Hot Air Pencil        SMD Hot Air Soldering       Non-Contact      SMT AirPencil Reflow Soldering System
ZEPHYRTRONICS® HOT AIRPENCIL ZT-2-MIL
SMT Pin-Point Precision & Non Contact Soldering Reflow System
The ZT-2-MIL AirPencil "is a touch-free precision soldering method." -- NASA Report, 2004

Hot Air Pencil, Soldering

A True Hot Air Pencil Should Be Pencil-Like

Hot Air Pencil, Hot Air Soldering, SMD Soldering, SMT, Ceramic Capacitor Soldering

                                                                       TM
 #1 Hot Air Pencil in the World for Two Decades
And the Only True Hot Air Pencil
With Its Famous, World-Wide Recognizable Trademark Pyramidal Design!

  TM  

An Essential Soldering Tool! The patented ZT-2-MIL Hot AirPencil is essential for SMD soldering. 20 years on the market Still the most popular touch-free, precision soldering tool on earth.

Differentiation! The hand-piece is slim as a pencil, not a hot air tool re-packaged inside a big bulky soldering iron handle blocking a tech's sight from tiny chips being soldered. It is a true air "pencil".

100% Non-Contact! It is a "touch-free" safer method for soldering thermally sensitive IC's, QFP's, PLCC's, SOIC's and delicate ceramic capacitors, glass diodes and SMD resistors.

100% Non-Contact! It is a "touch-free" safer method for soldering thermally sensitive IC's, QFP's, PLCC's, SOIC's and delicate ceramic capacitors, glass diodes and SMD resistors.

Precision Temperature Control.  With closed loop feedback and a variable temp dial and a variable air flow dial, technicians control with even ultra-light settings for tiny chips. The ZT-2-MIL has a safe, low 24-volt featherweight hand-piece with an integrated 'pencil holder' centered in the design (for right or left hands). Plus it features; self-contained air (no air hook-ups!and a rugged steel ESD-safe case.

 

Video: Hot AirPencil SMD Soldering

 

 

ZT-2 HOT AIR PENCIL

Description

Model

Price

Buy Now

Hot Air Pencil, SMD, Soldering, Paste

The AirPencil™
ZT-2-MIL-120
(120 Volt for the U.S., Canada & Mexico)

$899.00


Soldering Ceramic Capacitors

The AirPencil™
ZT-2-MIL-230
(230 Volt For All
Int'l Customers)

$899.00


Hot Air Tips

ZT-2-TPK5
STAINLESS STEEL
AIR TIP 5-PACK

$98.00


 
       
  More Details:
 

The Hot AirPencil™ Has Many Advantages of the Traditional Soldering Iron: First and foremost, the hot air pencil is completely non-invasive providing precision, pin-pointed, non-contact, low-velocity hot air directly to the individual component leads. But that's hardly the beginning:

Hot AirPencil™ vs the Soldering Iron: There are many additional advantages of the hot air pencil over a traditional contact soldering iron. Below are a just few:

a.) Zero opportunity to bend/deform delicate SMD leads!  Zero chance  to scratch/ruin fragile pads -- a common occurrence with soldering  irons.

b.) Unlike contact soldering irons, it does not cross contaminate PCB's with other alloys, dirt, grime, residual flux, adhesives, etc.

c.) Works with Lead-free (RoHS) or traditional tin/lead solders because it never contacts the pad and/or solder unlike traditional soldering tips which must be always segregated at a bench.

 

d.) With the AirPencil, there is no accidentally bumping or moving your carefully placed SMD which is also a drawback with the soldering iron which can misalign the chip after it is placed because it contacts the chip.

e.) The AirPencil excels where traditional soldering irons fail in preparing or "touching up" pads. While contact irons can leave unwanted tags or "ice-cycles" compounding co-planarity problems, the hot air pencil hot levels and leaves a smooth pad.

f.) Soldering irons can be very damaging to ceramic chip capacitors and glass diodes due to its immediate conduction of high temperature directly to the leads setting up unequal thermal expansion conditions between a chip and its leads.

Soldering irons have been the cause of significant quality issues, with cracking and fissuring caps an diodes. The ZT-2-MIL, with its convective nature, virtually eliminates this problem.

     
     

Hot Air, Soldering, Tips
Touch-Free, Hot Air Soldering Presents Many Advantages Over Traditional Contact Soldering Irons

 
         
     

Soldering, Ceramic Capacitors, Photo
Ceramic Capacitors Must Always Be Soldered With "Touch-Free" AirPencils --And Never With Contact Soldering Irons-- To Prevent Thermal Shock, Fissuring & Chip Cracking.

 
             

Hot Air Soldering Station
The ZT-2 AirPencil Features a
Unique 3-Turn Air Velocity Control Dial Putting You In Control When Working
With Tiny Chips and When Working
With Solder Paste.

So Many Features! Rewriting all the rules, Zephyrtronics pulled out all the stops designing the ZT-2-MIL AirPencilhand-piece. Consider the following 3 issues:

1) The system delivers up to 530ºC at the Air Tip exit and, yet is powered by only an extra-safe, extra-low 24 volts (Be sure to investigate the high voltages of our so-called "competition").

 

2) It's featherweight, pencil-thin hand piece is, to our knowledge, the lightest and thinnest AirPencil ever, making soldering a joy, not a drudge.

3) Our precision air velocity control dial has 3 full rotations extra fine adjustments -- separating it from all other high-velocity so-called "hot air tools" which can and do blow tiny chips away and/or scatter solder balls up under IC's. Our unique 3-turn dial puts you in control while you work.

 

The AirPencil™ & Solder Paste: A Great Combination! With our extra low air velocity, work with confidence and success with solder paste making high quality solder joints with fillets at the toes, heels and sides of the SMD's. Experience the difference!  Yes, solder paste at the bench? Want to see how to use the ZT-2-MIL AirPencil?

 

Our Color Pictorial Process SMD Soldering With Paste is Easy.  The ZT-2-MIL belongs at every work bench where critical PCB rework is performed. For enhanced results, we recommend that it be used in concert with any of our world-famous ZT-1 AirBaths™ for quality thermal profiles through pre-heating.

 

Hot Air Pencil, Soldering, Photo
The ZT-2-MIL Belongs at Any Bench Where SMT Soldering & DeSoldering Are Done.  This is a Tool You'll Wish You Had.

 
 
JUST SO SUPERIOR...
 


The ZT-2-MIL AirPencil
™ is just so superior to all other so-called hot air tools because of its unique and patented design and utility:

1.) Zero Level Static: The ZT-2-MIL was evaluated by Motorola's ESD Lab and was the only hot air tool to qualify for its extra-tough standard of "Zero Static Level" for space applications. Just so superior.

2.) Ultra-Skinny Profile: You Can See The Chip You Are Soldering! The AirPencil™ is  the sleekest, pencil-thin profile on the market. Other manufacturers crudely re-packaged their hot air tools into their existing large, bulky solder iron handles that obstruct vision to SMD's (chip caps, resistors or chip scale size packages).

One can not "see around" such goofy designed tools. Just so superior.

3.) An Ergonomic & Feather-Weight Hand-Piece! The ZT-2-MIL is a real air "pencil" with its patented lightweight hand-piece.  Just so superior.

4.) Only 24 Volts in the Handle! Most other hot air pencils require techs to wield high voltages of 120 or up to 240 Volts in their hands. Yikes!

 


The ZT-2-MIL easily reflows even high temp, lead-free solder alloys with ease with only 24 Volts! How? Our effective internal air heating chamber agitates air providing up to 510°C at the exit point of the AirTip™ at the maximum setting. While we don't think one should solder at those temperatures, but we want to assure you that a properly engineered 24-volt tool can deliver all the punch that those high voltage tools do. Just so superior.

5.) Variable Air Flow With a Truly "Ultra-Light" Range! Our precision air velocity control dial has 3 full rotations for the finest of adjustments ---separating it from all other high-velocity so-called "hot air tools" which can and do blow tiny chips away during reflow and/or scatter solder balls benath IC's. Just so superior.

A Wide Selection of Air Focusing Tips Are Available: Unlike traditional soldering "tips" which oxidize, the ZT-2-MIL utilizes long life stainless steel Air Tips including the popular Oval Air Tip which ships out standard with each system.  Five styles of these very affordable Air Tips are available from Zephyrtronics. Plus, every ZT-2-MIL comes with a set of two non-magnetic, stainless steel tweezers for chip removal.

 

Optional: 5 Distinct Stainless Steel Air Tip Styles are Available for All SMD's

 POPULAR OVAL

FAN

ROUND

ANGLED

FINE / JET

Hot Air Soldering Tip

SMD Soldering Air Tip, Wide

SMD Soldering Air Tip, Photo, Hot Air Pencil

Hot Air Pencil Soldering Tip

Hot Air Soldering, Preheating PCB

Air Opening
I.D. .125" x .040"

Air Opening
I.D. .300" x .040"

Air Opening
I.D. .095"

Air Opening
I.D. .095"

Air Opening
I.D. .040"

ZT-2-002

ZT-2-006

ZT-2-003

ZT-2-004

ZT-2-005

Hot Air Soldering, Preheating PCB

  rocket

This is the AirPencil Used By NASA and JPL!  Yes, the ZT-2-MIL AirPencil is the very same one used at NASA and JPL for soldering on the two successful Mars Rovers launched in 2003.

NASA wrote that the ZT-2-MIL makes "mounting/removal of through-hole and surface mount components easier than routine benchtop methods" and that it "minimizes thermal stresses due to temperature differentials during assembly and rework" saying that the ZT-2-MIL "is a touch-free precision soldering method." -- NASA 39-Page Report, January 9, 2004

 
OPPORTUNITY

SPIRIT

Hot Air Rework
Soldering PLCC Soldering Ceramic Capacitor
    Soldering QFP              
 

First Rover "Spirit" Launched
 June 10, '03. Arrival on Mars Jan. 3, '04

 

Non-Contact Reflow for Fine Pitch Gull Wing QFP's

 

Easy Reflow of
J-Leaded SOJ's, PLCC's, SOIC's

Rapid Removal & Replacement of Components

 

Adjustable Air Flow & Variable Temp Control

 

The Rover, "Opportunity" Launched
 July 7, '03.
Arrival on Mars
Jan. 24, '04

 

* * * Photographs Courtesy of NASA * * *

 

FEATURES & BENEFITS

 Non-Contact Reflow Soldering for SMD's.
 Closed Loop & Zero Cross Switching.
 Electronic Temperature Control.
 Variable Air Flow and Temp Settings.
 Self-Contained Air Supply (No Air Hook-Ups!)
 Precision, Pin-Pointed Heated Air Stream.
 Reflows Individual Component Leads Only.
 No Adjacent Component Reflow.
 Ultra Light Air Flow Settings to Prevent Unwanted
 Scattered Solder Balls.
 Mill-Spec Compliant
Durable All Metal Construction, Not Plastic
Completely ESD Safe.
 Engineered & Manufactured in the U.S.A.
 

SPECIFICATIONS 

Electrical Rating:
Model ZT-2-MIL-120: 120 VAC (U.S., Canada & Mexico)
Model ZT-2-MIL-230: 230 VAC (International) 

 W x H x D

 6.25" x 8" x 5.75", 16cm x 20cm x 15cm

 WEIGHT

 5lbs. 8oz.

 TEMP
 CONTROL

 Closed Loop Control With Zero Cross
 Switching Variable Temp Control Dial

 AIR FLOW
 SETTINGS

 Variable, Adjustable Air Flow Dial;
 With "Ultra-Light" for Tiny Chips

 HAND-PIECE

  Safe, Low 24 Volt

 AIR SUPPLY

 Self-Contained, Internal Air Pump

 RECOMMEND

 OptimumWith ZT-1 AirBath Preheat

 WARRANTY

 One Year Limited Warranty
 Parts & Labor

 

For even further information, refer to our Technical Papers, "The Hot Air Pencil: History & Theory of Making High Quality Solder Joints at the Bench" and our color pictorial process page "Quality SMD Soldering at the Bench".

 

Fully MIL-Spec Compliant and Approved for Space Applications!

 
 

ZT-2-MIL AIRPENCIL

Description

Model

Price

Buy Now

Hot Air Pencil, SMD Soldering ZT-2-MIL-120 AirPencil
Our 120 Volt Model for U.S.A. , Canada & Mexico
INCLUDES

(Stainless Steel SMT Tweezers &
Oval Tip Included)

ZT-2-MIL-120

$899.00


 

Non-Contact, Hot Air Soldering System ZT-2-MIL-230 AirPencil
Our 230 Volt Model for International Customers
INCLUDES

(Stainless Steel SMT Tweezers &
Oval Tip Included)

ZT-2-MIL-230

$899.00


 

A C C E S S O R I E S

Description

Item Price Buy Now

tip_1_small_copy04

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP
OVAL
(Standard Tip)
Air Opening ID .125" x .040"
ZT-2-002 $19.99

tip_3_small_copy

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP
ROUND
Air Opening ID .095"
ZT-2-003 $19.99

tip_4_small_copy

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP
ANGLED
Air Opening ID .095”
ZT-2-004 $24.99

tip_5_small_copy

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP
FINE (JET)
Air Opening ID .040"
ZT-2-005 $19.99

tip_2_small_copy

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP
FAN
Air Opening ID .300" x .040"
ZT-2-006 $24.99

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP 4-PACK ZT-2-TPK4 $79.00

TIP_PACK_copy

STAINLESS STEEL AIR TIP 5-PACK ZT-2-TPK5 $98.00

TWEEZER_PAIR

STAINLESS STEEL SMT TWEEZERS ZT-2-010 $12.00

BLACK_HOSE_copy

REPLACEMENT HOSE (3 FEET) ZT-3-002 $13.99

 

©1996 - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014-2016, 2017-2018, 2019, 2020-2023 Ameritronics®. All rights reserved. The information and all images you receive online from Ameritronics® is protected by the copyright laws of the United States. The copyright laws prohibit any copying, redistributing, retransmitting, or repurposing of any copyright-protected material. Ameritronics® is the registered trademark property of JTI, Inc. "Zephyrtronics" and  "Zephlux" and "ZeroLead" and "Zero Balling" and "Zero Residue" and "Post Cooling" and "PostCooler" and "AirBath" and "Quatro" and "Full Metal Jacket" are the protected trademark property of JTI, Inc.

Revised for May 1, 2023

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