Radiant curtain heating assembly for wave soldering machine
A wave soldering machine includes a housing, a conveyor that is movable with respect to the housing, a preheat module positioned along the conveyor, and a curtain module positioned at an entrance of the housing, the curtain module including at least one curtain and a heating element. A curtain module for a wave soldering machine or a reflow oven includes at least one curtain and a heating element. A method of containing an inert gas around a conveyor in a tunnel of a wave soldering machine or a reflow oven. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a curtain module at an end of the tunnel, the curtain module including at least one curtain and at least one heating element; and controlling a temperature of the heating element.
1 . A wave soldering machine comprising:
a housing including a tunnel;
a conveyor extending through the tunnel, the conveyor being configured to move workpieces through the tunnel;
a preheat module positioned along the tunnel;
a curtain module positioned at an entrance of the tunnel, the curtain module including
an upper curtain module subassembly positioned above the conveyor, the upper curtain module subassembly including at least one first curtain and a first heating element, and
a lower curtain module subassembly positioned below the conveyor, the lower curtain module subassembly including at least one second curtain and a second heating element; and
a controller configured to control a first temperature of the first heating element and control a second temperature of the second heating element,
wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are not equal.
2 . The wave soldering machine of claim 1 , wherein
the upper curtain module subassembly further includes a first mounting plate, each curtain of the at least one first curtain being secured to the first mounting plate, and the first heating element being secured to the first mounting plate, and
the lower curtain module subassembly further includes a second mounting plate, each curtain of the at least one second curtain being secured to the second mounting plate, and the second heating element being secured to the second mounting plate.
3 . The wave soldering machine of claim 2 , wherein each of the first heating element and the second heating element is a radiant heating element.
4 . The wave soldering machine of claim 2 , wherein
the upper curtain module subassembly further includes first insulation layer, wherein the first heating element is positioned between the first insulation layer and the first mounting plate, and
the lower curtain module subassembly further includes a second insulation layer, wherein the second heating element is positioned between the second insulation layer and the second mounting plate.
5 . The wave soldering machine of claim 4 , wherein
the upper curtain module subassembly further includes a first insulation cover, wherein the first insulation layer is positioned between the first insulation cover and the first heating element, and
the lower curtain module subassembly further includes a second insulation cover, wherein the second insulation layer is positioned between the second insulation cover and the second heating element.
6 . The wave soldering machine of claim 2 , wherein
the first mounting plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and each curtain of the at least one first curtain is secured to the first side of the first mounting plate and the first heating element is secured to the second side of the first mounting plate, and
the second mounting plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and each curtain of the at least one second curtain is secured to the first side of the second mounting plate and the second heating element is secured to the second side of the second mounting plate.
7 . The wave soldering machine of claim 6 , wherein each of the first heating element and the second heating element is a radiant heating element.
8 . The wave soldering machine of claim 6 , wherein each of the at least one first curtain and the at least one second curtain includes a plurality of curtains.
9 . The wave soldering machine of claim 6 , wherein
each curtain of the at least one first curtain is secured to the first mounting plate by at least one first curtain retainer extending along a length of the respective curtain, and
each curtain of the at least one second curtain is secured to the second mounting plate by at least one second curtain retainer extending along a length of the respective curtain.
10 . The wave soldering machine of claim 1 , wherein a curtain of the at least one first curtain of the upper curtain module subassembly overlaps a curtain of the at least one second curtain of the lower curtain module subassembly.
11 . The wave soldering machine of claim 1 , wherein each curtain of the at least one first curtain and the at least one second curtain is made of a material including fiberglass.
12 . A curtain module for a wave soldering machine or a reflow oven, the curtain module comprising:
an upper curtain module subassembly positioned above a conveyor, the upper curtain module subassembly including at least one first curtain and a first heating element; and
a lower curtain module subassembly positioned below the conveyor, the lower curtain module subassembly including at least one second curtain and a second heating element,
wherein the first heating element of the upper curtain module subassembly is configured to be controlled by a controller to achieve a first temperature and the second heating element of the lower curtain module subassembly is configured to be controlled by the controller to achieve a second temperature, and
wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are not equal.
13 . The curtain module of claim 12 , further comprising
a first mounting plate, each curtain of the at least one first curtain being secured to the first mounting plate, and the first heating element being secured to the first mounting plate, and
a second mounting plate, each curtain of the at least one second curtain being secured to the second mounting plate, and the second heating element being secured to the second mounting plate.
14 . The curtain module of claim 13 , wherein each of the first heating element and the second heating element is a radiant heating element.
15 . The curtain module of claim 13 , further comprising
a first insulation layer, wherein the first heating element is positioned between the first insulation layer and the first mounting plate, and
a second insulation layer, wherein the second heating element is positioned between the second insulation layer and the second mounting plate.
16 . The curtain module of claim 15 , further comprising
a first insulation cover, wherein the first insulation layer is positioned between the first insulation cover and the first heating element, and
a second insulation cover, wherein the second insulation layer is positioned between the second insulation cover and the second heating element.
17 . The curtain module of claim 13 , wherein
the first mounting plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and each curtain of the at least one first curtain is secured to the first side of the mounting plate and the first heating element is secured to the second side of the first mounting plate, and
the second mounting plate has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and each curtain of the at least one second curtain is secured to the first side of the second mounting plate and the second heating element is secured to the second side of the second mounting plate.
18 . The curtain module of claim 17 , wherein each of the first heating element and the second heating element is a radiant heating element.
19 . The curtain module of claim 17 , wherein each of the at least one first curtain and the at least one second curtain includes a plurality of curtains.
20 . The curtain module of claim 17 , wherein
each curtain of the at least one curtain of the at least one first curtain is secured to the first mounting plate by at least one first curtain retainer extending along a length of the respective curtain, and
each curtain of the at least one second curtain is secured to the second mounting plate by at least one second curtain retainer extending along a length of the respective curtain.
21 . The curtain module of claim 12 , wherein a curtain of the at least one first curtain of the upper curtain module subassembly overlaps a curtain of the at least one second curtain of the lower curtain module subassembly.
22 . The curtain module of claim 12 , wherein each curtain of the at least one first curtain and the at least one second curtain is made of a material including fiberglass.
23 . A method of containing an inert gas around a conveyor in a tunnel of a wave soldering machine or a reflow oven, the method comprising:
providing a curtain module at an end of the tunnel, the curtain module including at least one curtain and at least one heating element; and
controlling a temperature of the at least one heating element,
wherein the curtain module includes
an upper curtain module subassembly positioned in the tunnel above the conveyor and including a first heating element of the at least one heating element, and
a lower curtain module subassembly positioned in the tunnel below the conveyor and including a second heating element of the at least one heating element,
wherein controlling the temperature of the heating element includes controlling a first temperature of the first heating element and controlling a second temperature of the second heating element, and
wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are not equal.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein each of the first heating element and the second heating element is a radiant heating element.