A hot air soldering station transfers heat not through a soldering tip but through a precisely controlled stream of hot air. This makes it the first choice when modern SMD components, multi-pin packages or heat-sensitive assemblies need to be soldered or desoldered without contact. With over 80 years of experience in soldering technology, Weller offers hot air and rework solutions from a single source, from the compact hot air soldering station through to a full rework station for the professional electronics workbench.
Hot Air Soldering Station for Rework and Non-Contact Soldering
Which hot air soldering station is right for you depends on how often and in what environment you work with hot air. Weller covers the full range, from the standalone entry-level station to the modular rework system.
When a Hot Air Soldering Station Pays Off
Wherever a soldering tip can no longer reach a component reliably, hot air comes into its own. The concentrated stream of hot air heats all of a component's connections at the same time, so multi-pin SMD components, QFN and BGA packages or connectors can be desoldered and placed cleanly, without mechanically stressing the board. For a compact entry point, the WTHA1 is a good choice, a standalone hot air soldering station with 900 W and a working range of 50 to 600 °C. Its brushless turbine controls the air flow precisely, and up to five profiles can be saved and recalled automatically. The stackable design and the housing lid that doubles as a rest save space at the workbench.
From Hot Air Module to Full Rework Station
If you want to integrate hot air into an existing soldering workbench, the WXhotair is the tool to choose. The controlled high-power rework module delivers up to 900 W of precise hot air for stable heat transfer, even on boards with a high thermal mass. Combined with the WXsmart, the WXhotair becomes a full rework station with process data and traceability. When a complete rework workstation is the priority, the WXR3 is the right basis. Its three-channel supply unit delivers 420 W, rising to 600 W for short periods, and powers every WX tool, from the soldering iron and desoldering iron to the hot air pencil, which it detects automatically. This figure refers to the output of the control unit, whereas the 900 W applies to the hot air module of the WXhotair. This brings all three processes together in one seamless workstation for production, development and repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a hot air soldering station?
A hot air soldering station heats components without contact, using a controlled stream of hot air instead of a soldering tip. This makes it possible to solder and desolder surface-mounted devices (SMD) and multi-pin packages in particular, without overheating the board at a single point.
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How does hot air soldering differ from soldering with a tip?
When soldering with a tip, heat is transferred by direct contact at one point. Hot air, by contrast, heats all of a component's connections at once and across a wider area. This is an advantage with SMD, QFN and BGA components, whose contacts are barely reachable with a soldering tip.
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What is a rework station used for?
A rework station is used to rework and repair populated circuit boards, for example to replace faulty components. For this, Weller offers hot air solutions such as the WXhotair, as well as the three-channel WXR3 station, to which soldering, desoldering and hot air tools can be connected together.
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Which Weller hot air soldering station suits me?
For occasional hot air work and a compact footprint, the standalone WTHA1 is ideal. If you want to integrate hot air into an existing WX system, choose the WXhotair, ideally with the WXsmart. For a complete rework workstation with several tools, the WXR3 is the right choice.