Documentation

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Soldering - The Essentials:
The most important skill needed to successfully construct your device is soldering. Soldering is
melting a special metal (called, um..., “solder”) between two components to make an electrical
connection. We can also use solder like glue, to build things out of metals.
You must make sure to use electrical solder, and not plumbers solder, which is used for piping and
really isn’t good for electronics.
Much like you, solder likes to go where it’s the warmest (this is why Florida is so popular). The trick
to successful soldering is to make the parts hot, and the melting solder will run there. If you don’t heat
up the parts first, the solder will find the hottest thing around - your soldering iron, and not your
parts! Do not melt solder to the tip of your iron and try to smear it onto the parts, as it just won’t
work. You’re a roboticist, not a painter!
Successful soldering is generally a 4 step process:
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Solarbotics Herbie the Mousebot
Solder
Soldering Iron
PCB Solder Pad
PCB
Component Leg
Remember: Take your time. Don’t rush. It’s almost impossible to “burn up” electronic parts!
Bad
No flow from leg to pad
Good
Flows from leg to pad
Bad
Solder “bridge” across pads
Bad
No flow from leg to pad
Bad & Good Solder Joints
1) Wipe the hot tip of the soldering iron on a sponge so the tip is clean and shiny
2) Jam the soldering iron into the corner where the component leg comes through
the soldering pad
3) Count to 5 (which lets the soldering iron make the pad and component leg nice
and hot)
4) Add solder to the corner (not just the soldering iron!) until it melts and makes a
nice sloping hill.