Selective solder machine leaving solder balles everywhere

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We have two ZipaTec 460s Selective Solder Machines, one for ... - Apr 05, 2013 by Adam

lead free and leaded solder mix up or flux mix up. ... - May 03, 2013 by hillview

We run Zipatec 460's also. I presume that you are running... - May 09, 2013 by Pete B

Adam

#68640

Selective solder machine leaving solder balles everywhere | 5 April, 2013

We have two ZipaTec 460s Selective Solder Machines, one for Lead and one for Lead-Free. This morning we noticed the solder pot was covered in solder balls, and after asking the operator what they had run, the answer was "Nothing." The operator had also cleaned the machine that morning. It had been about 2hr after she had cleaned it that it was noticed. This is on the Leaded Machine and after taking the pump out and inspecting it and checking the channel for issues that would maybe cause any form of issue, we had nothing. We can't figure out why solder is being splattered all over the machine with no product running. I did turn down the idle pump speed to see if that helps. The only thing that could be getting into the solder would be Air.

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hillview

#68792

Selective solder machine leaving solder balles everywhere | 3 May, 2013

lead free and leaded solder mix up or flux mix up.

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Pete B

#68876

Selective solder machine leaving solder balles everywhere | 9 May, 2013

We run Zipatec 460's also.

I presume that you are running Nitrogen?

We have found that if the Nitrogen flow rate is too high into the conical nozzle collar it can be sufficient to disrupt the smooth flow of the solder as it runs down the wettable outside surface and tends to 'spit' leaving solder balls around the area where the collar seats. If the pressure is sufficiently high it can unseat the collar also.

We run our Nitrogen flow at the minimum amount suffucient to prove the flow rate sensor, but no more.

Hope this helps.

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