The dip process for conformal coating is a method used to coat printed circuit boards for a very long time. The process in its simplest form is as follows:
- The printed circuit board (PCB) is lowered into a tank of coating.
- This can be complete submersion or partial dip.
- The board can be dipped vertically, horizontally or at another angle.
- The board can be dipped manually or automatically.
- The board is removed from the coating and the excess coating drains away.
This process is highly effective in applying a conformal coating to a printed circuit board (PCB).
A simple approach involves dipping a circuit board by hand into a container of conformal coating, which can deliver acceptable results for low-volume work. However, dedicated dip coating equipment is typically usedβparticularly for medium- and high-volume productionβwhere consistency, control, and repeatability are critical.
What equipment may you need for dipping circuit boards?
The reason for using dipping machines in conformal coating is because the process has variables that are critical to film integrity and they are controlled by the system. The variables that are critical for film quality and thickness are:
- The speed of immersion
- Dwell time in the coating
- The withdrawal speed of the board
These factors, plus the viscosity of the conformal coating, are important to create a high quality finish and reduce costs.
How cost effective is the dip process for conformal coating?
The conformal coating dip process itself can be extremely low cost. The cost of a dip system can be low compared to many other processes and when balanced against the speed of application.
However, if the circuit board demands a lot of components be masked before processing then the overall coating process can be expensive. Masking for dipping can be very demanding and very difficult to complete successfully.
Find out more about effective masking strategies for dip coating at our Conformal Coating Masking Hub.
Need to know more about using a conformal coating in your application process?
Contact us now and we can discuss how we can help you. Give us a call at (+44) 1226 249019 or email your inquiries at sales@schservices.com
