Smartphone repair heating lamp

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:28:26 +0800

Shortwave or Medium-Wave? Picking the Right IR Lamp for Your SMT Line

When you’re setting up SMT soldering, the choice between shortwave and medium-wave IR lamps basically comes down to one thing: how fast you need those boards to hit reflow temperature. Both types use quartz glass. Why? Because it doesn’t freak out when the temperature spikes and it lets the heat pass right through without soaking it up.

Let’s talk about the physics (the simple version)

Shortwave IR is like a power hitter. It hits the board with high energy and sinks deep into the PCB and the components. It’s fast. Really fast. If you’re pushing a high-volume line and every second you shave off your cycle time equals more money, shortwave is your best bet. Medium-wave is a different story. It’s more of a gentle touch. It heats from the surface down, which takes a bit longer, but it’s way more controlled. It helps prevent those tiny surface components from frying before the solder paste underneath actually melts.

Smartphone on IR UV Store

Smartphone repair heating lamp

Shortwave or Medium-Wave? Picking the Right IR Lamp for Your SMT Line

Let’s talk about the physics (the simple version)