A Comparison of Heat Sources for Soldering

This is just a rough overview of three different possiblities of heat sources.
A more detailed version of this comparison can be downloaded on the right side as a pdf-file.

HEAT SOURCE LASER SOLDER IRON SPIRFLAME® / FLAME
SYSTEM COMPOSED OF Electronics, Laser & Optics.

Complex system


High cost
Heating element & Solder tip

very simple system


Low cost
Torch nozzle and gas generator

Relatively complex system


Medium cost
HEAT TRANSFERRED BY MECHANICAL CONTACT No Yes No
HEAT TRANSFERRED CONTACTLESS Yes No Yes
HEAT TRANSFER / DENSITY Energy rich, concentrated laser beam releases very high density energy burst.

Extreme rapid
Basic heat energy is stored in tip copper mass


Slow heating
Hydrogen - Oxygen (2H + 1O) Flame. Punctual heat release.

Quick heating.
DOSING OF HEAT ENERGY Yes Yes Yes
HEAT TRANSFER INFLUENCED BY ...      
... CONTACT PRESSURE No Yes No
... MECHANICAL SURFACE CONDITIONS Yes Yes No
... THE MATERIAL COMPOSITION Yes Yes No
... VARIATIONS OF OPTICAL CONDITIONS OF SURFACE AND LIGHT PATH Yes, heavy influences by surface reflection factor and flux vapours (clouding) No No
... MECHANICAL WEAR & TEAR OF HEAT SOURCE No Yes, heavy influenced caused by tip oxidation (scaling) and mechanical wear No
COST OF CONSUMABLES FOR HEAT SOURCE No significant 'consumption' of spare parts. Lasers usually have a long life High mechanical wear of solder tip. Needs regular rework or replacement of tip and mechanical readjust of iron jig. No significant 'consumption' of spare parts. Nozzles stay cold in operation. DI water (about 4 oz/hour) is the fuel.
TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY OF HEAT SOURCE High Low Medium
HANDLING /ACCESSIBILITY TO JOB WITH HEAT SOURCE Beam splitting and mirroring give some flexibility to adapt Hot heating cartridge and thermal allowable tip length somehow restrict access to tight spaces. Flexible. For Example the patented Flame Delivers Cylinder can easily move into cavities.