Reflow Master Pro

Features

Dual Thermocouples
Dual Auxiliary outputs for controlling fans or other devices
Reflow Mode
Bake Mode
Profile management via built in webserver
Extensive settings and control
Easy firmware updates
E-Kill switch support

Reflow

RMP has a beautiful and easy to follow graphical display during the reflow process.

The purple graph is the paste profile selected, and the green graph is the realtime update of the temperature matching.

You get to see the SSR power being applied as well as current temperature and target temperature at the top.

The main reflow zones are also clearly labelled for you.

Bake Mode

RMP features an awesome bake mode that allows you to do timed baking of things like filament, electronics components and more.

You can add your own bake profiles for your specific needs via the web interface.

Extensive Settings

RMP ships with an extensive list of settings and options, and we'll be adding more features and flexibility in future updates!

You are able to control 2 external fans, individually, during reflow/bake and after reflow/bake. This allows you to run them at a slow speed to help circulate air during reflow, and then full power for a period of time after reflow, as part of the cooling process.

Reflow Master Comparison Matrix

Reflow Master Pro

Reflow Master

MCU

ESP32-S2

SAMD21

Thermocouples

AUX Outputs

Settings/Data Storage

Internal SD FS IC

None

Web Interface

Yes

Reflow Profile Management

Via web interface

Via code and reflashing

Bake Profile Management

Via web interface

Power

USB-C (5V)/DC Jack (5V)

USB Micro-B (5V)

Emergency Kill

Support for external Kill Button

FAQ

What do I get with my Reflow Master Pro?

A fully assembled and tested Reflow Master Pro
2.4" Colour TFT screen
2x K-Type thermocouples

Optional items include:
3D printed case (pictured above)
RM Fan Controller modules for connecting up to 24V fans or other auxiliary devices to the auxiliary ports on the RMP

What else do I need to use the Reflow Master Pro?

Solid State Relay (SSR) ( 5V+ DC <-> 100/240V AC )
USB-C cable or 5V DC power source via barrel jack

Can I print my own case?

You bet! Just download the STL ZIP file and slice and print them in any colour or material you like!

The ZIP also includes an image to show you how to orient the 2 pieces on the print bed for best printing without supports.

If you'd like to make changes to the case, we've also got a STEP file of the case available as well.

PLEASE NOTE! The latest RMP 2023 versions that I am now shipping requires a new case, due to the change of some components. I have provided a new 2023 RMP Case STEP version for those of you that would like to print your own. You can see the version of your RMP on the back of the board. The previous RMP version (2022-12-12) wont fit in the new 2023 case, and requires the SLIM version below. If your boards version starts with 2023, then this is the case you are after.

The RMP 2022-12-12 version that I was shipping had a slimmer build, and does not fit inside the original RMP case, so I have provided a new SLIM STEP version of the case for those of you that would like to print your own. You can see the version of your RMP on the back of the board. The previous RMP version (2022-3) wont fit in the SLIM case, and requires the original version.

Why don't I provide the Solid State Relay?

That's a valid question... Every toaster oven is different and mains power is obviously not universal and is dangerous to play with. I don't feel comfortable supplying a generic "Chinese unbranded SSR" that might be unreliable or inadequate for your specific use case. I could supply something I am prepared to endorse & support, but it would be considerably cheaper for you to source one yourself - rather than me buy one and reship it to you.

This is the SSR that I use ( 15A Model )

Are the provided Thermocouples good enough?

Yes, the K-Type thermocouples I supply are good enough for most environments and use cases, but if you are using your Reflow Master Pro in an area that suffers from high frequency noise from power or mobile antennas etc, you may get some extra noise in your temperature readings.

If that is the case, you might want to invest in a better thermocouple, something that is really well shielded in metal or fibreglass, like one of these from Adafruit

Also, if you plan on reflowing high temperature pastes 190deg+, I'd definitely recommend a glass shielded thermocouple to ensure the probe shield can withstand the 200deg+ temperatures required for reflow.

What toaster oven do I need?

From my own experience and from working with other makers that use both toaster ovens and my Reflow Master, there are 2 key requirements for a toaster oven to be usable as a reflow oven: It needs to be small and powerful - so ideally you want an oven that is 18 Litres or lower in capacity, with 1300W or higher in power.

If your oven is too big or under powered, or both, then your oven will not be able to get to the initial profile temperature in time to allow for an adequate pre-soak time. You MIGHT still get a successful reflow, but it will likely be out of the guidelines from your solder paste manufacturer - so you'll need to check your specifications for your paste to assess the repercussions.

The smaller the oven, the faster it will heat, just like the higher the power, the faster it will heat. Having a smaller and more powerful oven is the safest bet.

What about hot plates?

Sure, you can control a hotplate as well if you prefer to reflow your boards that way. Your hotplate will likely be grounded, especially it's a commercial unit, or one that is powered via AC, so you wont be able to connect a thermocouple directly to it, or it will cause an error when trying to read the temperature. To solve this, you can use some thermal tape to stick the TC to the plate, that will allow heat transfer for the temperature reading, without any electrical connectivity.

Can I control the reflow process remotely?

Nope! I know it sounds like a great idea, but it's also a really a dangerous one, and it would be totally irresponsible of us to allow you to fire off a 280C or higher reflow process, both unattended and without visual monitoring. You don't leave a laser cutter unattended, and you should never leave your reflow oven unattended, especially one that is DIY'd from a toaster oven, where you are controlling mains power.

What are RM Fan Controllers?

RM Fan Controllers are basically opt-o-isolated MOSFET switches that you can connect to the AUX outputs of your RMP to drive up to 24V/1A loads like fans or in the future, stuff like linear actuators.

RM Fan Controllers ship with the surface mount parts full assembled, and the through-hole parts separate, so some soldering is required to use them, but I know you all love to solder, so it's a perfect mix!

Can I just use some cheap $2 MOSFET switches from Ali? Sure, if you want to take the risk, but I can't, in good conscience, ship something like those with my products and be able to trust and support them if they fail. So I designed and make my own, that have had extensive testing, that are built with reliable components and that I trust and can support.

Can I reflow SAC305 with an RMP?

Sure! RMP can reflow any paste - But, what you are really asking here is, can the RMP make an oven that is not powerful enough, or insulated well enough, reflow high temp paste? No :( Physics is physics, and if your oven of choice is not able to reach the temperature required, fast enough, to manage a reflow profile for a high temperature paste like SAC305, then adding an RMP wont help.

Most toaster oven, as they come, are not capable of ramping temperature fast enough, or of holding the temperature at the higher end of the process, especially when you start to add extra thermal mass into the equation.... like PCBs wth components on them.

That said, there are many folks that have gone to extraordinary lengths to completely insulate their toaster ovens and make them capable of reflowing the most difficult pastes. Do a Google search and you'll find a few projects showing step by step how they did it, but be warned - it's a lot of effort, and costs quite a lot to make happen.

The #reflow-master-pro channel in my Discord server also has pictures and discussions from folks that have modded their toaster ovens to get high tep paste reflowing.

Hardware Installation

Wiring up your RMP is very easy. Simply connect the thermocouples to the correct coloured inputs (Red/White), connect your SSR's digital input to the +ve and -ve inputs and you're done!

If you also have some RM Fan Controllers, simply wire the +ve and -ve signal inputs from them into the corresponding +ve and -ve inputs on your RMP.

Please look into your local requirements for dealing with mains powered appliances before undertaking any DIY work.

Once everything is wired up, you are ready to power on the RMP. By default a low temp lead free paste is selected, which is a good starting point for testing out your ovens ability to ramp and cool down during the reflow cycle.

Put a blank PCB into the oven on top of the tray, to be used to add some thermal mass to the oven to simulated something being in there, and click the [REFLOW] button, and watch the graph as it follows the profile.

If your oven is able to follow the profile closely, then you should be ok with this temperature paste for your reflow process. If your oven is struggling to heat up quickly enough to follow the profile, you might need to add some extra insulation to the oven to prevent heat from leaking out. If that doesn't help, it could mean that your oven is not powerful enough for it's volume size.