Electrical conducting glue

http://www.ellsworth.com/display/productlisting.html?ProductLineID=12&SubcategoryID=42&Tab=Products

Hi Steve,

I'm Ari. I want to thank you for your link. I filled out the request form. Now we just sit back and see what Glue Doctor comes up with.

I was truly surprised by the rapidity of your response, and it's terseness . I guess that is just your way. Works for me.

Thanks, again,

/Ari (Orpheuse)

You're welcome.

Here is a link to an conductive epoxy

www.mgchemicals.com/products/8331.html

They use conductive epoxy to attach the leads to carbon brushes for DC motors. Mite work for what you have in mind.

Good idea, you understand what I'm trying to do. Problem with their product is that at 75 degrees it takes 5 hours to set. The work environment just won't allow for that. I would like something viscus and that sets-to-be-tested inside of 30 seconds. The only way I can justify this is to show ease of use.

I will keep this on file as a backup and try some testing in My home lab before I unveil it to the CIO.

Thank you so much for your time, I do appreciate it.

/Ari (Orpheuse)

Don't know anything about it myself, but it may be worth looking at the solder paste gunge that's used for surface mounting, along with some (insulating) quick-setting goo to hold the component in place while actually soldering it (iron/hot air? I don't know).

Just a thought.

That's a tough one Ari. I know, as I age, my eyesight, (even with reading glasses and a magnifying glass), and the steadiness of my hands, is going south. When I'm at work, and I need something done like this, I have one of the youngsters do it. It's good training for them. I don't lie about it or anything, I say "I need someone with better eyesight and a steadier hand than mine, please do this". When completed, we have a good laugh over the fact that the old man actually needs help once in a while.

Since my Brother opened his little computer and camera shop I've seen him do amazing things with laptops. However, these are robotic soldered joints. The areas of most damage on a laptop occurs at the point where the A/C supply connects to the system, i.e. the plug.

If the plug is not extended by ~ 1 inch, the power coupling becomes dislodged and eventually unseats both the power coupling and the power supply.

I have that extra inch on my Acer, but I've been writing to the computer companies for years before they caught on and made that change.

So now, people aren't upgrading as fast as they used to and, besides, I can repair and sell a laptop for 300.00usd, with operating system and office suite. It may be older technology but it accomplishes the basics - gives your kid an edge in school.

That, alone, makes the whole project worth while.

Otherwise I'd be working on my android.

/Ari (Orpheuse)

It's already been suggested, but surface mount (SMT) solder paste comes in sample lots in syringes for people like us to prototype with. Any fine soldering the I do here, I just pinch some solder paste. The flux and everything is all there ready to use.

Solder paste also makes it easy to solder. Put the paste onto the joint on the board, locate and hold the component with one hand (plus baseball bat) and the iron with the other hand. (No need for a third hand to hold and direct the solder wire.)

If components are moving around, then use some glue. Again, for SMT we have a heat cure adhesive. Put a little dot on the board, locate the part, air heat to 150C, let cool then solder away to your heart's content.

In the US, contact AMTEC. They should be able to sort you out.

Also, regarding lead free. There are low melting point solders that are lead free compatible. Ideally you are supposed to use the SAME composition as the manufacturer so the intermetalic surfaces don't have problems, but I guess that you're not going down that path. Most of the low melting point lead free have bismuth or some other additive to reduce the melt point.

You will probably find samples of solder wire down to 0.4mm from the suppliers if you still want to go with wire.

Make your own. Use that radiator repair stuff it is a powered metal and mix it with a glue.

Interesting idea, but why re-invent the wheel? Besides soldering has more in common with metallurgy than with gluing. There are a number of chemical reactions which, under outside heat (Exothermic), form a conductive alloy. It's that alloy that makes everything work correctly.

Soldering is a science of it's own and is listed under welding. Read posts 8 and 10. Just_An_Engineer_Down_Under (#8) does a terrific job in describing the process and RHABE (#10) gives you the environmental specifications based on his own testing and he's a guru, which means he has a 4 year plus technical degree, I would guess Electrical Engineering.

What I'm trying to do is resurrect computers that are "obsolete", refurbish (I hate that word) them and resell them at $250.00usd, with operating system and office suite. I have a good handle on OS's and software, but the soldering and de-soldering was getting in the way. You either damage the PCB itself or you damage the PCB and the component.

Now, de-soldering is easier than soldering partly because you don't care if you damage the board you are cannibalizing. The really tricky part is to apply just the right amount of heat to evenly heat the PCB, the Component and the solder to exactly the right temperature to produce the exothermic reaction that melds the 3 into a single functioning unit. Now you see my quandary.

Thank you, very much, for your interest. I felt that your suggestion merited an explanation. If I'm ever in a situation where I can't get the glue I need, and I can think of several places on Earth where that may be a reality, then I will resort to your method.

Thank you and be well,

/Ari (Orpheuse)

Hi,

I used various silver-filled Epoxi glues from Polytec with very good results.

(Connecting conductive parts of ceramic sensor-bodies to copper on PCBs directly or by copper wires, also to aluminum films on silicon and glass.)

I did a 30times- +80/0°C temperature cycle test (suspecting that a big droplet (1mm) epoxi on a thin film (2µm) of aluminum will be susceptible to cracking and failure: nothing failed.

RHABE

You have got it right on the button. That, along with response # 1 which provided a link to a company that manufactures silver-filled Epoxy glue might do the trick.

Thank you for your time and access to your work.

Aufvedersein (did I completely mangle the spelling on that?)

/Ari (Orpheuse)