Component Glue? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: meshtron
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2025, 02:24:46 pm
content: My newest board has a big (19.5mm square) inductor right in the middle of it that's surrounded on all 4 sides by smaller parts. Before I switched to using the RedCube terminal connectors with the little guide pin on the bottom, those things would slide around quite a bit during reflow (though they never left their pads, but they moved all over the pad). I'm wondering if it would be wise/necessary to put a drop of SMD component glue (specifically looking at ChipQuik ADS-10S-1D) under the inductor to make sure it stays put during reflow? I'd be adding the glue (and inductor) by hand since my little PnP can't handle parts like that. But not sure if I'm imagining a problem that is unlikely to exist.

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2025, 03:19:17 pm
content: In my experience things that size really don't move at all, not even to self align if you've fitted them with tweezers/fingers and got them wonky or slightly off center. YMMV, I'm using a commercial reflow oven and a proper profile...

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 06, 2025, 03:24:35 pm
content: Such inductors are too heavy to float away. Also if components float away to suboptimal position, it usually means bad footprint or too much solder paste.

author: Accu-Sembly
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2025, 03:40:51 pm
content: You won't need to glue this component to prevent drift or shift. This will probably be a challenging component to reflow without a more advanced oven (I don't know your setup). Be prepared to flux and touchup cold solder. You would, however, need to glue this component if this was on the 1st side of SMT being processed and you still needed to reflow the 2nd side. It's heavy enough to fall off during 2nd side reflow.

author: meshtron
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2025, 05:43:14 pm
content: Yeah my oven is meager as I'm running a Puhui T-937. I get consistently great results typically using Loctite GC10 with a slightly modified (to match what the oven can actually accomplish) variation on their recommended reflow profile.I used the footprint and solder paste layouts from Wurth for the RedCube but agree it was likely too much paste.Thanks for the advice all. I will give it a go without glue and see how it works!Also, this is reflowing on the top and I have a few small components I reflow on the bottom (buttons and LEDs only), but I use a 186C paste for those and a lower-temp profile so I think I'll be okay on that.

author: wemme
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2025, 03:43:15 am
content: Keep in mind SMT glues (all i know of) only cure when heated to about 160 deg C.A component that size shouldn't float away unless the foot print is wrong, too much paste or you knocked it out of place before or during reflow.

author: Matt-Brown
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2025, 03:18:00 pm
content: Since this is just for reflow and board gets washed after, I would just use a temporary wondermaskhttps://www.techspray.com/wondermask-w-washable-solder-mask-3?srsltid=AfmBOopgjx0B4Qqx0UkypIdLlF4W37Va_CfPRAWwF4bqawN7gaYdJjd2

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2025, 07:33:19 am
content: Quote from: meshtron on August 06, 2025, 05:43:14 pmthat is the wrong way around, you should be reflowing that side first, and bollocks to the silly low temp paste.

author: meshtron
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2025, 05:00:24 pm
content: Quote from: SMTech on September 04, 2025, 07:33:19 amThe buttons and LEDs are the most sensitive to heat so makes sense to me to reflow them once at lower temp. Can you share any insights as to why I should reflow that side first? Also "bollocks to the silly low temp paste" why?

author: Aspartame
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2025, 06:02:02 pm
content: TH is a wiser solution in this case.

author: meshtron
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2025, 10:34:12 pm
content: Quote from: Aspartame on September 07, 2025, 06:02:02 pmNot really, there is a heat sink directly opposite this inductor and the other high-dissipation parts.