Product category:
PCB Assembly Equipment and Tools
News Release from: Blundell Production Equipment | Subject: CMS 400 LF
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 26 March 2004
Wave soldering machine handles lead-free
solder
Blundell Production Equipment has launched a fully lead free version of its CMS 400 wave soldering machine.
Blundell Production Equipment has launched a fully lead free version of its CMS 400 wave soldering machine Blundell engineers have been working for the past two years to develop a solder bath treatment that is impervious to tin erosion, one of the most potentially damaging aspects of the change to lead free solder alloy
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 13 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Tests have shown that an untreated stainless-steel solder bath can be severely damaged by erosion from the high level of molten tin contained in lead free solder.
The result will be seen at the Nepcon exhibition in Brighton (26th and 27th May 2004) where Blundell will be showing a fully lead free wave soldering machine with its unique solder bath treatment which uses an undisclosed material to permeate the stainless-steel parts of the solder bath to render the bath safe for use with lead-free alloys.
Modifications have also been made to the preheaters on Blundell's CMS 400 machine, as preheat levels will need to increase by between 15 and 20% when lead-free alloy is introduced into the machine.
This is because of the higher melting temperature of the lead free solder - 223C, as opposed to 183C for tin-lead solder.
The lead free wave soldering machine is renamed the CMS 400 LF to emphasise its lead-free capabilities.
Production at Blundell's Coventry factory has been stepped up ahead of expected high demand for machine renewals and replacements in the coming two years before the EU lead free deadline of 1st July 2006.
It is expected that many contract manufacturers will add a second wave soldering machine to their lines to allow a gradual phase-in of lead free processing, keeping one machine for tin-lead and another for lead free.
This will enable them to service customers who are slow to change or who are exempt from the lead free legislation.
Blundell will be on stand G112 at Nepcon Brighton 2004.
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