Synchronous motion selective soldering apparatus and method

A selective soldering machine for selectively soldering workpieces, comprising:

• a flux application area configured to apply flux to bottoms of the workpieces;
• a heating area configured to heat the bottoms of the workpieces;
• a selective soldering area configured to selectively solder the bottoms of the workpieces;
• a conveyor configured to convey the workpieces, the conveyor extends through the flux application area, the heating area and the selective soldering area;
• and
• a controller that is configured to control the conveyor to continuously convey the workpieces through the flux application area, the heating area, and the selective soldering area and to control application of flux, heat, and solder at each respective area without stopping the workpieces, wherein
• the flux application area abuts against the heating area and the heating area abuts against the selective soldering area;
• and
• wherein i) the flux application area comprises a fluxing nozzle that is configured to apply flux to a first workpiece of the workpieces while the fluxing nozzle and the first workpiece are moving in a machine direction, and ii) the selective soldering area comprises a first selective soldering nozzle that is configured to apply solder to the first workpiece while the first selective soldering nozzle and the first workpiece are moving in the machine direction, and
• whereby the first workpiece moves along the machine direction, without stopping, while the first selective soldering nozzle applies the solder to a first predetermined position on the first workpiece.