The Importance of Meticulous Assembly Cleaning for Successful Manufacturing
PCB Cleaning: Efficiency, reliability, and quality start with clean assemblies: From heel cracks to lift-offs.
"You only realise how dependent we are on technology once it fails." This dependence is particularly evident in areas where the failure of technology would have drastic consequences - namely when a lot of money, the health or even the survival of people is at stake.
PCB CleaningA Must in Many Industries
In high-end industries, component cleaning is of paramount importance to ensure the highest reliability.
While "NoClean" manufacturing often suffices in the low-end sector, risk avoidance is paramount in the high-end sector. Whether in the automotive, telecommunications, aerospace, or military sector, the flawless operation of integrated technology is crucial for minimizing potential failure risks and ensuring safety
Assembly cleaningHow Does Board Cleaning Work and What is ZESTRON's Contribution?
The cleaning of assembled printed circuit boards (PCB cleaning) is particularly concerned with the removal of resin and flux residues or the removal of production-related handling residues.
For this purpose, ZESTRON is constantly researching new cleaning methods and has been developing custom-fit solutions for every requirement for many years - individually, comprehensively and reliably.
REQUIREMENT Why is Assembly Cleaning Necessary?
The targeted use of an assembly cleaner has a significant influence on the subsequent process steps, such as bonding or protective lacquering. If resin and activator residues remain on the PCBs, this can result in poor adhesion of the bonds and the resulting defects such as heel cracks or lift-offs. Remaining residues can also lead to poor wetting of the coating or even to the protective lacquer peeling off, which can also result in malfunctions or field failures.
CLEANING OF ASSEMBLIESWide Variety of Products and Applications
The module cleaners developed by ZESTRON are also well equipped for special challenges - such as the use of lead-free solder pastes, where there is a higher risk due to an increased resin content and more aggressive activator systems.
CLEANING METHODS
Various types of cleaners are available for cleaning both lead-free and lead-containing assemblies:
FLEXIBLE APPLICATION, NO FLASH POINTWater-Based Cleaning
Water-based cleaners are characterised by their very wide process window, which allows the removal of all kinds of resin and flux residues from lead-free or lead-containing NoClean solder pastes.
They can be used very flexibly in a wide variety of cleaning processes.
One advantage of aqueous cleaning is a flashpoint-free process, which contributes significantly to work safety and storage, as well as high environmental compatibility due to the very low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) content.
LONG bath lifeSemi-Aqueous Cleaning
Semi-aqueous cleaning processes are characterised by a high broadband capability, allowing all types of flux residues to be removed from lead-free or lead-containing NoClean solder pastes.
Typically, these processes do not use conventional alcohols, but modern solvents that are organically formulated and therefore free of halogens. These types of solvent cleaners have a very high bath loading capacity and thus allow very long bath lifetimes. Due to their surfactant-free formulation, they are also excellent rinsable by demineralised water.
fast and residue-free dryingWater-Free Cleaning
Modern solvent cleaners are used as cleaning chemicals. These are characterised above all by their broad formulation. Due to the polar and non-polar components in the cleaner, a wide variety of flux residues can be removed from lead-free or lead-containing NoClean solder pastes. Furthermore, these solvent cleaners can be uniformly distilled, enabling their use in cleaning machines with steam rinsing. Due to their surfactant-free formulation, they dry quickly and without leaving residues.
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