Impact of humidity on wave soldering process

How does a low humidity environment (<30%) affect the wave soldering process? Is there any impact to the solder joints?

Oscar Jaquez

Expert Panel Responses

Low humidity is not a problem and is recommended to keep the humidity level down to 40% or less in a electronics manufacturing environment. The problem is with higher humidity levels in that circuit boards will absorb higher levels of water and cause defects such as blow holes and even blistering of the PCB. If you are keeping <30% humidity in your factory that is a good thing for manufacturing in wave soldering as well as SMT glue and solder past printing.

Greg Hueste
Senior Applications Engineer
Speedline Technologies

Greg joined Electrovert in February 1984. Based out of the Electrovert applications laboratory in Camdenton Missouri, Greg has been in the process applications support role since 2000. His primary responsibilities include providing process and machine applications support for the wave soldering lines as well as process, machine and operations training. He also provides applications support for the reflow and cleaner lines. Greg is a PBET certified trainer and holds two patents on wave solder nozzle design.

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