Ersa installs 2,000th VERSAFLOW 3/45

For the official handover of the anniversary machine to the EMS service provider Flex in Hungary, Ersa General Sales Manager Rainer Krauss traveled with a delegation to Zalaegerszeg at the beginning of March.

Also present were the Budapest-based sales partner Microsolder Kft., represented by its Managing Director Csaba Peto, and the responsible Ersa Area Sales Manager Tom Berx. The partnership between Flex Hungary and Ersa started in 2008 with the first selective soldering machine, followed by 25 more VERSAFLOW 3/45s to date. Tamás Börcz, General Manager of Flex in Zalaegerszeg said: “We have extremely diverse product portfolios with a wide range of sizes and components – requirements are constantly changing, and we have to respond quickly and adequately. We evaluated extensively and made a decision in favour of Ersa when it comes to selective soldering, as their soldering systems offer extremely flexible options for the highest throughput and best quality.”

The great acceptance of the modular and expandable Ersa selective soldering machines around the world is due to their versatility. Mixed assemblies with THT components and SMD assembly on both sides can be optimally produced with it. In contrast to wave soldering, the heat input into the assembly is much lower and no solder masks are required. The solder masks used in wave soldering protect SMD components on the underside of the PCB from re-melting and rinsing when in contact with the solder wave. These are also required for very small production runs and must each be manufactured individually – this time and cost factor is eliminated with selective soldering.

Thanks to this technology, individual components of a board can be soldered with individual parameters, whereas under wave soldering, the temperature and wetting time in the solder wave must be selected for the entire assembly. Selectively soldered assemblies are also less likely to become contaminated, as only a few areas need to be soldered and come into contact with flux and solder. Selective soldering is unbeatable if, in addition to the top side of the assembly, the bottom side is also populated with SMDs (with a low proportion of THT components).

In addition to high-performance hardware, first-class service is also crucial for Flex Hungary. Commenting on the relationship, Ersa Sales Director Rainer Krauss said: “With our sales and service network, we are globally positioned and always close to our customers to provide the same level of quality in terms of hardware and service everywhere – at Flex Hungary, this is our sales partner Microsolder, who has supported us for many years in the integration and service of new and existing systems. We have enjoyed a successful partnership with Flex Hungary for 20 years, and we would like to continue this in the future.” Zoltán Tuboly, Manufacturing Engineering Manager at Flex Hungary echoes the sentiment adding: “I can only agree and thank the Ersa team for the continued strong support over many years.”