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Hakko’s new FX-888 SMD-Safe Soldering Station Review by Ross Tester For anyone involved in assembly line or service soldering, the Hakko brand needs no introduction. Their latest offering, the Hakko FX-888 Soldering Station features a number of upgrades and improvements over previous models and should find a ready market in the assembly industry, service personnel and technicians and advanced hobbyist users. 22  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au T his new soldering station is suitable for both leaded and lead-free soldering so it will serve now and well into the future. The FX-888 is in fact the successor to Hakko’s popular 936 soldering station but with a number of important refinements. These include a faster thermal recovery, a higher heater output (now 65W) and a new tip design which has a larger copper mass and improved thermal transfer, achieved by shape changes. Output of the new model is 30% greater than its predecessor. As a result, recovery time to 350°C is 20 seconds faster and the drop in tip temperature is also reduced. As you can see in the graphs reproduced below, thermal recovery is outstanding. The most striking change, though, is in the overall appearance of the station. Depending on your viewpoint (and age?) it could be described as both more modern or more retro – take your pick – gone is the industrial “square box”, replaced by a smaller, more rounded ABS case in cobalt blue and yellow. Size matters – and when it comes to a soldering station, the smaller the better (consistent with the power to do the job). The FX-888 controller is just 95 x 118 x 136mm – considerably smaller than the 936 model and, we believe, smaller than any other similarlypowered controller. Both the controller and soldering stand “feet” are positioned on the extremities for added stability The station is in two parts, the controller box and the iron holder. The controller has a large temperature dial, calibrated from 200°C (400°F) up to 480°C/880°F. Temperature stability is claimed to be ±1°C. Thermal calibration is via a screwdriver hole in the controller – and a tiny screwdriver is stored in a slot on the underside of the controller. The lightweight (44g) soldering “pencil” iron is connected to the controller box via a 1.2m cable and a 6-pin DIN plug. It is very comfortable in the hand which makes long-term usage (eg, production line) very much less tiring than heavier, less-well-balanced irons. For the record, the iron voltage is 26V and maximum power is 65W. The iron drops into its own holder which has provision for three separate tipcleaning devices: the ubiquitous wet sponge, an optional copper “woolly wire” and a rubber cleaner. Recent articles in SILICON CHIP have suggested that wiping an iron tip on a wet sponge is not good for the tip – it promotes early oxidation – but dry cleaning methods are preferable. With temperature control, the iron is suitable for a wide range of soldering applications, from small SMD components right through to heavyduty applications. The 20 different T-18-series tip styles available for the iron also assist in this regard. There is everything from fine points, through chisels, flats and special tips. ESD-safe The Hakko FX-888 is ESD safe – and important consideration for production line soldering, repairs and for the hobbyist. Resistance between tip and ground is less than 2, while the tipto-ground potential is less than 2mV. What you get Included in the FX-888 package is the soldering station (rated at 240V, 70W), along with its CAL adjustment driver and Allen key, the iron itself (fitted with an T18-B tip), the iron holder/stand, cleaning sponge and rubber tip cleaner. Available as options/spare parts are the copper wool cleaner, the range of different tips mentioned earlier, replacement ceramic heaters . . . in fact, all components in both the controller and iron are listed as spare parts in the instruction leaflet. Where from, how much? Hakko Soldering Stations, including the FX-888, are distributed in Australia by Electrolube, 3/98 Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale NSW 2100. Ph (02) 9938 1566; website www. electrolube.com.au They are available through many component and tools suppliers. Recommended retail price is $183.00. SC These two graphs demonstrate just how good the new Hakko FX-888 soldering station is, compared to what has been regarded as a pretty good performer, Hakko’s 936 station (which the 888 supersedes). Thermal recovery is important for consistency and repeatability in solder joints and also for minimisation of dry joints. siliconchip.com.au December 2009  23