'Dross Grabber' helps save money and improve process
31 July 2002Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Wave and selective soldering systems users unintentionally throw away tons of valuable good, usable solder each year in 'dross', the film of oxides and contaminants skimmed regularly from the surface of their solder pots. This is because up to 70% of all dross removed is actually good solder, mixed in with the waste. According to Vitronics Soltec, with the advent of more expensive lead-free solders and their required higher temperatures, the losses associated with dross removal are even more wasteful.
The company has developed a new Dross Grabber that separates good solder from real dross, and returns the usable solder to the pot, while pulverising and isolating the real waste material for easy handling and disposal or recycling.
Dross is formed not only by metal oxides and contaminants of chemical agents, but also from nonoxidised solder. During oxidation, nuclei of solder form and are consequently enveloped by oxides. These clusters of such units form in the dross. When the dross is manually scooped away, not only are metal oxides and contaminants removed, but also a considerable amount of usable solder. This results in the waste of a large quantity of solder. Generally, 50-75% of the material usually thrown away as dross is actually good solder. Lead-free solders require higher temperatures, so oxidation/dross formation is more rapid. Costs/losses due to throwing away more expensive lead-free solder material are thus multiplied.
The Vitronics Soltec standard 'Dross Management' system funnels or directs all dross to the front of the solder pot, and prevents dross from entering the pumps and solder nozzles. As an addition to this Dross Management system, 'Dross Grabber' is a technology that automatically cuts, reduces and removes dross from the system during operation. It automatically pulverises dross in a separate dross compartment, using special (user-adjustable frequency) cutters that cut into the nuclei of good solder and dross, destroying the oxide envelope and allowing the usable solder to rejoin the reserve of solder in the solder pot. The remaining dross is powdered and disposed of.
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