Introduction and Objectives
This lab is an introduction to soldering, a key skill needed for making fixed connections in our Physical Computing projects. Soldering was demonstrated in class, and this lab enabled us to try the technique ourselves to understand the properties of the hot iron, the components, and the solder bind. The goal was to make a successful join of wire to a switch, then test it using a multimeter’s continuity function.
Materials
- switch
- hook-up wire
- solder
- soldering iron
- helping hands
- needle-nose pliers
- wire stripper
- heat-shrink tubing (optional)
- multimeter
Procedure:
Step by step at:
Conclusion
There was a lot of trial and error with the soldering, and it was good to work in a small group to allow for a working discussion of technique while learning. With the toggle switch, we learned the importance of the ground wire in the center, when this was not connected, we did not get continuity. After using the suction device and trying again, we had a successful circuit.
We learned that all of the components in the joint to be made must be at the same hot temperature, otherwise a cold, hazy join fixes only some or none of the parts. When the join is done correctly, with sufficient time to cool, the solder bonds the components very strongly. The solder actually forms a molecular bond with the surfaces of the joint, and is a good electrical and mechanical bind for use in our prototyping projects as interaction designers.
Results
Refer to the pictures above.
