August 20, 2026
Tuning Conveyor Speed and IR Zone Power Together
Conveyor speed determines the exposure time in each zone, while zone power changes the heat input. Adjusting either variable can alter the ramp, soak, peak and cooling behavior, so both must be tuned against the complete measured profile. Start with the paste and component limits. Use a bounded test matrix rather than adjusting one variable by trial and error:
| Trial block | Conveyor speed | Selected zone | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline repeats | Fixed | Fixed | Measure noise and warm-up drift |
| Speed screen | Low/center/high safe values | Fixed | Expose total-exposure effect |
| Zone screen | Best safe speed | Low/center/high safe values | Find spatial correction |
| Confirmation | Chosen setting | Chosen setting | Prove repeatability |
| Record hot/cold locations, zone command/current, line start state and solder result. | |||
| Do not respond to a cold, high-mass joint by increasing the power in every zone, as this may overheat a low-mass package. Adjust the zone that corresponds to the measured deficit, or improve the heating geometry, while monitoring the complete board. | |||
| If the matrix exposes a hardware limit, review Goldisgood lamp length, reflector and twin-tube options in the product family. | |||
| Related: DOE development and stop/restart control. |