When do I use thermode soldering or iron soldering and when do I use the Laser Knife?

Thermode solderingalso known as iron soldering, enables optimum results when soldering flexible foils, cable strands and ribbon cables. This soldering process is characterised by high quality results and high reproducibility. However, thermode soldering is limited in terms of energy efficiency and process speed. Thermode soldering is not one of the fastest soldering processes due to the three process phases, probing, melting, repositioning and final cooling. In addition, there is a high energy requirement and product-specific thermode moulds that have to be created depending on the assembly.

Alternatively, we have developed the Laser Knife which has the same process objective as thermode soldering or stirrup soldering. The Laser Knife consists of a path-monitored hold-down device, which brings the two surfaces to be soldered together in a defined manner, and a laser. The temperature is applied contact-free via the laser beam. The laser allows the soldering process to be massively accelerated without losing reproducibility and quality of results. Depending on the component, the Laser Knife is 10 times faster than the thermode soldering process. The energy requirement is also reduced by 70%. Furthermore, no product-specific thermode moulds or Kapton tapes are required. The non-contact soldering of the surfaces and the elimination of thermode wear also reduces the maintenance and service costs for the entire module.