Introduction to Soldering
Introduction to Soldering
Soldering is an essential skill for those wishing to work with electronic devices and systems. Soldering enables the rapid and reversible formation of electrical connections. With some knowledge and practice, this skill can be easily developed, and enjoyed, by anyone.
Basic Soldering Training Program
The training program described here is being developed to meet the needs of the Stanford Electrical Engineering Department. As such, it is NOT meant to be comprehensive nor tailored to fit the needs of other organizations.
Our goal for this program is to provide instruction so that our faculty, students, and staff can -
work SAFELY - avoiding injury and in compliance with applicable regulations
work COMFORTABLY - obtaining results that allow them to attain their goals with minimal stress
work CONFIDENTLY - by knowing how to self-evaluate their work and assessing its suitability for a particular purpose
attain SUCCESS - by making electronic modules and assemblies that work reliably
To achieve these goals, a five-step program has been designed. The steps are:
Use the web-based materials to gain a basic understanding of the soldering process (click START HERE below)
Use the web-based quiz to assess readiness for interactive training
Engage with teaching staff to obtain HANDS-ON training
In this step, the student works with a soldering instructor to gain soldering experience and immediate, relevant feedback coupled with corrective action to achieve an acceptable facility with the soldering process. To achieve this, the instructor and student work side-by-side while soldering sections of a PCB designed specifically for instruction. The instructor will solder a portion of the board while the student observes, then the student solders a similar portion of the board while the instructor observes and coaches the student to success.
4. Successfully complete a soldering test (assembly of a test PCB in a set amount of time to demonstrate workmanship and competence)
5. Gain access to the department's basic soldering equipment and materials