CARI of France Experienced a Dramatic Tip Lifetime Improvement
CARI Company is a small subcontractor in France. They recently switched to lead free solder, and experienced a decrease in soldering tip life to just one day. They are soldering wires in box assemblies for printers, about two joints per minute at 400°C. They were using the traditional damp sponge cleaning method, and were leaving the tips untinned after use, which resulted in rapid oxidation, and very shortly, an uwettable soldering tip.
Disappointed with these results, they switched to a dry cleaning method, using the Weller WDC dry tip cleaner. Mrs. Riou Nadine reports that tip life went from one to seven days instantly after making this change. The dry cleaning solution does not shock the tip thermally, and it leaves a fine coating of tin on the tip, which protects from rapid oxidation and degradation. In addition, CARI reduced their operating temperature to 380°C.
In a lead free environment, this is one strategy that will help protect your investment in production supplies.
