Requirements for setting up a conformal coating facility

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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:

 

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

Want to find out more about setting up a conformal coating facility?

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

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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What are the different methods available for cleaning electronic circuit boards?

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The topic of cleaning printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) effectively before application of conformal coating can be daunting. This is because the process of cleaning circuit boards can be difficult especially with so many variables to consider.

When considering cleaning the circuit you need to assess many factors including:

  1. The board and component compatibility with the cleaning method
  2. The ability of the cleaning method to remove the contamination effectively from the circuit
  3. Any residues the cleaning process may leave behind that may be harmful to the circuit in the long term.
  4. The reasons for cleaning the circuit (e.g. contamination removal, adhesion promotion etc.)?

After considering these factors you can compare with the processes available.

The main methods of cleaning printed circuit boards

The main methods of cleaning used in everyday electronics processing before conformal coating application can include:

  • Aqueous washing
  • Semi-aqueous washing
  • Solvent & chemical washing
  • Plasma surface cleaning

These processes can be mixed, the method can be varied but the fundamental concepts still apply.

However, whatever method you choose you still have to consider that the key to success in cleaning circuit boards is similar to the success made with conformal coating.

You need to match the cleaning process, the cleaning materials and the circuit board together.

If you do this then this will give you the best results for cleaning the circuit board assembly.

Want to find out more about cleaning?

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Nexus article on, “Outsourcing your conformal coating project – The key points”

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Nexus

Nexus, the independent conformal coating resource, recently published an article on subcontracting your conformal coating services out to a third party.

I thought it would be useful to signpost people to this article and republish the points they raised since getting it right can be so critical in outsourcing.

Nexus identified that there are, “three key points to consider when choosing a subcontractor”.

These three key areas were:

  1. Quality
  2. Turnaround time
  3. Price

They stated that,

“if you get these three key areas correct then you have succeeded.

Everyone will be happy and there are no more problems with conformal coating.”

(Source: Nexus).

However, within each of these areas, they outlined a lot of questions that should be asked to ensure you get it right.

Those points were examined in detail with some real insight into subcontract services.

If you are considering outsourcing your conformal coating then I can recommend reading the article now.

Want to find out more about subcontract conformal coating services?

To find out more click outsourcing your conformal coating project – The key points and read the article now.

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Do you need UL qualification for your conformal coating?

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UL are the Underwriters Laboratories and are a global safety certification body for consumer electronics.

They are a 3rd Party test service. There is no self-certification available.

A qualification to UL can be used as a sign of quality control and testing independently of the coatings protective ability.

When do you need UL?

Sometimes it may be required that the conformal coating needs UL approval to be applied to a circuit board. It will depend on the market the electronics goes into.

UL approved coatings can be used on electronics in many diverse sectors such as the domestic home, industrial controls, telecommunications and aerospace.

In fact, in nearly all areas conformal coatings tend to be used for protection.

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UL approved coatings can be requested in nearly all areas conformal coatings tend to be used for protection for electronics including domestic home, industrial controls, telecommunications and aerospace.

What standards are used from UL for conformal coatings?

For conformal coating, two parts of the UL standards are important.

These are:

  • UL 94: Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances testing.
  • UL 746E: Standard Polymeric Materials: Industrial Laminates, Filament Wound Tubing, Vulcanized Fiber and Materials Used in Printed-Wiring Boards

The two standards together control the quality of the conformal coating. They are discussed more in detail below.

UL 94

It is a plastic material flammability standard.

The standard classifies plastics according to how they burn in various orientations and thicknesses.

UL 94 measures conformal coating material’s tendency either to extinguish or to spread the flame once the test specimen has been ignited.

Classifications

For conformal coatings the test coupons are normally tested horizontally.

Tests are normally conducted on coupons of the minimum approved thickness with different types of laminate. The conformal coating thickness range also is normally specified.

The ratings are as follows:

  • V-2 burning stops within 30 seconds on a vertical specimen; drips of flaming particles are allowed.
  • V-1: burning stops within 30 seconds on a vertical specimen; drips of particles allowed as long as they are not inflamed.
  • V-0: burning stops within 10 seconds on a vertical specimen; drips of particles allowed as long as they are not inflamed.

Most conformal coatings aim to achieve V-0 status (top result).

UL 746E

UL 746E is the Standard Polymeric Materials: Industrial Laminates, Filament Wound Tubing, Vulcanized Fiber and Materials Used in Printed-Wiring Boards

UL 746E measures the ignition resistance of the conformal coating to electrical ignition sources.

The conformal coating material’s resistance to ignition and surface tracking characteristics is described in UL 746E.

Find out how we can help you with your conformal coating process now.

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How do I selective apply my conformal coating?

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Selective conformal coating 640_SCH UK 2

Selective application of conformal coating is this case is applying the conformal coating without using masking to shield components from ingress.

Technically using masking tapes, latex and boots is a selective process. But, we want to look at coating application without masking.

This leaves a couple of different options.

The first is brushing. This is a simple selective process that can be highly effective.

Click Nexus conformal coating brushing technique to find out more.

The second, and the more obvious option, is selective robot.

This process uses a small spray valve (there are many conformal coating spray valve types) that is attached to a robot that follows a set pattern applying the conformal coating selectively to the circuit board.

Click Nexus selective conformal coating application to find out more.

Advantages and disadvantages of selective conformal coating robots

Selective spray robot applying conformal coating 640_SCHUK_1

The five advantages and disadvantages of selective application of conformal coating are:

Advantages

  • Masking can be eliminated or minimised
  • High speed coating process
  • High volume process
  • High quality finish when under control
  • Simple process to operate when set up

Disadvantages

  • High engineering skill required for set up and programming
  • High engineering skill required for troubleshooting and supervision
  • High capital cost initially
  • Process controls need to be enforced for good quality production
  • Environment can influence the process controls

Find out how we can help you with your conformal coating process now.

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How do conformal coating masking boots save money in your production process?

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Three reasons conformal coating masking boots save you money

Here are three reasons that can save you up to 80% of your costs compared to masking tape:

  1. Masking time is reduced. Masking boots can be 4-5 times quicker than masking tape.
  2. De-masking time is reduced. Again it is much quicker to remove masking boots compared to masking tape.
  3. Masking boots don’t leak. Masking tape has to be carefully applied. Any gaps will allow leaks. Boots don’t leak as easy so less repair.

This means you can save a lot of money very quickly when switching to masking boots.

Find out how we can help you with your conformal coating masking boots now.

Contact us to discuss your needs and let us explain how masking boots could work for you.

Or go directly to our website and see how you can get a quote on our conformal coating masking boots.

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Are there design rules for the conformal coating dip application?

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There are design guidelines that can be used to help make conformal coating of circuit boards using the dip process a lot easier.

Having these specific design rules for dipping conformal coating can help save a lot of time, money and trouble on the production line.

Here are a list of rules and guidelines that could be considered.

  • Design the board so the masking components are at one end of the circuit. This allows the board to be dipped to a depth before the connectors are coated.
  • Design to hold the board correctly. Make it easy to hold the circuit easily.
  • Design the fixture correctly to avoid coating contamination. Don’t let the fixture get coated.
  • Match the coating material to the dip process. Ensure compatibility.
  • Design the board to drain to a corner. It ensures less build up is found on the board.
  • Avoid using components that can hold conformal coating. When the board drains ensure the component can too.
  • Use the correct components. Use components that are easy to mask.

To find out more click dipping design rules for conformal coating.

Why use conformal coating design rules?

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Circuit board design rules and guidelines, when using conformal coating, can save you money, time and problems.

Nexus, the independent conformal coating resource, have split the conformal coating into sections.

They include:

  • General design
  • Selective Robot
  • Dipping
  • Batch Spraying
  • Parylene

Each has overlapping rules and guidelines that also can be very specific to the application process.

Why it all can go wrong in the design stage for conformal coating

Most companies have successfully adopted Design for Manufacture (DFM) principles.

They have increased the level of communication between design teams and those required to manufacture the product, to eliminate or reduce the number and variety of production challenges.

However, this is not always the case.

Conformal coating is not simply a consumable material.

Unfortunately, for too many designers, conformal coating is simply a part number, to be applied to circuit boards.

For companies embracing lean philosophies and applying coatings, this failure to appreciate the subtleties of the application process can result in an un-coatable (at least as specified) assembly process.

The design rules for conformal coating are straightforward.

Follow them and you can save money and time in your application process.

However, if the rules are not followed, the resultant circuit board design can challenge even the most sophisticated conformal coating system and its operator to achieve the finish desired.

It is almost certain that the majority of these ‘nightmare’ scenarios could have been headed off during the design and or prototyping stages of development.

Find out how we can help you with your conformal coating application selection now.

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What application methods are available for applying conformal coating?

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SCH UK_1Conformal coatings can be applied to printed circuit boards (PCB) in the production process environment in many alternative ways.

Listed below are the common methods of applying the conformal coating materials.

  • Brushing
  • Aerosol spray
  • Batch spray
  • Selective spray
  • Dipping
  • Vapour deposition

It is possible to split the different application methods and their suitability in many different ways including:

  • Compatibility with the conformal coating material
  • Design of the circuit board
  • Suitability to low, medium and high volume
  • Manual versus automatic process
  • Type of method of application
  • Level of control required

Each of the various methods has different advantages and disadvantages and should be carefully considered.

This thought process relates to the Nexus holistic approach to conformal coating processing that states that you should consider the conformal coating material, the application process and the circuit board together and not as three separate entities.

Find out how we can help you with your conformal coating application selection now.

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What is a hydrophobic acrylic conformal coating?

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Nano-coating fluoropolymers Collage 640_SCH UK

There are several reasons for using a conformal coating or Parylene to protect a printed circuit board (PCB).

They include:

  • High insulation protection
  • High moisture and humidity protection
  • Chemical and temperature resistance
  • Ruggedisation
  • Improve dielectric properties
  • Barrier protection against particulates

However, one property that most liquid conformal coatings do not possess that is extremely useful to have is being water repellent or hydrophobic.

A coating that is hydrophobic repels water from the surface by changing the surface energy of the coating.

This makes it energetically unfavourable for the water to wet the surface. Hence, the water “balls up” and rolls off the surface.

This occurs in the fluorinated nano-coatings that are hydrophobic and is an extremely useful property when protecting a circuit board where water may be present.

However, typical conformal coatings are not hydrophobic.

Materials like acrylics and polyurethane coatings are excellent against moisture but not so good as water repellent materials. They do not have a low surface energy.

Conformal coatings like acrylics and urethanes do not have water repellent properties (left). A hydrophobic conformal coating repels the water and does not allow it to wet the surface (right).
Conformal coatings like acrylics and urethanes do not have water repellent properties (left). A hydrophobic conformal coating repels the water and does not allow it to wet the surface (right).

A hydrophobic acrylic conformal coating – the best of both coatings

Now, there exists a hybrid acrylic coating that has both the properties of an acrylic conformal coating at the same thickness plus the benefits of a hydrophobic nano-coating.

These benefits include:

  • Hydrophobic (water repellent) surface
  • High Insulation protection
  • High moisture and humidity protection
  • Ruggedisation
  • Improved dielectric properties
  • Barrier protection against particulates

This new range of conformal coatings can now offer the best properties of both without any cost penalty.

The water wets the surface (left) on a normal acrylic conformal coating. A hydrophobic acrylic conformal coating, with a low surface energy, makes water de-wet from the surface (right) and still has all the benefits of the acrylic conformal coating.
The water wets the surface (left) on a normal acrylic conformal coating. A hydrophobic acrylic conformal coating, with a low surface energy, makes water de-wet from the surface (right) and still has all the benefits of the acrylic conformal coating.

Find out how we can help you with your acrylic hydrophobic coatings now.

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