Unlocking a New Solution for Tin Plating Vacuum Glass | Why Can Ultrasonic Soldering Irons Replace Traditional Equipment?

Vacuum glass, as a core category of high-end energy-saving building materials, is widely used in high-end residences, office buildings, laboratories, and other scenarios due to its excellent heat insulation, sound insulation, and thermal insulation properties. Tin plating is a crucial step in sealing the edges of vacuum glass and ensuring the airtightness of the vacuum layer—the quality of tin plating directly determines the service life and energy-saving effect of the vacuum glass.

In recent years, the emergence of ultrasonic soldering irons has completely broken through this industry bottleneck, becoming the preferred equipment for tin plating vacuum glass.

I. Understanding: What Exactly is an Ultrasonic Soldering Iron? (Core Principle) An ultrasonic soldering iron is not simply a combination of "ordinary soldering iron + ultrasound," but a new type of welding equipment that deeply integrates high-frequency ultrasonic vibration with precision temperature control technology. Its core working principle revolves around "ultrasonic cavitation effect + precise temperature control," achieving high-quality tin plating and welding without relying on flux.

Specifically, the internal ultrasonic generator converts electrical energy into high-frequency sound waves of 20-60kHz (60kHz frequency can be customized for standard models). These sound waves are then transmitted to the soldering tip via a converter, causing the tip to vibrate at a high frequency of 3-20μm. Simultaneously, the heating element within the tip precisely controls the temperature between room temperature and 300℃ (suitable for vacuum glass tin plating), achieving a dual effect of "vibration + temperature control."

During the tin plating process, the high-frequency vibration creates cavitation in the liquid solder—forming tiny bubbles that burst instantly. The resulting high pressure quickly removes the oxide film from the glass surface, eliminating the need for complex metallization pretreatment. Simultaneously, the high pressure forces the liquid solder to penetrate the micropores and crevices of the glass surface, sealing the gaps and forming a tightly adhered tin plating layer. It also expels air bubbles from the solder, preventing problems such as porosity and cold solder joints. This "mechanical cleaning + precise tin plating" model is the core reason for its suitability for vacuum glass processes.

Why must an ultrasonic soldering iron be used for vacuum glass tin plating?

1. The glass substrate of vacuum glass (mostly ultra-clear tempered glass or Low-E glass) has a smooth surface that is prone to oxidation. Traditional equipment relies on flux to remove the oxide film, but flux residue produces harmful fumes and can compromise the airtightness of the vacuum layer, leading to premature failure of the vacuum glass. Ultrasonic soldering irons, on the other hand, use ultrasonic vibration to mechanically clean the surface, eliminating the need for flux, leaving no residue or fumes, perfectly meeting the cleanliness requirements of a vacuum environment.

2. The tin plating at the edges of vacuum glass needs to be "thin, uniform, and tightly adhered." Traditional soldering irons often result in uneven heating, leading to inconsistent tin plating thickness and porosity, which can cause leaks during subsequent sealing. The high-frequency vibration of ultrasonic soldering irons allows for uniform solder spread, controllable tin plating thickness, and a tight adhesion to the glass surface, providing a stable foundation for subsequent sealing.

3. Glass is a brittle material. Traditional high-temperature tin plating equipment (such as furnaces) operates at excessively high temperatures (exceeding 400℃), easily leading to uneven heating and cracking of the glass. Ultrasonic soldering irons offer precise temperature control (suitable for the low-temperature requirements of vacuum glass tin plating), and the heat is concentrated at the contact point between the soldering tip and the glass, preventing damage to the glass substrate and reducing production losses.

In short: The "vacuum" characteristic of vacuum glass prohibits flux residue and glass breakage; the "flux-free, precise temperature control, and uniform tin plating" of ultrasonic soldering irons perfectly solves the pain points that traditional equipment cannot avoid, making it one of the only suitable solutions for vacuum glass tin plating.

With the increasing demand for high-end energy-saving building materials, the quality requirements for vacuum glass are becoming increasingly stringent, and upgrading the tin plating process is key to improving the quality of vacuum glass. Ultrasonic soldering irons, with their core advantages of "flux-free, precise temperature control, uniform tin plating, and low loss," perfectly adapt to the process requirements of vacuum glass, not only solving many pain points of traditional equipment but also simplifying the process and reducing long-term costs.

In the future, with the continuous upgrading of ultrasonic technology, ultrasonic soldering irons will be further adapted to the production of more specifications of vacuum glass, and will also be more widely used in fields such as new energy and electronic manufacturing, becoming the core equipment for "precision tin plating and welding" in high-end manufacturing.