Breaking needles

[NathanPickering]

Hi guys,
I have had the V-One for a month or two now and we are only trying to print and solder simple single sided boards.

We have gone through at least 8-10 220micron nozzles already and find they are breaking very easily. We are ensuring the switches are clean before use to ensure correct calibration and still run into this issue.

This is becoming very frustrating especially given the high cost of needles.

Can anyone suggest an alternative? I have seen suggestions of either disposable nozzles or fisnar needles? Has anyone had any success with either of these?

Thanks,
Nathan

[froginham]

Hi Nathan, I had the same problem and after some frustration, I changed over to the disposable nozzles which have been a great success.

[Chris]

I’m not 100% sure, but I think the cap cover might bend them causing them to break. I’ve started not pushing it all the way on and don’t seem to have that problem now.

As for disposable ones, I’ve given up with them, I’ve tried about 10 of them, the paste seems to get stuck in them all the time, it doesn’t happen with the metal ones.

[scottcun]

I’ve had really good luck with the disposable nozzles. I’m still using the same nozzles I’ve originally installed on my Conductive Ink and Solder Paste, and with only half of the supply remaining, they’re still working well with only minor signs of wear.

[NathanPickering]

Hi Chris do you think maybe they are better with conductive ink but less effective with solder paste as it is slightly thicker?

[Chris]

Paste being thicker won’t help… Though I don’t get how in my video it comes out fine for ages, then a few pads later… blocked… but even so, I refilled the paste cartridge 3 times during a day I did that much printing…

Its just like the paste is bad, or goes bad after just a week (even though the date on the paste is valid for a year).

[freezedream]

Hi @Chris, from my experience I think sometimes the nozzle can get blocked if you’re printing too low. As in, the nozzle is too close to the substrate and then excess ink gets forced back into the nozzle when it’s dispensed. I’m sure someone from Voltera would know if this is correct or not. Also, is your paste T5 with the smallest particle size? I think it’s less likely to block the nozzles. The disposable nozzles might also be an option and then use a new one for every new paste dispensing job.

@NathanPickering Are your nozzles breaking during printing or just from handling or cleaning?

I’m planing to do a lot more solder paste dispensing in the near future so just like you I’m keen to learn how to avoid them!

[Chris]

I am not sure it is T4 or T5 paste offhand… I did read something a while back about printing too low… I do lower the nozzle a tiny bit more than default settings because I am doing very fine pitch pads vehicle to get less paste on the pad without the paste going “bitty”.

I guess I could put this to the test, and just deliberately blocked the nozzle and turn the cog to get paste to come out… And deliberately “block” nozzle to see if it does actually block up totally…

[NathanPickering]

Hi @freezedream I had a few from handling which I am not too worried about. But had more than 5 break during dispensing conductive ink.
I hadn’t lowered the z-axis, and I had clean sensor pads.
So I’m not sure what the issue is.
In the process of trying different nozzles this week.