Developing a Tool for Post-Soldering Insulation

[maxschutz]

Hello everybody,

I am a electrical/mechanical engineering student in my 6th semester in Germany. This is my first post on the forum, hope if I violate any guidelines or posted in the wrong category, that you will bear with me.

Introduction to the topic:
As a hobbyist I often tinker with boards/arduinos and servos. It has happened to me more than once that I forgot the heat shrink tubing. Now, to resolder the 20 cables or so afterwards, is time-consuming. Now my thought was that I can surely put an insulation (shrink tape/resin/glue etc.) on the soldering point with the help of a tool. After a long search on the Internet, I have not found a solution to the problem. Simply insulating all around with an insulating tape afterwards was too clunky for me and sometimes not possible because of the placement of the solder joint. Hope everyone can imagine what my issue is now.
I already have the go from my professor to develop my own solution, but still need to find out the requirements/boundaries that my proposed solution needs to meet at the end.

Now for my 3 questions on the subject.

1st question would be: If there is any interest at all in a solution for this (insulating afterwards) Problem? I have now already asked 3 electricians that i personally know and all agreed that such a tool would make their job easier and that there is interest.

2. what requirements would you place on this tool? (its insulation). For example: it must be a sliding insulation (like heat shrink tubing), the insulation must be flexible, the tool must be operated by hand force only...

3. are there specific guidelines or standards I should consider? I want to make sure that my solution meets current industry standards. If there are no official standards, workable values would also be beneficial. E.g. maximum temperature of the cable during operation

I am looking forward to your answers, and thank you in advance!

Kind Regards,
Max

 

[poni]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26618908...dR7ctMVlpXMcmpMs22Xz+A4UdaUx|tkp:BFBM5JWsouph
is this what you are looking for?

 

[kerching]

is this what you are looking for?

I have had one of those for about 30 years....known as the Gynae tool
Very handy for putting a better strain relief on iPhone leads

 

[maxschutz]

is this what you are looking for?

Thanks for the reply, but no this tool can't get an insulation onto an already soldered wire in the way that I want.
For example, I have two wires in an RC Car where I soldered the cable that's coming from the motor and the cable from the control board together. There is no way to stretch a shrinking tube over the motor or control board.

So I wanted to develop a tool that enables me to insulate Post-Soldering, because there are none (at least i couldn't find any) on the market.
I have an idea how to do it, just the knowledge what an electrician wants from a good insulation / what regulations the insulation needs to fulfil, is still unclear to me.

 

[roys]

Could you not just use a product like the Raychem CRSM repair heat shrink, we use to call it zipper heat shrink and used it for repairing the outer of a cable without disconnecting it.

 

[Geoff1946]

It sounds to me that what you really need is a different sleeving material rather than a different tool. If you could have adhesive lined . sleeving which was split along its length, but naturally springing itself together. The activation temperatures of the adhesive lining and that for shrinkage would need to be co-ordinated such that it bonded itself into a solid mass. Maybe that heat would need to be applied by contact pressure, rather than an air blast, which may lead to the special tool you envisage.

Edit. Just read Roy's comment which sneaked in before mine. It sounds like the product already exists, though I haven't encountered it.

 

[Bruspark]

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/heat-shrink-tubing/7630989
On a smaller scale inside devices non acidic sealants /mastics and the dreaded hot melt glue all make regular appearances

 

[Sharpend]

I have had one of those for about 30 years....known as the Gynae tool
Very handy for putting a better strain relief on iPhone leads

Now that is a good idea! I have a lead that really needs that support.

 

[Mike P]

I can see where you are coming from, insulating the joint/connection, but particular attention needs paying to the adhesive in particular. There have been to many cases where, after time it breaks down with age or heat, eventually becoming conductive. If this is on a board with other components, it can cause real problems!!