Do I really need a soldering iron to solder SMD parts?

After last week’s episode about drag soldering, this new Elektor.TV selection is about soldering VS SMD components with a hot-air gun. Here the energy for heating the solder joint is conveyed by a hot gas, generally air. Although there is no mechanical contact with the component, heating is very efficient, but the temperature of any component will never exceed the air temperature adjusted on the station. With hot air soldering, cooling after reflow is rapid.

After last week’s episode about the drag soldering method, this new Elektor.TV selection is about soldering VS SMD components with a hot-air gun.
Here the energy for heating the solder joint is conveyed by a hot gas, generally air. Although there is no mechanical contact with the component, heating is very efficient, but the temperature of any component will never exceed the air temperature adjusted on the station. With hot-air soldering, cooling after reflow is rapid.
With hot air, the stickiness of the paste (here Mechanix XG-Z40) is important for holding the components in place. Don’t miss the bonus with this excellent macro photo!