Composite soldering, de-soldering station and system

A system for use in soldering operations, the system comprising:

• at least one control station including a central processing unit with an operating program and associated circuitry contained within a case having a front panel, a display, control buttons and a socket;
• a cable assembly having a proximal end configured to engage said socket of said control station and a distal end terminating in a handle for receiving cartridges, whereby said handle is connected to said control station by said cable assembly;
• at least one soldering cartridge removably inserted within and powered by said handle, said cartridge including a memory element storing information specific to the cartridge that can be accessed by said central processing unit of said control station, said information specific to the cartridge stored in said memory element selected from the group consisting of a cartridge serial number, cartridge tip shape data, factory set temperature data, programmed set temperature data, temperature offset value data, applied load count data, totaled powered time data, total solder operations data, and the cartridge's use with leaded solder data, wherein said handle includes an acceleration sensor, said acceleration sensor outputting acceleration data to said control station via said cable assembly, said control station including a program to utilize said acceleration data to monitor the non-use and movement of the cartridge, whereby if acceleration data provided by the acceleration sensor is indicative of brush strokes as opposed to movements typical of a soldering operation, the control station will recognize a cleaning operation.