Whether you are a novice or professional in the reworking tasks, it is necessary to get the best hot air rework stations to get the best results. Take a look at the things to consider for these tools:
1. Temperature control
The majority of the hot air rework stations accessible in the market come equipped with temperature control. This feature makes it convenient to adjust the temperature according to the needs. It is essential to look for a soldering tool that is equipped with temperature control adjustments.
The minimum temperature found in most hot air rework stations is 100ºC. It allows you to use the rework station with heat shrink. The maximum temperature can be up to 450℃. The maximum temperature of 350ºC is considered satisfactory for most projects.
A temperature precision of approx. 10ºC is desirable. This allows you to vary the felt temperature by varying the distance of the gun from the target and varying airflow. Apart from temperature limits, it is important to make sure the adjustment of temperature is flawless. Some poor quality hot air rework stations may pose difficulty while adjusting the temperature. Make sure your chosen tool allows you to conveniently vary the temperature.
2. Heat up time
Before making a purchase, you need to know how long does it take for the tip of the rework station to heat up. The wise idea is to look for a tool that is equipped with a tip that heats up rapidly. The quick heat-up time makes sure you do not waste much time warming up. Also, it is advisable to look for a hot air rework station that comes with faster heat recovery ability.
3. Nozzle
It is important to select the appropriate tip for the job. To use a hot air rework station, attach the nozzles to the wand and then tighten with the help of a screwdriver to perfectly hold it in place. The included nozzles must be easy to swap out.
The tiny nozzles are beneficial for focusing air over a small chip. On the other hand, bigger nozzles are beneficial for drenching a big area like huge heat pad sinks. The facility of interchangeable nozzles is available in decent quality hot air rework stations.
4. Airflow
Airflow determines how efficiently the pump or fan drives the air forward. Your chosen hot air rework station is useless if it cannot deliver the hot air forward over the chip or board you want to heat and move it into place. Bear in mind that majority of the all-in-one stations that combine hot air and soldering into a single device come with poor airflow. Even the space-saving designed rework stations come with inefficient airflow.
The minimum specification for airflow is at least 20 liters/minute. In addition to the efficiency of airflow, it is important to check whether the airflow rate is adjustable or not. You would require sufficient airflow to work on your target along with the capability to vary the flow rate. The airflow adjustments make sure the loose components are not blown away.
The cheap quality rework stations do not provide a facility to automatically adjust the airflow. With such tools, you have to manually guess a lower temperature whenever you want to adjust the airflow. Consequently, it leads to errors and decrement in speed. The benefit of high-quality hot air rework stations is accurate airflow and reliability.
5. Protection
One of the most significant aspects to keep in mind for hot air rework station is the protection. Before you proceed for the purchase, it is important to check whether the tool is safe to use or not. The overheating protection is the best feature to consider when it comes to safety. You must ensure that it has an ESD safe design for protection.
Conclusion
The hot air rework stations are devices are convenient tools that will make repairing tasks or working on electronics quite easier. If you take all the precautions then it is sure that you can safely accomplish the project, and with great efficiency. Apart from them, these tools are durably built, versatility, and come with user-friendliness.
