S-WS450 Wave Soldering Machine: Dual-Wave Lead-Free Soldering for High-Volume THT PCB Assembly
The S-WS450 wave soldering machine from Southern Machinery automates the through-hole (THT) soldering step for PCBs up to 450 mm wide, combining a dual-wave lead-free process with 4-zone preheating, spray fluxing, and a full-titanium solder pot under PLC + PC control. It is engineered for EMS, ODM, automotive electronics, medical electronics, and industrial control factories that need repeatable solder joints on power boards, lighting drivers, and mixed SMT/THT assemblies.
What is this machine used for?
The S-WS450 is used to solder through-hole components — connectors, transformers, relays, electrolytic capacitors, terminal blocks, and other leaded parts — to a PCB after SMT placement and reflow. The board travels on an adjustable conveyor through four process stages: flux is sprayed onto the underside of the PCB, the board is preheated to activate the flux and reduce thermal shock, it passes over two solder waves that wet the component leads and pads, and forced cooling stabilizes the joints before the board exits to the next station. Because it is a dual-wave machine, it handles both conventional THT joints and mixed-technology boards where surface-mount and through-hole components coexist on the same assembly.
S-WS450 Specifications at a Glance
The following data is taken from Southern Machinery's published S-WS450 product documentation (smthelp.com and official product PDF).
| Parameter | Verified Value |
|---|---|
| PCB width range | 50–450 mm |
| Minimum PCB size | 80 x 60 mm |
| Conveyor speed | 0–2000 mm/min (recommended welding speed 1500–1800 mm/min) |
| Conveyor height | 750 ± 50 mm |
| Conveyor angle | 4–7 degrees |
| Number of solder waves | 2 (dual wave) |
| Wave height range | 0–15 mm |
| Preheating zones | 4 zones, PID + SSR control |
| Preheat temperature range | Room temperature to 250 °C |
| Solder pot material | Full titanium (standard) |
| Solder pot temperature | Up to 350 °C, control precision ±1–2 °C |
| Solder pot capacity | Approx. 450 kg lead-free solder |
| Flux system | Spray type, flux flow 10–100 ml/min |
| Maximum component height | 150 mm |
| Machine dimensions | L4500 x W1400 x H1650 mm |
| Machine weight | Approx. 1500 kg |
| Control system | PLC + PC |
| Power supply | 3-phase 5-wire, 380 V (220 V options per configuration) |
*Variant note: Southern Machinery offers the S-WS450 in configuration variants (e.g., S-WS450A, S-WS450C). Confirm the exact preheating length, cooling configuration, and nitrogen option with the factory for your target PCB and solder alloy.*
Typical Application Scenarios
- B Power supply manufacturing B — vehicle power supplies, energy-saving power supplies, and ballasts where transformers, capacitors, and bridge rectifiers are inserted through-hole.
- B LED lighting B — LED drivers, street lamp drivers, and industrial floodlight PCBs that combine THT electrolytic capacitors with SMD LEDs.
- B Home appliance control boards B — air conditioner, TV, microwave, electric kettle, and induction cooker main boards with connectors and relays.
- B Automotive electronics B — car audio and vehicle power electronics requiring robust, vibration-resistant solder joints on leaded components.
- B Industrial control and instrumentation B — PLC I/O boards, meters, and control units where THT connectors carry mechanical load.
- B Mixed-technology EMS lines B — boards with SMT passives on one side and through-hole power components on the other, soldered in a single wave pass.
How the S-WS450 Fits Into a Complete PCB Assembly Line
The S-WS450 is the soldering backbone of a THT-oriented assembly line and integrates cleanly with the rest of Southern Machinery's ecosystem:
- B Incoming boards B are loaded by board handling equipment such as a PCB loader or magazine pallet loader, keeping the line continuous.
- B Component insertion B is automated by Southern Machinery insertion machines — radial insertion for capacitors and LEDs, axial insertion for resistors and diodes, and odd-form insertion for connectors, relays, and transformers.
- B Soldering B happens in the S-WS450: spray fluxing, 4-zone preheating, dual-wave lead-free soldering, and forced cooling.
- B Post-soldering processing B continues with an inline auto lead cutter for trimming excess leads, wave soldering fingers and titanium claws as wear parts, and a PCBA cleaning machine for flux residue removal when the application requires it.
- B Inspection and material flow B are supported by AOI/SPI options and SMT reel storage systems, and the PLC + PC control keeps process data available for MES integration.
This means a buyer does not need to source each station from a different vendor — Southern Machinery can quote the SMT placement, THT insertion, wave soldering, board handling, and inspection stages as one integrated line.
Key Selection Parameters for Buyers
When specifying a wave soldering machine for your factory, confirm these parameters with the supplier (values shown are the S-WS450's published figures where available):
- B PCB width range B — S-WS450 covers 50–450 mm; smaller lines may use the S-WS350B (50–350 mm).
- B Conveyor speed vs. required throughput B — 0–2000 mm/min on the S-WS450; calculate the effective boards-per-hour from your board length and spacing.
- B Solder alloy B — lead-free (Sn-Ag-Cu family) versus tin-lead; the S-WS450's full-titanium pot and 350 °C range support lead-free alloys.
- B Preheating capacity B — number of zones and preheat length relative to your largest PCB and densest copper planes; the S-WS450 offers 4 zones.
- B Flux chemistry B — no-clean versus water-soluble flux affects downstream cleaning requirements.
- B Nitrogen option B — if you need reduced dross and better wetting, confirm the nitrogen gas control system and consumption figures with the factory.
- Board thickness and component height — the S-WS450 handles component heights up to 150 mm and a 4–7 degree conveyor angle for wave contact.
- B Line integration B — conveyor height matching (750 ± 50 mm), direction (L-R or R-L), and handshake with your loaders, conveyors, and unloaders.
ROI, Quality, and Throughput Considerations
- B Quality consistency B — PID + SSR preheat control and a solder pot temperature precision of ±1–2 °C reduce cold joints, bridges, and thermal damage compared with manual or batch soldering.
- B Throughput B — the S-WS450 runs continuously at 1500–1800 mm/min recommended welding speed, replacing multi-station manual soldering with a single in-line process.
- B Material efficiency B — a full-titanium solder pot resists corrosion from lead-free alloys, and the spray flux system with tray recycling controls flux consumption; the nitrogen option reduces dross formation.
- B Labor B — one operator can monitor the wave soldering stage that would otherwise require several hand-soldering stations, freeing skilled staff for higher-value work.
- B Yield protection B — dual-wave soldering with adjustable wave height (0–15 mm) gives process latitude for boards with varying pad sizes and component lead lengths.
Frequently Asked Questions
B What is the S-WS450 wave soldering machine used for? B
It solders through-hole components — connectors, transformers, relays, and electrolytic capacitors — to PCBs using a dual-wave lead-free process, after SMT placement and reflow.
B What is the maximum PCB width the S-WS450 can handle? B
The S-WS450 conveyor accepts PCBs from 50 mm up to 450 mm wide, with a minimum board size of 80 x 60 mm.
B Does the S-WS450 support lead-free soldering? B
Yes. It is designed for lead-free solder alloys with a full-titanium solder pot rated to 350 °C (control precision ±1–2 °C) and an approximate 450 kg solder capacity.
B How does the S-WS450 preheat the PCB before soldering? B
It uses 4 preheating zones with PID + SSR control, heating from room temperature to 250 °C to activate the flux and minimize thermal shock during the wave pass.
B What conveyor speed does the S-WS450 support? B
Conveyor speed is adjustable from 0 to 2000 mm/min, with 1500–1800 mm/min recommended for the welding process.
B How do I get a configuration recommendation for my PCB assembly line? B
Contact Southern Machinery with your PCB dimensions, component mix, solder alloy, and target throughput; the factory will recommend the right S-WS450 variant and supporting line equipment.
Get Configuration Advice from Southern Machinery
Southern Machinery was founded in 2011 in Shenzhen, China, and has served 237+ customers worldwide with SMT/THT PCB assembly automation equipment. The company provides SMT placement, THT insertion, wave soldering, board handling, and inspection solutions as complete lines or individual machines, backed by spare parts, training, and retrofit services.
- B Request a quote or configuration recommendation: B contact Southern Machinery directly — email Jason Wu at jasonwu@smthelp.com or visit the official website at https://www.smthelp.com.
- Browse product catalogs and PDFs: download machine datasheets from the file portal at https://file.autoinsertion.com.
- B See real machine photos: B view the product photo album at https://ph.smthelp.com.
- B Watch the machines in operation: B Southern Machinery's YouTube channel shows S-WS450 wave soldering and complete THT lines in real production.
Comments