Abstract: A handheld low voltage machining tool with which any one or more of drilling, milling, and abrading operations can be safely performed even on densely populated, multilayer, circuit boards. Provisions are made for preventing electrical overstress by isolating the tip of the machining tool from the drive motor as well as for preventing abrupt starting of the tool which can cause jerking, jumping or skipping of the tool off of the target. Still further, dynamic braking of the tool bit is achieved, both upon release of an operator actuated control switch and due to a selected conductive layer being reached. For the latter effect, a probe is provided by which a low voltage can be delivered to a component or conductor on the board, and circuitry detects grounding of this voltage by contact with the grounded bit of the machining tool.

Abstract: Apparatus for soldering and desoldering an electronic component to or from a printed circuit board includes an alignment station and a soldering/desoldering station. The printed circuit board is mounted upon an adjusable X-Y table which can be indexed between the alignment station and the soldering/desoldering station. To align an electronic component with respect to th PCB, a vacuum pickup device is operated at the alignment station to pickup and support the component within an optical field of view above the PCB and the X-Y table is adjusted in X, Y and .theta. directions with respect to the component. Upon alignment of the component, the pickup device is lowered to temporarily adhere the component to the PCB by an adhesive flux. Thereafter, the X-Y table is indexed to a preset position below a hot air soldering nozzle and the component soldered in a known manner. A rotary device for shearing a defective electronic device from a PCB is also attached to the bottom of the soldering/desoldering nozzle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing and installing surface mounted devices (SMD's) with respect to a substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB).

Abstract: A cleaning unit for cleaning the tip of a soldering iron or solder extractor or the like, the unit including a well for containing a liquid which will shock surface oxides from the tip; a sponge disposed within the well for absorbing the liquid, the sponge having an opening extending therethrough; and a nonmetallic, preferably porous liner in contact with the surface of the opening in the sponge, the nonmetallic liner having an abrasive surface whereby particulate matter may be removed from the tip by the abrasive surface by rubbing the tip thereagainst and said surface oxides may be removed by being brought into contact with the liquid absorbed in the sponge.