EMFD NOTES
CIRCUITS AND COMMON FAULTS
SOLDERING-Defn Soldering is a process that joins two or more types of metals through melting solder. Soldering is
commonly used in electronics, as it is simple and safe in joining sensitive materials. Likewise, the process is also
known for metalworking, plumbing, roofing and joining wires.
The first step in soldering is to wear protective gear in a well-ventilated area. Next, the soldering iron should be
preheated. For cleaning the soldering tip, you can use a wet sponge. Likewise, any residue on the workpiece
surface should be wiped off.
The key to successful soldering is ensuring that the metals being joined are clean and free of any oxides or other
contaminants.
Desoldering
From time to time, components fail and need replacement. When these components are mechanically held in
place with solder, a process called desoldering removes the material cleanly and safely.
A soldering iron or a heat gun can be utilised to melt the solder, allowing you to safely remove any soldered
components. To remove the liquid solder, you can use a desoldering pump as a vacuum, or a soldering wick to
absorb the molten solder.
Soldering vs Welding
While soldering and welding are processes that join two pieces of metal alloy together, there are some key
differences in how the metals are joined.
Soldering uses melted filler metals to bond heated base materials. It works at a lower temperature than welding
but requires preheating the base materials to create an effective joint.
Welding runs at higher temperatures to melt both filler material and workpiece together. It results in a stronger
bond, with some changes to the mechanical properties of the metal from heating and cooling.
Soldering Tools
Soldering irons are hand tools that heat the solder above its melting temperatures. They offer a wide variety of
sizes, which is great for different applications. The tip of the iron has different types and sizes that suit a variety of
projects.
Soldering guns are employed when higher temperatures require more power. A soldering gun heats quicker and
offers better flexibility as it can be operated in confined spaces, heavy electrical connections, and metalworks.
Soldering stations are multipurpose devices that have everything covered for minor projects. They are more
durable than regular soldering irons due to them being equipped with sensors, fuses, alerts and temperature
regulation.
Types of Soldering
Here are three soldering types that are used at varying temperature levels that result in different joint strengths:
Soft soldering (90 °C – 450 °C)
The solder melts alloys containing lead that has a low melting point. With a lower melting point, this soldering type
minimises the thermal stress wherein the base metals are subjected.
Hard soldering (above 450 °C)
Brass and silver are usually hard soldered, with the use of a flame via blowtorch to melt the filler metal. Hard
soldering has better mechanical strength than soft soldering, which applies to crafting jewellery and some
machining operations.
Brazing (above 450 °C)
Brazing uses metals with a much higher melting point compared to hard and soft soldering. It produces the
strongest result, which is perfect for metal repairs and for pipe joining.
Advantages of Soldering
1. Soldering is operated at lower temperatures compared to common welding methods.
2. Most metals and non-metals can be soldered.
3. A simple process makes it easy to learn.
4. The base metal isn’t melted in the process, unlike welding techniques such as stick welding, flux-cored
welding, etc.
5. Soft soldering can be undone using a desoldering tool without damaging the base materials.
Disadvantages of Soldering
1. Weaker joints compared to other welding methods such as MIG and TIG.
2. Soldering isn’t suitable at high temperatures, as the solder has a low melting point.
3. Heavy metals aren’t suitable for soldering.
4. Melted solder might leave a toxic flux residue.
5. Improper heating may cause deformities or voids in the solder.
Applications of soldering
Electronics Industry
The most popular application of this fusion process is electronics soldering, where wires are joined and electronic
components are fused to a circuit board. This technique allows soldering components together with the luxury of
desoldering when needed.
Roofings
Soldering can be used in creating leak-proof roofings wherein the galvanised steel is infused with solder. The
soldering iron tip is far broader when used in this application compared to other uses.
Sections
Soldering is applied in the piping and plumbing industry as a way to create joint sections. It is a straightforward
process and a reliable solution in sealing the connections in copper pipes, for example.
Art
Soldering can be used to create stained glass art, wire modelling, sculptures, jewellery and other creative works.
Metalwork
The soldering material can be used to fill cavities and even out rough surfaces. This process is practiced to fuse
metal sheets, pipes and other applications where metals don’t undergo high temperatures.
Automation
Technology allows us to automate the soldering process through the use of programmed robots. Not only does it
create precise joints but it is also fast in production speed.
TOP 10 PCB SOLDERING DEFECTS
GAPS IN SOLDER JOINTS
Gaps often occur due to insufficient solder paste on the joint. Other causes include component misalignment,
thermal shock, or vibration during soldering.
SOLDER BALLING
This issue is caused by the presence of impurities in the solder paste, such as oxides or contaminants. Solder
balling can also be caused by too much heat during soldering.
COLD SOLDER JOINTS
This defect occurs when the solder joint is not heated to the proper temperature. Cold solder joints can also be
caused by insufficient flux or too much heat during soldering.
SOLDER BRIDGING
Bridging is a common soldering defect that occurs when two conductors are connected by a solder bridge. Often,
this is caused by too much solder paste on the joint or component misalignment.
COMPONENT SHIFT
This defect occurs when the component is not properly aligned before soldering. A component shift can also be
caused by too much heat during soldering, which causes the component to move. While visual inspection can
reveal this defect, automated inspection and testing are required to confirm it.
LIFTED PADS
Lifted pads often occur due to too much heat during soldering. Other causes include thermal shock or vibration
during soldering. This defect can also be caused by a faulty component. Automated optical inspection can be used
to detect lifted pads.
WEBBING AND SPLASHES
Pollutants can sometimes cause webbing or splashes on the PCB. These defects can be caused by poor solder paste
quality, inadequate cleaning, or insufficient flux. The defects will affect the appearance of your printed circuit
board and sometimes even cause short-circuit failures.
SUNKEN JOINTS
Sunken joints often happen during wave soldering when molten solder wicks up the lead before it can solidify.
They can also be caused by too much heat during soldering or insufficient flux.
TOMBSTONING
Due to a thermal imbalance, discrete components can sometimes stand up on one end during wave soldering. This
is called tombstoning, and it can cause a short circuit or an open circuit.
SHADOWING
Shadowing also happens during waver soldering when surface-mount components do not make full contact with
the solder. The result is an incomplete or poor connection, which can cause electrical problems, and functional
testing is required to detect this defect.
What is a soldering iron used for?
A soldering iron is a hand tool used to heat solder, usually from an electrical supply at high temperatures above
the melting point of the metal alloy. This allows for the solder to flow between the workpieces needing to be
joined.
Types of soldering iron
1. Gas Powered Soldering Iron
2. Electrically Powered Soldering Irons
a. Simple Unregulated Soldering Irons
b. Simple Regulated Soldering Irons
c. Regulated Soldering Station
3. USB Powered Soldering Iron
ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND FAULTS
What is an electrical circuit fault?
In an electric power system, a fault or fault current is any abnormal electric current. For example, a short circuit is
a fault in which a live wire touches a neutral or ground wire.
What are the 3 wiring faults of a circuit?
There are mainly three types namely line to ground (L-G), line to line (L-L) and double line to ground (LL-G) faults.
Line to ground fault (L-G) is most common fault and 65-70 percent of faults are of this type. It causes the conductor
to make contact with earth or ground.
How do you identify a fault in an electrical circuit?
How to identify electrical faults
1. Switch off the main power at the consumer unit/fuse box. ...
2. Or switch off the breaker and lock it if you can.
3. Attach a note to the unit to advise you are working on the circuit.
4. Check the circuit is dead with a socket tester or voltage tester/meter for lighting circuits.
Causes of Electrical Faults
Weather conditions: It includes lighting strikes, heavy rains, heavy winds, salt deposition on overhead lines and
conductors, snow and ice accumulation on transmission lines, etc. These environmental conditions interrupt the
power supply and also damage electrical installations.
Equipment failures: Various electrical equipments like generators, motors, transformers, reactors, switching
devices, etc causes short circuit faults due to malfunctioning, ageing, insulation failure of cables and winding.
These failures result in high current to flow through the devices or equipment which further damages it.
Human errors: Electrical faults are also caused due to human errors such as selecting improper rating of equipment
or devices, forgetting metallic or electrical conducting parts after servicing or maintenance, switching the circuit
while it is under servicing, etc.
Smoke of fires: Ionization of air, due to smoke particles, surrounding the overhead lines results in spark between
the lines or between conductors to insulator. This flashover causes insulators to lose their insulting capacity due to
high voltages.
Effects of electrical faults
Over current flow: When fault occurs it creates a very low impedance path for the current flow. This results in a
very high current being drawn from the supply, causing tripping of relays, damaging insulation and components of
the equipments.
Danger to operating personnel: Fault occurrence can also cause shocks to individuals. Severity of the shock
depends on the current and voltage at fault location and even may lead to death.
Loss of equipment: Heavy current due to short circuit faults result in the components being burnt completely
which leads to improper working of equipment or device. Sometimes heavy fire causes complete burnout of the
equipments.
Disturbs interconnected active circuits: Faults not only affect the location at which they occur but also disturbs the
active interconnected circuits to the faulted line.
• Electrical fires: Short circuit causes flashovers and sparks due to the ionization of air between two conducting
paths which further leads to fire as we often observe in news such as building and shopping complex fires.