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Product category: PCB Assembly Equipment and Tools
News Release from: Blundell Production Equipment | Subject: ERSA I-CON soldering irons
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 7 May 2007

Soldering irons handle lead-free production

Wilson Process Systems had to upgrade its soldering irons to handle lead-free work, and deployed the ERSA I-CON after a competitive evaluation with equipment from another vendor

When Wilson Process Systems decided to upgrade its soldering irons to handle lead-free work, it shortlisted the ERSA I-CON from Blundell Production Equipment and another soldering iron from a well known manufacturer, and put them to a head to head trial. WPS has been providing contract manufacturing services to the industry since the early 1980's.

The company assembles complex through-hole and surface-mount PCB assemblies and hand soldering continues to be an essential part of its production process.

The investigation began at Nepcon 2006, after joint MD's Nick and Tim Wilson had concluded that their existing soldering irons were not up to the job once they had converted to lead-free solder.

'Initial trials with our existing irons had shown that the tips were oxidising and burning out very quickly at lead free temperatures', says Nick Wilson.

Both of the shortlisted irons had 150W elements, but the non-Ersa version employed a cartridge system that combines the heating element with the tip to form a single, throwaway item.

In contrast, the Ersa I-CON uses a technology that allows the tip to be replaced without changing the element, thus saving costs.

Wilson tasked different operators, soldering a variety of board types, to trial both irons over a number of weeks.

At the end of the trials, the operators were unanimous that the I-CON would be their soldering iron of choice.

They felt that not only could it deliver the power quickly, but the heat didn't drop away during continuous use.

This provided the management with a win-win situation, as the I-CON tips cost at least 50% less than the cartridge style tip used by the other manufacturer.

Thanks to the special Ersadur plating, the I-CON tips last extremely well in the harsh lead-free environment that they were specifically designed for.

Forty I-CON stations were purchase from Blundell by Wilson Process Systems immediately after the trial, along with an I-Set tool, which allows the user to download settings from one station to as many other stations as required.

'This is a very useful feature, as it prevents operators from adjusting the iron temperatures themselves, giving us control over the process, and compliance with ISO9000' adds Nick Wilson.

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