Reflow Controller  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 02:36:56 am
content: I have been playing around with smd alot more and now looking to build a reflow oven out of a toaster oven..Are there good builds out there or what works for you ?? Also can you reflow a Xbox 360 slim in a reflow oven .. I was going to try building a hotplate setup but saw Dave's video on the reflow oven and thought it should work better ..

author: aaronhance
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 02:46:59 am
content: I'm no expert, but this could be accomplished with some logic(or an mcu) and a relay.A quick google search turned up this open source project:http://andybrown.me.uk/2014/05/11/awreflow/

author: packetbob
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 05:52:12 am
content: I wrote up an Instructable for the one I built....http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-A-SMD-Reflow-Oven/You may find some of it helpful no matter what controller you end up using....

author: mjkuwp
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 11:50:59 am
content: I think about a gazillion designs have been done for this kind of thing. I haven't seen any two the same: )Here is a part of my write-up just showing what I think is a good way to get temperature feedback.http://themzlab.tumblr.com/tarnishingThe thermocouple is taped down to a copper sheet that your board will sit on. The copper sheet is tarnished to give it a dark color that helps it accept more radiation and get more heat to the board.I've been using this oven for a couple of years now and in this configuration for well over a year. All the boards have come out perfectly (so far as soldering quality goes) with no damaged parts.I stop my reflows at 210C-220C. at that point I open the door and turn on a fan that sits on my bench to help cool the board and I VERY carefully remove the board after the solder solidifies.I put the thru-hole parts on by hand immediately after taking the boards out of the oven.You can most likely do a great job of soldering without the control system if you want to get started quickly. First, practice heating the empty oven or use a blank PCB. Use full power to bring the board to the soak temperature. Then watch the temperature and turn the heaters on just for small amounts of time (maybe 10% duty cycle) for a minute. During soak obviously watch the temperature and try to keep it from rising too much or falling. At the end of soak, give full power again until you reach your target peak temperature. I haven't tried this manual method but my oven software plots the power sent to the elements and I've noticed the end result matches this description.

author: Fat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 03:48:23 pm
content: I've built three of these from scratch. They work very well.http://www.rocketscream.com/shop/reflow-oven-controller-shield-arduino-compatible

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 04:14:36 pm
content: Quote from: Fat on December 21, 2015, 03:48:23 pmDid you buy the boards from them or copy design and made it ?? How hard was it and did you make the PCB or outsourced??

author: Fat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 07:32:42 pm
content: It was open source so I sent it out to Oshpark and had three PCBs made. Biggest problem was sourcing all the parts. Couldn't seem to find them from a single source so I paid shipping to several places. Much cheaper to buy a finished board from him, but it was fun. I spend about 5 hours assembling the first two with a soldering iron and a hot air rework station. Once I had the oven done it was pretty easy to put the last one together. After I had the parts pulled and on the bench it was 20 minutes to place them and then get the board out of the oven, I had one joint to rework. Great little oven.Fat

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 09:16:10 pm
content: Thanks for info and I was playing around and found this too and it's pretty simplehttp://reprap.org/wiki/Toaster_Oven_Reflow_Technique

author: Fat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 10:47:52 pm
content: Let us know how it turns out. Definitely more simple than the RocketScream design.

author: neilf2016
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 04:17:29 am
content: Quote from: packetbob on December 18, 2015, 05:52:12 amFor the excellent Instructable. I have the same kit I got on their Kickstarter and am finally getting around to doing the build. One question, where did you source the heat resistant Kapton tape ?

author: jmegar324
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 08:37:16 am
content: There are lots of designs out there for reflow ovens, but I recommend you reflow an xbox slim with a hot air station and a preheater.

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 09:36:03 am
content: This morning I picked up a small used 1000w toaster that is in nice shape but need a good cleaning.. It looks promising for my reflow build...

author: doobedoobedo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 11:59:18 am
content: I'm building one at the moment. In fact I'm taking a break from programming the UI right now. The oven is also going to be used as a wood drying kiln and epoxy cure oven so it will have 3 user defined programmes to chose from.I'm using a cheap £15 oven from Aldi, insulated with material from fire blankets, an OLED screen and 3 buttons for the UI. All powered by an Arduino pro-mini.

author: Fat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 03:52:21 pm
content: $12 infrared new from Walmart.

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 05:12:21 pm
content: Quote from: jmegar324 on December 22, 2015, 08:37:16 amI know it's the proper way but I figured I would try to reflow the lead-free solder and see what happens..

author: packetbob
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 03:47:59 am
content: Quote from: neilf2016 on December 22, 2015, 04:17:29 amI got mine at a local electronics shop... Seems to be pretty easy to find where I am.... You can also order it from AliExpress and Ebay I am sure....

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 08:38:31 pm
content: I have been working on a design for the controller but I need some help or opinions.. After alot of reading I found that you need a fan or a way to open the door to help the reflow ...I have a couple small pc fans that I was thinking of using .. Not sure if I can use them to pull heat out and they will hold up or push cool air in ?? I was thinking of mounting a servo to open the door not sure how to code and wire it up..

author: Fat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 09:16:36 pm
content: Mine has been working well without a fan, but unless you put the fan far away my bet is it would melt. The fan off my wife's convection oven would work though. Big damn fan though.

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 08:30:45 pm
content: Quote from: Fat on December 23, 2015, 09:16:36 pmI like the Rocket Scream design alot but I want to want to use a Ebay Arduino with lcd with a SSR and thermocouple amp board and k thermocouple.. I know its a simple build for alot of people but I am trying to keep this really cheap since I already 2 ovens waiting .. My problems comes that I never played with a arduino before and I am lost on programming or hooking the parts up .. I know it can be done and with great success but wouldn't know how to mod code for my application..