On soldering with hot iron the soldering iron is put to the solder joint by the pneumatic stroke. When the joint is warmed up to the soldering temperature the solder wire is fed by the automatic feeder. Subsequently, the solder feeder is moved back. The solder tip stays at the joint for a short time, so that the solder wets the whole joint and a meniscus can be formed. The process can be optimally adjusted with the following parameters:
- Preheating time
- Solder feeding time
- After-heating time
- Power
- Solder wire feeding speed

Hot iron soldering can be used for a wide range of applications.

With hot iron soldering the required heat is generated by an electronic heating element in a metallic shaft of the soldering iron.

The shaft is a heat accumulator and it conducts the heat to the solder tip, which is heating up the soldering joint. Because of its high heat capacity copper is often used as a basis material for shaft and solder tip. The solder tip is covered with nickel and iron in order to avoid chemical wear.

A special kind of solder irons are heating stamps, which are fitted with its contour to the soldering joint.