What Is a Soldering Iron?

A soldering iron is a hand tool used in soldering. It is an insulated body, which has a high temperature tip for melting the solder. Although there are different types of soldering irons, the most common are those that work with electricity.

Soldering is a process, used to join different types of metals. It is made by melting metal, known as solder, into the space between two metal components. Solder is a metal alloy usually made from tin and lead. Most solders are melting on temperature  between 180 and 190 degrees Celsius.

The soldering iron provides the high temperature which is necessary for the solder to melt. After the soldering process is complete, the solder is left to cool and harden. Room temperature is sufficient for the solder  solidification. The solder creates a permanent, conductive connection until it is heated again.

There is a wide variety of soldering irons on the market, which can be classified by size and price, from small to large, from cheap to very expensive. Small soldering irons are best for simple electronics projects. Larger soldering irons are used for heavy work.

The first thing might be considered while choosing a soldering iron is the power of the soldering iron. Low-power soldering irons take a long period of time for heating up and are not consistent in keeping the stable temperature . The fact that the soldering iron tips are replaceable allows them to be used more effectively in different applications. Stand for soldering iron will provide ease of use , while waiting for heating up or when use is suspended.

Some soldering irons may have built-in temperature controlling. This is a very useful feature. Because different soldering jobs require different temperatures. When the soldering iron is not hot enough, it can lead to cold weak solder joints. Overheating can also cause the burning out of components.

Anbes, Ersa, Hakko, Miniware, LDK, Vastar, Weller and X-Tronic are the world’s leading soldering iron brands.

Soldering is depends on cleaning of the soldering iron tip. Dirty soldering tip reduces heat conduction efficiency and diminishes the quality of solder joints. A wet sponge can be  used for  cleaning of the soldering iron tip. Before making soldered connections, it is necessary to clean the tip of the soldering iron with this sponge. Also, there are  more advanced cleaning kits available for cleaning the soldering iron tip.

Soldering irons are mostly used in the electronics industry for assembly, repair and limited production works. High-volume production lines are use other methods for soldering.