As a means of applying heat energy for soldering, lasers can offer a realistic solution to certain problem areas in electronics assembly. There are, however, limitations as well as advantages to the technique and an understanding of both is essential for its successful application. The Laser Soldering Group at Hull has been investigating the use of lasers for soldering purposes and in this paper we are concerned with the application of semiconductor diode lasers to the soldering of electronic assemblies. Using specific industrial applications as examples this paper highlights the difficulties as well as the benefits in the use of lasers for soldering.
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