Soldering Defects

and Solutions

1.What Are Soldering Defects?

 What are Soldering Iron Tips Made of?
poor soldering techniques, inadequate preparation, PCB design issues, defective soldering iron tips, and more.

Soldering iron tips are typically made of heat-conductive materials such as 1.copper, 2.iron,
3.ceramic, or 4.alloys that combine these materials with others. Each material has its unique properties
and advantages.

1.Ceramic Tip
For high-precision applications, ceramic is the preferred and most commonly used material for
soldering iron tips. They offer excellent thermal insulation properties, allowing them to maintain higher
temperatures while keeping the soldering iron cool. This insulation helps prevent heat from dissipating
to the rest of the iron, enabling precise and controlled soldering.
 Ceramic tips are often used when working with delicate and sensitive components or
materials that require localized heat application, such as surface mount devices (SMD)
or delicate electronic circuits. Ceramics are resistant to high temperatures and provides good
electrical insulation, making it suitable for applications where heat retention and protection
against electrical leakage are crucial.

It’s important to note that some electronic components can be affected by electricity or
induction coming out from the solder, and that’s why ceramic tips are the best choice for
working in electronics.
 2.Copper Tip
Copper is another commonly used material for soldering iron tips due to its
excellent heat conductivity, durability, and corrosion resistance. These tips provide
efficient heat transfer and allow for fast heating and recovery, making them
ideal for general-purpose soldering. Besides, it offers good heat retention and
compatibility with a broad range of solders.
 However, copper tips are not suitable for working with lead-
free solder because it requires higher soldering temperatures,
which can cause premature wear of the tip. Another downside of
these materials is that they are not resistant to acidic fluxes, which
cause them to corrode.

3.Iron/ Steel
Iron tips offer good heat retention and are compatible with a broad range
of solders, including lead-free solders. Iron has a high melting point, so this
material is particularly suited for soldering applications requiring higher
temperatures or extended heat exposure.
 4.Alloys and Coating
Some tips are made of special alloys or coated with chromium, nickel, or
silver, enhancing their durability, oxidation resistance, and solder flow.
These materials are often chosen based on the specific soldering
requirements and the type of work intended.
When choosing a soldering iron, it’s essential to consider what will be its
main use to ensure that the tip it comes from the factory best suits your
needs.
Below, you will find a chart of the most common material used in soldering
tips, their uses, and approximated heat resistance. Please note that
coatings such as nickel don’t affect their resistance; they just enhance their
anti-corrosion and flow transfer.
Material Heat Range Pros Cons

Excellent thermal and

~350°C to 450°C (660°F to They can be fragile and need
Ceramic electrical insulation
840°F) more care. Expensive.
properties.

~300°C to 400°C (570°F to They can’t be used with lead-

Copper Excellent heat conductivity.
750°F) free solder and acidic fluxes.

It can crack or be damaged

~350°C to 450°C (660°F to Excellent heat retention
Iron by sudden temperature
840°F) properties.
changes.
 The shape of the soldering tip also affects the soldering process, and it’s as
important as its size and material. Below, you will find a list of the most common
types of soldering iron tips and their uses:

1.Conical Tips: These tips are very practical for precision soldering. Their pointed
shape concentrates heat into a small area, making them great for soldering surface-
mount components and working with small parts that require high precision.
These tips are of great use in electronics because their shape enables them to reach
difficult places. Conical tips are also helpful in wire connector applications where
the space between the pins is reduced.
 2.Chisel Tips: These tips are popular because of their versatility. They are helpful
for many soldering tasks. They usually have a tapered edge that makes them easy
to fit between components. They are also useful for removing solder and are one of
the preferred tips for de-soldering parts.
3.Hoof Tips: They are designed for handling large amounts of solder, making them
practical for spreading or gathering excess solder. They are also practical for
soldering SMD and SMC components that require soldering many pins
simultaneously. This technique is called drag soldering, and these tips are ideal for
that.
Hoof tips are also helpful for processes that require speed and soldering several
things at the same time.
4.Knife or Blade Tips: These tips are the widest tips available. They are often used for pad cleaning and removing
solder.
6.Hot Tweezers Tips: Hot tweezers tips are specialized soldering tools designed for surface mount technology
(SMT) soldering and desoldering. The two-pronged tips resemble tweezers, allowing them to hold and heat small
SMT components effectively.

.
 Soldering Tip Life
The soldering iron’s tip life is not only meaningful in terms of cost-effectiveness
but also affects the soldering quality and work efficiency.
Soldering tips undergo recurring heating and cooling cycles, oxidation, and
exposure to various elements, which contribute to their gradual wear and
degradation. Proper care and maintenance of soldering tips can extend their
lifespan, ensuring consistent performance and minimizing the need for
replacement.
 How long do soldering iron tips last?
The lifespan of soldering iron tips varies depending on several factors, including
the frequency of use, the type of solder used, soldering techniques, and
maintenance practices. With proper care and maintenance, soldering iron tips can
last several months or even years.

Manufacturers estimate the lifespan of soldering iron tips to be between 100 and
500 hours of use under optimal conditions. However, this is an estimate; the actual
lifespan of a soldering iron tip is influenced by factors such as oxidation, erosion,
wear caused by contact with solder and other materials, maintenance practices,
and correct use.
 Most Common Soldering Defects
Below, you will find a list of the most common soldering defects, their causes and
consequences, and how to solve them.
 Most Common Soldering Defects
Below, you will find a list of the most common soldering defects, their causes
and consequences, and how to solve them.
1.Cold Joints
2.Excess Solder
3.Solder Bridging
4.Insufficient Solder
5.Dry Joint
6.Lifted Pads
7.Overheated Joints
8.Webbing and Splashes
9.Component Shift
Let’s examine each of these soldering mistakes, identify the cause, ways to prevent
them, and possible methods to repair the defect.
 .1 Cold Joints
Think of cold joints as “false joints” because they usually look like well-done and
effective bonds for the untrained eye. They are caused by insufficient heat during
the soldering process, causing the solder to melt partially, creating an inefficient
electrical connection and a weak mechanical bond.
 Cold joints are dangerous because they may work fine for a while or even years, but the hardened solder is weak and prone to cracking,
especially when the circuit is subjected to vibrations.

In my experience in the automotive field, I have seen controllers or parts like instrument clusters fail due to cold joints caused by manufacturing
defects or poorly executed repairs.

Cold Joints Issues

Intermittent Malfunction and/or Unpredictable Behavior: Cold joints have inconsistent electrical conductivity and varying resistance.
Besides, the mechanical play between the soldered parts often leads to these problems.
Mechanical Weakness: Cold joints are prone to cracking or unbinding, leading to loose connections or component misplacements.
Cold Joints Causes and Solutions
Causes:
Soldering iron tip or heat gun too cold.
Soldering tool was removed before achieving a solid bond.
Uneven heat distribution
Contaminated workpieces or dirty tips.
How to Prevent Cold Joints?
Make sure that the soldering iron tip or heat gun is hot enough. When using a soldering or rework station, set the temperature slightly above the
solder’s melting point and give it enough time to reach it.
Give the soldering tool enough time to let the solder melt and flow over the workpieces properly.
Always keep the tip clean and tinned before soldering.
Clean the workpieces to remove any dirt or debris and prevent the solder from sticking correctly. Use flux when necessary to ensure a proper
connection.
How to Repair Cold Joints:
If the joint has just been created or is relatively new, reheat the solder until it flows and settles into place. When you notice excess solder,
remove it using a desoldering vacuum pump or soldering tape.

If you are repairing an old circuit, it’s best to remove the old solder completely, clean the area, and resolder it.
2. Excess of Solder
Whether you are joining two wires, soldering a through-hole or SMD component, or conducting other soldering practices, using
too much solder can lead to untidy joints and potential problems.

Beginners and inexperienced persons usually use excess solder accidentally or because they don’t know how to calculate the
amount of solder to secure a proper connection.

Soldering defect: Excess solder

It’s easy to tell when a joint was created using too much solder: You can see a noticeable ball of solder covering the area. Like a
teacher of mine said when he didn’t like our job, “Are these joints or golf balls?“.

Even though these joints might do the job, they can fail over time, so it’s essential to prevent them or fix them as soon as
possible.
3. Solder Bridging
Solder bridges are unintentional connections of two or more pins that shouldn’t be conne
After soldering a component, it’s always important to check for possible bridges.
4. Insufficient Solder
This case is the opposite of too much solder.

When working with SMD components, insufficient solder can cause a

phenomenon called “Solder Starvation”, resulting in a weak bond that
affects the circuit’s performance.
5. Dry Joint or Insufficient Wetting
This problem is similar to insufficient solder and has almost
the same consequences. The difference is that, in this case, the
problem is not related to a lack of solder but to solder that
didn’t adhere properly or at all to the component and board.
Joints with this defect look similar to the ones without enough
solder. For example, in a through-hole board, you will see a
gap between the hole and the pin.
6. Lifted Pads
This is a severe problem because it involves severe physical damage.
Lifted pads are soldering pads partially or entirely detached from the PBC’s
surface, losing contact with the circuit trace.
7. Overheated Joints
Excessive heat can cause overheated joints. They don’t
look as shiny as well-made joints; they have a rough
appearance, are darker, and usually have black or burn
stains.
Besides, a deposit of flux residue resulting from excessive
heat is noticeably visible on the soldering pad.
TOMBSTONING – Problem and Solution
Tombstoning=chip type components standing up on one end after reflow caused by unequal forces on the components end
Tombstoning = chip type components standing up on one end after reflow caused by unequal forces on the components end

Possible cause: Unequal placement of SMD Electronic Components on pads prior to Reflow results in unbalanced solder forces.

Solution: Check if placement equipment places properly.

Possible cause: Unequal heat sink i.e. ground planes inside PCB layers may draw heat away from pad.

Solution: Increase soak time (plateau) or reflow profile so that all components are on
Paste is shearing due to excessive pressure applied to it thickeners in paste are destroyed
Solution: Use new paste and reduce squeegee pressure

Possible cause: Temperature of paste is too high while printing or dispensing

Solution:

Check temperature inside printer

Reduce pressure on squeegee
Slump=deformation of paste deposit after printing or dispensing deposit height will reduce while surface expands
Slump = deformation of paste deposit after printing or dispensing deposit height will reduce while surface expands

Reduce on pressure on syringe when dispensing

Hot Slump
Possible cause: Too slow ramp up in reflow profile

Solution: Increase ramp up temperature, make sure to have a ramp up between 2 Degree Celsius to 3 Degree Celsius per second