Requirements for setting up a conformal coating facility

July 24, 2017 Blog, conformal coating

Conformal coating application and inspection at SCH Services

The set up of a conformal coating production line regardless of the application method has many similar characteristics.

Any coating facility will need the basic requirements put in place that would be standard for any piece of electronic manufacturing process. These include ESD systems, facilities for the machines, the environmental requirements and the normal Health & Safety (HSE) considerations.

Also, the conformal coating production line, whether it is an operator manually brush coating printed circuit boards (PCBs) or an inline robotic spray coating process is typically made up of several stages. These stages are shown below:

Conformal coating process chart illustrating key stages and controls

Not all the stages are mandatory or may be required. However, each should be considered on an individual basis.

Planning to set up a conformal coating facility?

Explore our Conformal Coating Processes Hub and read the detailed guide: How to set up a conformal coating production line. The article covers equipment selection, process flow, quality control and scale-up considerations for reliable, repeatable coating operations.

Prefer to talk it through? Our engineers can review your requirements and help you plan a coating facility that fits your volumes, materials and compliance needs.

Contact SCH to discuss your conformal coating setup ›

Three key points you should know about polyurethane conformal coatings when using them for protecting electronic circuit boards

July 12, 2017 alternative, Blog, conformal coating

SCH Services UK conformal coating facility and operations

A polyurethane (urethane for short and designated UR by IPC) conformal coating is part of the organic family of coating materials that also includes the acrylic and epoxy coatings.

Here are three key facts to consider when examining polyurethane conformal coatings:

Most conformal coatings provide good humidity and moisture protection although some are slightly better in performance than others. UR type coatings are just as good on average as acrylic materials.
A polyurethane coating has traditionally been used to protect electronic circuit boards against chemical attack due to their excellent chemical resistance. This protection allows electronic circuit boards to survive in highly aggressive environments and atmospheres such as the aerospace, military and industrial sectors. However, it does make repair a little more difficult as chemical resistance to a coating means more difficult to remove.
Times are changing and whereas acrylic conformal coatings used to dominate 70-80% of the market, there is a shift in emphasis towards alternative materials due to higher specifications for protecting electronics. Many new conformal coatings (UV cure, two part thin film coatings) now comprise of urethane resin bases and are becoming more popular in high volume sectors such as automotive electronics. This is because the urethane resin lends itself to this type of technology more easily than the acrylic based resins.

Want to find out more about polyurethane conformal coating?

What are conformal coating masking boots and why do they save you money?

July 7, 2017 Blog, masking boots

Conformal coating application and masking process at SCH Services facility

Reusable conformal coating masking boots are a highly cost-effective alternative to traditional masking tape.

Many components on printed circuit boards must remain uncoated during the conformal coating process. The purpose of masking is to prevent migration of coating materials into connectors, contacts, and defined keep-out areas where coating would cause functional or reliability issues.

Custom-made masking boots provide a major labour-saving advantage during both the masking and de-masking stages of conformal coating. Unlike tape-based masking, these boots are fully reusable and are simply fitted over components such as connectors, plugs, and sockets prior to coating.

Reusable conformal coating masking boots can be designed as simple push-fit caps for standard connectors or as more sophisticated custom geometries for complex or high-density assemblies, as shown in the examples below.

They provide reliable, repeatable protection across all major conformal coating application methods, including:

Batch and selective robotic spraying (reducing the need for complex programming)
Vertical and horizontal dip coating
Vapour deposition processes such as Parylene coating

Reusable masking boots used in conformal coating operations at SCH Services

Three reasons to switch from masking tape to reusable masking boots

Switching from tape-based masking to reusable masking boots can reduce total masking costs by up to 80%:

Faster application – masking boots can be applied 4–5× quicker than masking tape.
Faster removal – de-masking boots is significantly quicker and cleaner than removing tape.
Lower defect risk – masking boots are far less prone to leakage, reducing rework compared to tape.

The result is a rapid reduction in labour cost, improved process consistency, and fewer coating-related defects when compared to traditional masking tape methods.

Need expert advice on masking PCBs before conformal coating?

Effective PCB masking is critical to prevent coating ingress into connectors, test points, keep-out zones and mechanical interfaces. Poor masking choices can lead to coating defects, rework, reliability issues and unnecessary cost.

SCH supports customers with practical masking strategies tailored to your assembly, coating chemistry and production volume — from reusable masking boots and tapes to liquid masking systems and process optimisation.

If your assemblies also require preparation before coating, you can learn more about our subcontract PCB cleaning and coating services, or speak directly with our engineers to review your masking and coating requirements.

Contact SCH to discuss your PCB masking and conformal coating needs ›

Requirements for setting up a conformal coating facility

Planning to set up a conformal coating facility?

Three key points you should know about polyurethane conformal coatings when using them for protecting electronic circuit boards

Want to find out more about polyurethane conformal coating?

What are conformal coating masking boots and why do they save you money?

Three reasons to switch from masking tape to reusable masking boots

Need expert advice on masking PCBs before conformal coating?

Conformal Coating UK