Projects/Reflow

We are attempting to convert a cheap Argos toaster oven into a reflow oven for soldering surface mount components. Matthew Daubney has provided the oven and electrical power board. Andrew Jacobs has built the controller. We are using a solid state relay recovered from Richard Ibbotson's biolab sample tester.

Approach
The controller is based on the Sparkfun Reflow Toaser Controller but with a graphical LCD. The oven is set to be always on and the controller board controls to the power to oven through the solid state relay; turning it on when it needs be heated up and off when the target temperature is reached. A K-type thermocouple inside the oven is used to read the current temperature value.

Status
We are currently debugging the firmware and calibrating the thermocouple. The first working test board has gone through the oven. A blinky POV SMT kit. It appeared to work perfectly, and after the through hole components were added, the kit worked!

Here are two of the surface mount LED's from the kit after it had been through the oven. The solder paste was applied a bit too liberally with an acupuncture needle.



Here is a component with a bit too much solder paste applied



And a video of the working product can be found here