Have you ever seen soldering THIS close?

Close look at BGA soldering, chip soldering, hand soldering and more. Thank you very much to Keyence and VOIPAC for helping me to create this video.

Links:

Chapters:
00:00 What is this video about
00:09 Soldering BGA
01:18 Soldering TSSOP
03:05 Soldering QFN
06:02 Hand soldering
08:35 Multilayer PCB under a microscope

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It is much appreciated. Thank you,
- Robert

[JeffGeerling]

Even though I may never own a microscope quite as nice, I'm all the wiser seeing the reflow in such detail. Glad to have spotted this video from Hackaday!

[frunkchungus]

This camera/scope is incredible! Cool video.

[jwhit]

This video is way cooler than I expected.

[Guardian_Arias]

It's always nice to see someone with this much attention to detail.

I have a soldering certification that is even more stringent than what NASA requires. Towards the end of the course we solder a 140 pin flat pack using a soldering iron only with a 0.5mm pitch by hand and the expected quality for certification is as you described where the solder flows up a specific ammount at the front and back of the lead, but we also look for stress cracks, pitting, deweting and the tiniest traces of flux. Basically, the solder joints all end up with a mirror finish to it.

[gregreynolds]

It always amazes me how robust the reflow/SMT process is. With the advent of cheap PCBs in a few days, the world of SMD components is at your fingertips!

[mzzn]

Just wonder, how much kidneys I should sell to buy this microscope?

[quantum_ocean]

Thanks! Brings back memories. I worked in the board shop at Compaq Computer Corp for a couple years back in the 90s. I used to repair boards and replace connectors and chips by hand--even the ones with hundreds of legs!

[SuperElephant]

The quality of this video is just out of the charts. You have no idea how educational and soothing it gets.
Thanks for the professional demo with this amazing 3D microscope! Really eye opening!

[MrRedAlexander]

Maybe it's just me, but there's something really trippy about the way that microscope is set up and how well it is lit, it looks like we're watching 3D rendered stuff but it's actually real life

[dinkc]

Hi Robert, this is so unbelievable, in my 30 years of soldering I never imagined it to be so beautiful! 💓. Thank you!
I hope to check out some more of your videos when I get the time.

[donbarr]

At 06:05 you should place the iron and the solder at the same spot on the pin simultaneously, the solder will help carry heat into the pin. You should also remove the iron and the solder at the same time, or the iron very shortly after the solder. If you leave the iron on too long you boil off the flux and the solder wants to "follow" the iron off of the part (makes little solder-sicles).
When you see the pin push free to the left it indicates that you held the iron on the joint too long and melted the plastic holding the pin on the other side.

[lbicknell]

I would love to see how the factory puts the balls on a BGA.

[as-qhqq]

What a good reference-able video on the quality of solder joints.

[timun]

your example for too much solder on the tht lead is sometimes exactly what is required on high voltage stuff where you have avoid sharp edges

[whiskyguzzler]

6:10 This is something that many of us know, but few teach. Touching the solder to the iron as a catalyst to get it flowing. Once you have a little liquid solder, all is well. You can really overheat the pad/component trying to get the solder to melt without touching the iron.

[FullFrontalNerdity-ez]

There's always been something satisfying to me to solder and get beautiful solder joints like these. In my job, I routinely soldered 100+ pin flat packs by hand and I always took pictures of the best ones "for the album", as Wallace always said to Gromit.

[barmalini]

This is really nice to watch. Thank you. I have just one remark here, if the solder joint becomes dull when it cools down, chances are it was overheated. Properly soldered contacts usually stay shiny.

[jnhkx]

That camera machine and software would be hella fun to use, look so fascinating.

[Yahweh_Is_Great]

Robert this is very handy for both designers and quality departments in companies that need to inspect CCAs. Thank you!

[j-sin]

Its a far cry from the soldering of the mid 90s when I was doing board level repair. It was like using a 2x4 as the soldering gun and a garden hose for solder. Climbing up the pins is a great way to use up the extra solder and and avoid it connecting to the next pin. Excellent information!!! Sub, like and obviously a comment.