Besides the cleaning issues, the other bad part of having flux ultrasonically sprayed inside of the wave solder machine is this:
The exhaust to the machine must be on when the pot is on, ie, hard-wired to the pot on/off switch. This is an OSHA requirement. This requirement is the result of chimney fires from the pot being on with no exhaust. The heat from the pot still goes up the chimney, but without the benefit of the exhaust blower being on, the flux flux residues inside the chimney melt and drop down into the pot and ignite. This starts a chimney fire, and once the flux gets to burning, it is a very hot fire that is almost impossible to extinguish.
So if you do use an ultrasonic sprayer, it is better that it is in its own separate housing or fluxing unit just prior to entering the machine. Else be sure to clean the exhaust stack at least twice per year.
The flux will also get all over the infrared preheater lamps and bake on such that it is very difficult to clean, and will reduce the efficiency of the lamps.
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Guy Ramsey
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 12:29 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Spray fluxer for wave machines
The only spray fluxer I have used was an external box. I echo Steve's
comment.
It didn't make it into the machine as is was separated by a short conveyor.
However, the flux did get into the exhaust system. It did some damage to the
cage fan.
Cleaning the fan and housing was . . . unpleasant.
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 10:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Spray fluxer for wave machines
Hi Ioan,
I'll give you some feedback. The one thing I don't like about Ultrasonic
spray fluxers is that they seem to atomize the flux into droplets into such
a fine mist, that it turns the flux into a fog almost. Which over time will
deposit the flux all over inside the machine. I know that people don't use
RMA fluxes like they used to, but the last Technical Devices wave machine I
worked with had a USI Optiflux spray fluxer and we did use RMA flux, and the
flux found places inside the machine that were very difficult to clean...it
was a sticky, icky, gooey mess. The Electrovert Electra that I worked with
before that one also had a USI ultrasonic fluxer, and we had the same issue.
I found a spray fluxer that I liked. It was the one that came with the
Vitronics/Soltec Delta 5 machine. It was a compressed air spray fluxer. The
droplets aren't as fine as in a ultrasonic spray fluxer and don't go all
over the machine. I also felt that you got better flux penetration in the
PTH on thicker boards with a compressed air spray fluxer than you do with a
US system. I don't know if you can buy the fluxer that they have in the
Vitronic/Soltec machines as a stand-alone unit or not, but I did come across
a ERSA spray fluxer that you can buy as a stand-alone unit:
http://tinyurl.com/4ycs7uy
From the picture of the flux tray in the *.pdf above, it looks a lot like
the fluxer in the Vitronics/Soltec, but I'm not sure.
I'm sure that there are a lot of people happy with ultrasonic spray fluxers,
but I don't like 'em...
My .02¢,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ioan Tempea
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 9:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Spray fluxer for wave machines
Hello again,
I would really appreciate some insights on this, as I didn't get too many
answers!
Thanks,
Ioan Tempea, ing.
Ingénieur Principal de Fabrication / Senior Manufacturing Engineer
T | 450.967.7100 ext.244
E | [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
W | www.digico.cc <http://www.digico.cc/>
N'imprimer que si nécessaire - Print only if you must
De : Ioan Tempea
Envoyé : September-01-11 9:31 AM
À : 'TechNet E-Mail Forum'
Objet : Spray fluxer for wave machines
Dear Technos,
We are looking into buying a wave machine and trying to figure out the best
spray fluxer that has to go with it. I guess we're looking at the usual
suspects, USI and SonoTek. What is your feedback on their fluxers? I guess
off line answers are appropriate, so, please, do not hesitate to share your
experiences with me.
Thanks,
Ioan Tempea, ing.
Ingénieur Principal de Fabrication / Senior Manufacturing Engineer
T | 450.967.7100 ext.244
E | [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
W | www.digico.cc <http://www.digico.cc/>
N'imprimer que si nécessaire - Print only if you must
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