Method of determining state of iron tip

A method of determining a state of an iron tip in a soldering device, the soldering device comprising:

• providing the soldering device comprising:
• the iron tip which includes a solder hole, an enlarged-diameter region, and a gas release portion,
• wherein the enlarged-diameter region is provided at a lower end of the solder hole, and
• the gas release portion makes the solder hole communicate with an outside and is provided in the enlarged-diameter region,
• a gas supply source that supplies a gas, and
• a gas supply portion that makes the gas supply source communicate with the solder hole and that supplies the gas from the gas supply source into the solder hole, supplying the gas to the solder hole and gas supply portion,
• wherein a total flow rate of the gas flowing through the gas supply portion is constant;
• supplying a solder piece into the solder hole;
• heating and melting the solder piece in soldering hole;
• measuring a physical quantity of the gas flowing within the gas supply portion;
• and
• comparing the measured physical quantity with a previously provided reference value or table to determine the state of the iron tip.