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Multicore
Crystal solid fluxes for cored solder wires
have
been specially formulated to complement No
Clean
wave and reflow soldering processes. They are
also
applicable to repair operations carried out after
a
cleaning process, eliminating the need for further
cleaning.
-
Halide
free version - Crystal 400
-
RMA
version - Crystal 500
-
Fast
soldering - range of activities to suit all applications
-
Good
spread on copper, brass and nickel
-
Clear
residues
-
Heat
stable - low spitting
-
Mild
odour
PRODUCT
RANGE
Multicore
Crystal 400 is designed for users who require a
halide free formulation while Crystal 500 contains the low
level of halide permitted in the obsolete RMA specification.
The remaining products in the range contain higher halide
levels to maximise soldering power.
Multicore
Crystal 400, 500, 502, 505 and 511 cored
wires are manufactured with a range of flux contents.
Although users will normally be using products with a
nominal flux content of 3%, the superior performance of
the Crystal products may allow a lower flux content to be
specified e.g. 2.2%. This will further improve residue
appearance by reducing the quantity. All are available in
alloys conforming to national and international standards,
including lead free alloys. Some alloys and flux contents
may be manufactured to special order.
RECOMMENDED
OPERATING CONDITIONS
Soldering
iron: Good
results should be obtained using a
range of tip temperatures. However, the optimum tip
temperature and heat capacity required for a hand
soldering process is a function of both soldering iron
design and the nature of the task and care should be
exercised to avoid unnecessarily high tip temperatures for
excessive times. A high tip temperature will increase any
tendency to flux spitting and it may produce some residue
darkening.
The
soldering iron tip should be properly tinned and this
may be achieved using Multicore Crystal cored wire.
Severely contaminated soldering iron tips should first be
cleaned and pre-tinned using Multicore Tip Tinner/Cleaner
TTC1, then wiped on a clean, damp sponge before
re-tinning with Crystal cored wire.
Soldering
process: Multicore
Crystal flux cored wires
contain a careful balance of resins and activators to
provide clear residues, maximum activity and high residue
reliability, without cleaning in most situations. To achieve
the best results from Multicore Crystal solder wires,
recommended working practices for hand soldering should
be observed as follows:
* Apply
the soldering iron tip to the work surface,
ensuring that it simultaneously contacts the base
material and the component termination to heat both
surfaces adequately. This process should only take a
fraction of a second.
* Apply
Crystal flux cored solder wire to a part of the joint
surface away from the soldering iron and allow to flow
sufficiently to form a sound joint fillet - this should be
virtually instantaneous. Do not apply excessive solder or
heat to the joint as this may result in dull, gritty fillets
and excessive or darkened flux residues.
* Remove
solder wire from the workpiece and then
remove the iron tip.
The total process will be very rapid, depending upon
thermal mass, tip temperature and configuration and the
solderability of the surfaces to be joined.
Multicore Crystal flux cored solder wires provide fast
soldering on copper and brass surfaces as well as solder
coated materials. Activity of the halide activated versions
on nickel is also good depending on the state of oxidation
of the nickel finish. The good thermal stability of Crystal
fluxes means they are also well suited to soldering
applications requiring high melting temperature alloys.
The resin and flux systems are designed to leave
relatively low residues and to minimise residual activity.
This is achieved by ensuring some decomposition and
volatilisation takes place during the soldering process. In
some situations, this may generate visible fuming but in all
cases, rosin fumes must be removed from the breathing
zone of operators.
Cleaning:
Multicore
Crystal flux cored solder wires have
been formulated to leave pale flux residues and to resist
spitting and fuming. In most industrial and consumer
electronics
applications cleaning will not be required and the
product may therefore be used to complement a No
Clean wave soldering or
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reflow
process or to allow repairs
to cleaned boards without the need for a second cleaning
process. Should residue quantity be an important
consideration, Multicore X39 flux cored wire may be
specified if a halide free product is required or X52 if halide
may be tolerated. Crystal 500, 502, 505 and 511 offer
good activity and consequently cored wire flux contents
and hence residue levels may be reduced in comparison
with equivalent conventional products.
Should cleaning be required, this is best achieved using
Multicore Prozone Solvent Cleaner (separate data sheet
available). Other proprietary solvent or semi-aqueous processes
may be suitable but saponification is not recommended.
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
A
full description of test methods and detailed test results
are available on request.
Alloys:
The
alloys used for Crystal cored solder wires
conform to the purity requirements of the common national
and international standards. A wide range of wire diameters
is available manufactured to close dimensional tolerances.
Flux:
Multicore
Crystal solid fluxes are based on modified
rosins and carefully selected activators. In use they exhibit
a mild rosin odour and leave a small quantity of clear
residue.
Cored
wire: Multicore
Crystal cored solder wires are
designed to give fast and sustained wetting on both copper
and brass. This can be demonstrated using spreading tests
on both substrates under standard conditions for the
Multicore
products and comparable competitor products.
After 5 seconds, area of spread is measured to form a
comparative index indicating total flux efficacy.
Multicore Crystal flux cored solder wires out-perform
competitor products, which required a higher flux content
and
leave more residues whilst achieving poorer spread.
* - oxidised for 1 hour @ 205 °C
+ - oxidised for 1 hour @ 150 °C
* - oxidised for 1 hour @ 205 °C
* - oxidised for 1 hour @ 205 °C
HEALTH
AND SAFETY
WARNING:
The
following information is for guidance only
and users must refer to the Material Safety Data Sheets
relevant to specific Multicore Crystal flux cored solder
wires before use.
Fume
Hazards and Precautions: Avoid
excessive
inhalation of the flux fumes. These are irritating to the
throat and respiratory organs. Prolonged or repeated
exposure may rarely result in sensitisation leading to
occupational asthma. Suitable fume extraction equipment
should be used to extract flux fumes away from operators.
Protection
and Hygiene: Lead
is harmful if absorbed into
the body through the digestive system or skin. Eating,
drinking and smoking should not be permitted in the
working area. Hands should be washed with soap and
warm
water after handling solder, especially before eating.
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