Welding is a process that involves joining two objects by fusing them with a filling material. It has many practical applications, from joining together subtle electronic components in a circuit to repairing copper pipes in a plumbing system. When you work on electronic circuits, delicate components often get damaged during or after assembly and must be replaced. For this reason it is as important to know how to remove a weld as it is to know how to put it on.
Steps
Step 1. Gather all the tools
To remove a solder from an electronic component board, you must have a soldering iron and other equipment. A 15-30 watt soldering iron is best; a more powerful tool or a welding gun could both damage components. There are two items you need to procure to detach a weld.
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The first is a welding wire. It is a simple coil of copper-covered fabric wick that detaches the solder by drawing it to itself by capillarity. It is a rather expensive material, so it is not very convenient to use as a sole tool.
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The second item is an aspirator. It is a kind of plastic syringe that sucks up the molten solder material thanks to a strong suction. Since it can be used multiple times, it is worth buying if you plan on removing a lot of solder material.
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Step 2. Prepare and clean the components and surrounding area
This is not such a delicate step as when soldering, however it is advisable that the electronic board is clean of glue, grease and dirt. Use a lint-free cloth for this job.
Step 3. Heat the solder you need to remove
Rest the tip of the soldering iron against both components on the electronic board. Wait for the metal to melt, it will take 1-5 seconds depending on the size of the components and the amount of material to be removed.
Step 4. Remove the material
Although you can use even one of the tools described above, it is more convenient and effective to use both.
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It starts with removing most of the material with the vacuum cleaner. Push the plunger all the way down and lock it. Place the tip of the aspirator on the melted material and press the button that unlocks the plunger. This will return to the starting position quickly creating a strong suction.
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Remove what's left of the solder material with the wire. Leave it wrapped around its spool and unwind only 5 cm of thread. Lay it directly on top of the material and then rest the tip of the soldering iron. After several seconds the solder will have melted and will be removed from the wire. Continue like this until all the material has been removed. Finally cut the section of wire you used.
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Step 5. Clean any resin or solder residue that remained on the circuitry
Use a specific detergent that you find on the market. Very fine-grained steel wool may be useful for this operation but remember to use it with great care.
