Common Soldering Problems: Disturbed Joint

What is a disturbed joint?

A disturbed joint is one of the most common problems in soldering. A joint can be identified as disturbed when it is bloated, distorted or flaky in appearance. A disturbed joint is often confused with a cold joint due to the similar appearance, however, they are in fact different issues with different remedies.

How is a disturbed joint formed?

Disturbed joints are formed when a joint is moved after solder has been applied before the solder paste solidifies and hardens. Moving the solder before solidification disturbs the molten solder, causing it to misshapen as it cools down and hardens.

How to prevent a disturbed joint?

  • Stabilize the work area: This is to immobilize the joint and to prevent any movement during the soldering phase.

  • Identify any vibration sources: This could consist of other electronic devices or even a human error in the workplace.

  • Avoid moving the workpiece or circuit board: This is to ensure that the components will not be accidentally misaligned due to knocking.

How to fix a disturbed joint?

Easily fix a disturbed joint with the following steps:

FS-210 Brush Tip Flux Pen

1)     Flux the disturbed joint with the FS-210 Brush Tip Flux Pen

FV-310 Heat Gun

2)     Reheat the solder joint using a preheater or the FV-310 Heat Gun to re-melt the solder

3) Allow the solder joint to cool down undisturbed

 

12 most common soldering problems (and how to fix them):

  1. Cold Joint
  2. Disturbed Joint
  3. Overheated Joint
  4. Insufficient Wetting of the Surface Mount
  5. Insufficient Wetting of the Pad
  6. Insufficient Wetting of the Pin
  7. Solder Starved
  8. Too Much Solder
  9. Untrimmed Leads
  10. Solder Bridge
  11. Lifted Pad
  12. Stray Solder
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