Soldering Irons
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Soldering (AmE: Template:IPAc-en, BrE: Template:IPAc-en), 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 alloys for electronics and plumbing purposes.
Origins
There is evidence that soldering was employed as early as 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia.[1] Soldering and brazing are thought to have originated very early in the history of metal-working, probably before 4000 BC.[2] 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 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, roof flashing, rain gutters and automobile radiators.
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 copper foil in stained glass work.
Electronic soldering connects electrical wiring and electronic components to printed circuit boards 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.