Inexpensive alternative to hand soldering

With hot bar soldering, foil-flex cables are soldered to a circuit board. For this, a product-specific, profiled thermode is used to ensure the optimal position of the cables on the solder pad. The thermode is a current-carrying tool that generates heat. The entire process of hot bar soldering is process-controlled. The rise curve, the temperature and the respective soldering and cooling times are set using a computer. The flexible cable is adjusted to the circuit board by using a camera.

The thermode moves over a z-axis onto the flexible cable or printed circuit board. It transmits the heat generated via the previously set contact pressure. This contact is held for a programmed process time. After this, the thermode cools down again using compressed air and is then detached from the soldering point.