Micro-Soldering: Making The Small Count!

Apple introduced the world to minimalist designs for smartphones when it launched the most compact and yet innovative smartphone devices back in 2007. Since then, there is nothing that has stopped cellphone manufacturers from building phones that are small yet more powerful.

However, as devices keep getting smaller and more expensive, buyers invest more in fixing their devices than in replacing them. This is where micro-soldering comes into the picture. Micro-soldering is a process of soldering components that are so small that they can only be seen through a magnifying lens.

Micro-soldering can be seen as a thriving profession in the world where we are surrounded by technology and tech devices. Mastery over this niche can make you an extremely valuable commodity in the repairing circle since you are able to work on devices that most others aren’t. But where do we begin to start learning about micro-soldering? In the world where tutorials contain 90% irrelevant information, this 2-minute read by RepairDesk can help you start with micro-soldering, anytime, anywhere. So, let’s get started!

Start With The Junk!

There must be some devices that left you before you could leave them. They’re the ones that you couldn’t operate on at the time, or that were too cumbersome to repair, the ones that you had a keen fascination for but could never really pin down. Open those devices and start practicing by taking different things out. Try working on the chips, ICs, resistors, capacitors, connectors, etc. to get a feel for these parts. Familiarize yourself with them as best you can.

Make sure, you divide your learnings into the following:

1. Basic Knowledge
2. Logic Board
3. Tools
4. Defects
5. Troubleshooting
6. Repair

Once you start developing know-how of all the components of the motherboard, start playing around other basic components such as the charging port. Be sure to try your hand on some easy to work components that can help you in learning the basics of micro-soldering. When you master the charging ports, you can easily earn unto $40 for repairing them. You can make a very neat profit off of this since the parts for a charging port are inexpensive.

This will form the basis of your business model in a world where micro-soldering is a necessity.

If you want to move further on, you’ll have to start working on some of the trickier parts. You may go for an old Samsung or Apple device and start with the process of taking apart and putting back the components of the motherboard. However, it is important to keep in mind that, as your work gets more complex, you will need more specialized equipment like a microscope to work with the array of solder balls. Another piece of advice would be to avoid using cheap equipment. Cutting corners with cost won’t do you any favors in the long run, so be sure to get high-quality equipment that makes things easier. Investing in a soldering iron and a hot air gun should be at the top of your list.

When you have the equipment and some basic knowledge of the subject, you can start watching tutorials on YouTube to up your game. You can also start looking for courses on sites such as LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Coursera or Skillshare that might help.

Once you have gone through some content around advanced micro-soldering, you can divide the complete process as follows:

1. Remove the defective part – you can de-solder parts that are causing the defect.
2. Prepare for repair – clean the board and remove any dust or other unwanted materials from it.
3. Prepare to solder – get the part which needs to be soldered and keep some electrical tape handy.
4. Begin fitting – fit the part that needs to be soldered and secure the wirings with the electrical tape.
5. Trim & let it settle – cut the extras and let everything fit exactly as it was before.
6. Do a post-solder checkup – use your microscope to check for solder bridges on the socket. Ensure that the repair was intact and clean.

When you start getting better, you can begin to offer your micro-soldering services to your customers. As of Nov 17, 2019, the average annual pay for a Micro-Soldering Technician in the United States is $41,890 a year. That means the more you invest in learning micro-soldering, the better your earnings will be.  For more information on micro-soldering and the repair industry in general, keep an eye on our latest blog posts.

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