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This is the soldering iron page
{{distinguish|Soldering (song){{!}}the song}}
{{about|the process|the material|Solder}}
{{redir|Dry joint|types of switch or relay contacts|Dry contact}}
{{redir|Cold joint|thermocouple contacts|Cold junction (thermocouple)}}
[[File:Desoldering.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Desoldering a contact from a wire]]
'''Soldering''' ([[General American|AmE]]: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɒ|d|ər|ɪ|ŋ}}, [[Received Pronunciation|BrE]]: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɒ|l|d|ər|ɪ|ŋ}}), is a process in which two or more items (usually metal) are joined together by melting and putting a [[filler metal]] ([[solder]]) into the joint, the filler metal having a lower [[melting point]] than the adjoining metal. Soldering differs from [[welding]] in that soldering does not involve melting the work pieces. In [[brazing]], the filler metal melts at a higher temperature, but the work piece metal does not melt. In the past, nearly all solders contained [[lead]], but environmental and health concerns have increasingly dictated use of [[lead-free solder|lead-free alloys]] for electronics and plumbing purposes.
== Origins ==
[[File:Solder sugarlabs.jpg|thumb|right|Small figurine being created by soldering]]
There is evidence that soldering was employed as early as 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia.<ref>{{cite book | title = Materials Handbook | first = George| last= Brady | publisher = McGraw Hill | pages = 768–70 | isbn = 0-07-007084-9 | year = 1996|display-authors=etal}}</ref> Soldering and [[brazing]] are thought to have originated very early in the history of metal-working, probably before 4000 BC.<ref>[http://www.weldinghistory.org/whistoryfolder/brazing/bh_pre1900s.html A History of Welding]</ref> Sumerian swords from ~3000 BC were assembled using hard soldering.
Soldering was historically used to make jewelry items, cooking ware and tools, as well as other uses such as in assembling [[stained glass]].
== Applications ==
Soldering is used in plumbing, electronics, and metalwork from [[Flashing (weatherproofing)|flashing]] to jewelry.
Soldering provides reasonably permanent but reversible connections between copper pipes in [[plumbing]] systems as well as joints in sheet metal objects such as food cans, [[Flashing (weatherproofing)|roof flashing]], [[rain gutter]]s and automobile [[radiator]]s.
[[Jewelry]] components, machine tools and some refrigeration and plumbing components are often assembled and repaired by the higher temperature silver soldering process. Small mechanical parts are often soldered or brazed as well. Soldering is also used to join lead [[came]] and [[Came glasswork|copper foil]] in [[Came glasswork|stained glass]] work.
Electronic soldering connects [[electrical wiring]] and [[electronic component]]s to [[printed circuit board]]s by utilizing a metallic alloy substance called [[solder]]. This special alloy is melted by using a soldering iron, a wave bath, or a specialized oven, as it joins conductors to PCBs, terminals, and wires.