Soldar

Soldar is a verb used in Spanish and Portuguese that denotes the act of joining two or more pieces, typically metals, by applying heat. The term covers several related methods, most commonly welding and soldering, but usage can vary by country and industry. In welding, the base metals are heated to their melting point and fused together, often with an additional filler metal to improve strength. In soldering, a filler metal with a lower melting point is melted and flows into a joint, while the base pieces remain solid. Brazing is a related process that uses a filler metal with a higher melting point than soldering but does not melt the base metals.

Techniques and terminology vary by application. Welding methods include arc welding (such as shielded metal arc welding, MIG, and TIG), resistance welding, and various laser or plasma welding processes. Soldering is common in electronics, plumbing, and metal fabrication; it relies on flux to clean surfaces and promote wetting, and uses solders typically based on tin-lead or lead-free alloys. Joints are assessed for strength, integrity, and absence of defects like porosity or cold joints.

Tools and safety are characteristic of the method. Welding requires protective gear, such as helmets or visors, gloves, and proper ventilation due to heat, sparks, and fumes. Soldering uses a soldering iron or hot air rework station and also demands ventilation to manage fumes.

In addition to technical use, soldar has linguistic forms: soldador denotes a welder, and soldadura refers to the welding or soldering process itself.