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For quite a long time, the industry does not have sufficient knowledge of the cleaning process. Mainly because of the previous PCBA assembly density is low, flux residues and other contaminants on the electrical performance of the adverse effects are not easy to be detected.
Nowadays, as the design of PCBA develops towards miniaturization, the device size and the spacing between devices become smaller, and the failure malfunctions such as short-circuit, electrochemical migration, etc. caused by tiny particles residues have attracted widespread attention. In order to adapt to the market trend and improve the reliability of products, more and more SMT manufacturers ( Mpm Printer ) have started the journey of knowledge of the cleaning process.
Cleaning process that combines the static cleaning power of the cleaning agent and cleaning equipment dynamic cleaning power, and ultimately the removal of pollutants in the process. pcba cleaning is divided into SMD (SMT) and plug-in (THT) two phases, through the cleaning of the product in the processing of surface contaminants can be removed in the process of the accumulation of pollutants, reduce the product by the surface contamination and the risk of reducing the reliability of the product.
In the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor processing industry, it is very important to choose the right cleaning agent with the appropriate cleaning equipment. Factors affecting the stability of the PCBA cleaning process mainly include: cleaning objects, cleaning equipment, cleaning agents and process control.
Object of cleaning
In general the cleaning object is solder paste and flux residues, which cause electrochemical migration, corrosion and short circuits, posing a great threat to the reliability of the product, although large particles of contamination, grease and perspiration on the surface of the circuit boards cannot be excluded. The material properties and surface conditions of different PCBA cleaning process are also different.
SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED technical center conducts free cleaning tests every day, and in many cases the customer’s products can not be in the water, so it is not suitable for immersion PCBA cleaning process ! In addition there are components made of sensitive metals that are very fragile and cannot be cleaned with ultrasound, otherwise those bubbles will shatter the components when they explode.
There are also components that must be “gently” treated with pH-neutral cleaning solutions ! Often circuit boards have very complex geometries on the surface and very high integration densities. When the distance between the device and the substrate is very small, deionized water droplets will not be able to drill into the small gaps, and is unable to remove the contaminants at the bottom of the device, which requires chemical cleaners to help.
Cleaning Agent
It is very important to choose a specialized cleaning agent, SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED has a database of more than 2500 formulations and related raw materials, and has designed an extensive portfolio of aqueous, semi-aqueous and solvent-based products for different contaminants. Material compatibility is an often overlooked but critical part of the PCBA cleaning process.
For example, power module packages have a variety of metallic materials such as copper, nickel or aluminum, and improper cleaning processes can easily lead to corrosion or oxidation of aluminum chips and copper surfaces, and in some cases, character removal. Therefore, the incompatibility of materials between the cleaning agent and the cleaning object, and between the cleaning agent and the PCBA cleaning equipment may lead to product obsolescence, or cause clogging of the equipment pipeline.
Cleaning fluids, as a chemical used in production lines and may come into direct contact with human beings, carry the risk of personal injury and economic loss caused by improper handling. SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED has developed the first alternative to CFC cleaning fluids, and has always insisted on making green and safe PCBA cleaning products.
SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED has always been committed to making green and safe cleaning products. At all times, we promise that all our products are compliant with the REACH regulation, RoHS directive and WEEE directive. The cleaners do not contain ODS ozone depleting ingredients and the VOC content complies with national standards.
Cleaning Equipment
A complete set of cleaning process usually includes PCBA cleaning, rinsing and drying of the three processes, in the cleaning process, the cleaning agent and pollutants in contact with each other, the cleaning agent will be pollutants from the surface of the cleaning object to separate out; rinsing and drying process is to further remove the pollutants, but also to ensure that the surface of the component does not exist cleaning agent residues.
SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED Technical Center has more than 100 sets of cleaning equipment from the world’s leading PCBA cleaning equipment manufacturers. From off-line batch cleaning equipment such as ultrasonic cleaning equipment, immersion cleaning equipment, centrifugal cleaning equipment, to in-line spraying equipment, customers can choose from a wide range of commonly used cleaning machine mechanics. We are able to test your products under real production conditions and evaluate cleaning applications, cleaning equipment, and cleaning agents based on customer needs.
Cleaning Process Control
As the PCBA cleaning time increases, the contaminants that continue to enter the cleaning fluid will have a negative impact on the cleaning efficiency. When should I change the fluid? When is the latest fluid change? How do I adjust cleaning parameters when the environment/product changes? These questions are directly related to the customer’s cost and output, and the key to finding the answer lies in the collection of cleaning data, including: time, action, concentration and temperature.
Which PCBA cleaning fluid in the use of the process will be affected by a number of factors, such as: residues in the liquid, liquid evaporation, deionized water added, etc., its concentration will often fluctuate. Therefore, in the circuit cleaning process, concentration monitoring is directly related to the stability of the cleaning effect, and SMTCOMPONENTS CO., LIMITED offers a wide portfolio of products for concentration monitoring.
