's a reasonable and cost effective design (i.e., I've never seen such a design and the manufacturers have had more than a century to develop one ).

High power yet reliable tip heater. The tip should have a temperature sensor for closed-loop control. The goal is to hold the tip at a constant temperature in spite of the load. A simple display of a few LEDs could show: at set temperature, above set temperature, below set temperature, way below set temperature. Actual temperature readout is unimportant as long as dial is, say, within +/- 10 deg C of desired temperature.

Inexpensive tips that I can file and re-tin to get custom shapes.

Put some bright white LEDs in the handle to illuminate where you're soldering.

Innovative packaging that allows everything to be bundled up for transport. Include room for a spool of solder and a solder sucker along with some small hand tools.

Small timer that would allow the iron to turn off after 1 hour to 8 hours in steps of 1 or 1/2 hour.

I agree about some feature to scavenge the soldering fumes. I'd make it an optional feature.

I have no need for any kind of automated feed of solder. I prefer to apply the solder with my other hand, although I acknowledge it would occasionally be nice to be able to hold something with that hand other than the solder.

A built in solder sucker would be nice, but this too should be an optional add-on. The reason is that it will add significant cost and I would suspect most people wouldn't be willing to pay that cost.

Personally, I don't see any need for any guards other than a finger stop on the handle.

Burn-resistant insulation on the cord to the iron. Virtually every iron I've ever seen eventually gets a burn on the cord. Maybe a fine braided metal mesh would be appropriate to conduct the heat away quickly so the insulation doesn't get burned.

Ability to change tips while the iron is on and working. Changing a tip still results in the same temperature setting at the tip.

 

[mcg]

Thanks again everyone for your feedback.

I've just seen a post on another forum where some guy has given me an idea for using a nozzle to replace the iron tip and soldering with heated air.

I think it's a great idea that I haven't seen anything like it in the iron models I've been looking at, but because I haven't done anywhere near that much soldering, I'm just wondering if lack of accuracy with air flow might be a serious design flaw? Do you regular solderers come across any jobs where accuracy with what you are heating is absolutely paramount on a regular basis, like practically every time you solder?

Seems like a bit of a stupid question, but any feedback will help with my design process.

Thanks once again.

 

[nepow]

Hot air is used in reflow ovens for surface mount (SMT) components and also rework stations. Not sure if it lends itself to general conventional assembly work... the versatility of a conventional iron tip still scores where instant surface heat allows swift assembly work.

 

[mcg]

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

Cheers.