A rework station is great for both professionals and hobbyists who are in need of a device to bake their circuit boards without having to resort to an oven-type heating machine. It is lightweight, with just 100 to 200 millimeters in dimensions and its body has a fantastic anti-static design. Moreover, and perhaps one of the greatest benefits of having a rework station is its price because it is amazingly cheap. Most notably, its features are a no-brainer.
For starters, a rework station has a digital screen that shows air flow rate and warmth. It heats up easily too and the temp could be manipulated between 100 and 480 degrees Celsius. Here are a few tips on how to use the rework station properly:
1. Prepare your effects. Gather the things you would need such as soldering paste, stencil, ruler or blade for spreading out the paste, tweezers, magnifying glass and alligator handle. Using a tweezer, place the metal stencils over the LPKF circuit board. Once the stencils are in place, spread the solder paste thinly over the holes of the stencils using the blade or small ruler. Lift the stencils off the board then mount the components over the part where the paste has been spread.
2. Solder away. Turn on the rework station then put the temperature at about 340 to 350 degrees. put the airflow at level four or five, which is just enough to direct some air onto the components yet not too strong to propel them off the circuit board. Secure the board onto the alligator hands, and then begin soldering components through the rework station gun. Make sure to hold the gun a couple of centimeters away from the circuit board and move it over the components in a circular movement.
Rework stations are great for multiple applications such as standard SMD restoration, removal and reflow, testing thermal integrated circuit stress, welding thermoplastics and shrink-wrapping objects with tubes or plastic. It could also be a great tool to add to your work bench specially if you are looking forward to beginning your own authorized restoration centre business.
For starters, a rework station has a digital screen that shows air flow rate and warmth. It heats up easily too and the temp could be manipulated between 100 and 480 degrees Celsius. Here are a few tips on how to use the rework station properly:
1. Prepare your effects. Gather the things you would need such as soldering paste, stencil, ruler or blade for spreading out the paste, tweezers, magnifying glass and alligator handle. Using a tweezer, place the metal stencils over the LPKF circuit board. Once the stencils are in place, spread the solder paste thinly over the holes of the stencils using the blade or small ruler. Lift the stencils off the board then mount the components over the part where the paste has been spread.
2. Solder away. Turn on the rework station then put the temperature at about 340 to 350 degrees. put the airflow at level four or five, which is just enough to direct some air onto the components yet not too strong to propel them off the circuit board. Secure the board onto the alligator hands, and then begin soldering components through the rework station gun. Make sure to hold the gun a couple of centimeters away from the circuit board and move it over the components in a circular movement.
Rework stations are great for multiple applications such as standard SMD restoration, removal and reflow, testing thermal integrated circuit stress, welding thermoplastics and shrink-wrapping objects with tubes or plastic. It could also be a great tool to add to your work bench specially if you are looking forward to beginning your own authorized restoration centre business.