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What is bridging in soldering?
Solder bridging is just one of the many soldering issues that can occur on your PCB during its manufacturing journey. And as its name suggests, it takes place when two or more pads become connected through an excessive application of solder, creating a bridge.
What wire should I use for soldering?
Solder wires are generally two different types – lead alloy solder wire and lead-free solder. There are also rosin-core solder wire which has a tube in the center of the wire that contains the flux. Lead solder wire is usually made from an alloy of lead and tin.
Is there a way to prevent solder bridging?
The good news about solder bridging is that there are a number of preventative measures you can take during your design process to stop this issue from cropping up. Let’s take a look at how mask reliefs, solder dams, and mask defined pads can help to burn those bridges.
Can a solder bridge go undetected on a PCB?
Unlike other soldering issues which can be easy to identify, like the tombstoning of a component, identifying a solder bridge isn’t as easy to catch. This issue can be microscopic in size, but even the smallest solder bridge that goes undetected on your PCB can lead to some nasty results, like a short circuit or a trace/component burning up.
When do you put a solder mask on a PCB?
That’s the job of a solder mask layer. This solder resist coating gets added to your PCB during the manufacturing process and is used to protect specific areas of your PCB that should not have solder applied.
What does solder around surface mount pads mean?
This is most commonly designated as a thin outline surrounding surface mount pads, through-hole pads, test points, and vias. Check out the image below, and you’ll see the solder mask relief highlighted in green. Solder mask relief surrounding three pads, keeping solder from each component separated.