The Best Way to Remove PCB Board Components

A printed circuit board, or PCB, is typically a flat, fiberglass board onto which interconnected threads or tracks of copper have been laid to form circuits. PCB components are mounted on the circuits and held in place by solder joints.

Desoldering

An effective method of removing PCB components is desoldering, which effectively reverses the process by which the components were attached to the board in the first place. Desoldering requires a heat source -- a soldering iron -- to melt the solder and a device, such as a vacuum pump or solder wick, to remove it once melted.

Surface Preparation

Desoldering PCB components requires little in the way of surface preparation of the board. You just need to ensure that the surface is free of grease, varnish or anything else that could foul the tip of your soldering iron.

Surface Mounted Components

Surface mounted PCB components such as chips are often glued to the board with epoxy adhesive to hold them in position during wave soldering. If this is the case, you will need to leave the tip on the component for a second or two longer to soften the adhesive. You might also need a wooden stick or tweezers to release the component.

References

• Dictionary.com: Printed Circuit Board
• EPE Magazine: The Basic Soldering Guide
• Circuit Technology Center: Component Removal