_____________________________________________________ ________
31
Mastering the Art of Soldering
4. Remove soldering iron and keep the component in place using tweezers until the
solder solidifies. Inspect the component if it is properly sitting flat onto the pad on the
surface of the PCB. If you need to reposition the component, re-melt solder and
carefully push the component using tweezers in place until the solder solidifies.
5.
Now work on soldering the other side of the pad. Place the soldering iron tip between
the component and the pad and melt little solder in between the pad and the
component. You will create a smooth “fillet” or ramp between the pad and the
component.
6. Remove soldering iron and let the solder cool. Clean the area and inspect the solder
joints (both ends) using magnifiers or loupe to make sure that the component is in
place and check if you made a good connection. Add more solder if necessary. A
good solder joint should look like the solder adhered or clung to the metal.
4.8. Advanced Tricks for Soldering Surface Mount Devices
In soldering surface mount components, alignment is very important. Small components like
capacitors and resistors are forgiving and adequate to start off with. Others, like SM chips,
heavily depend on their placement to function properly.