How long should PCB cleaning take?
Recommended cleaning times
Typical ranges:
-
spray-in-air or immersion: 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on residue severity;
-
ultrasonic or megasonic: 1 to 3 minutes for micro-contaminants;
-
solvent wipe or vapor degrease: seconds to 2 minutes for rosin flux.
Process windows depend on temperature, agitation, and chemistry strength.
Factors influencing duration
-
flux type and reflow profile;
-
assembly density and hidden residues;
-
cleanliness criteria, e.g., surface insulation resistance thresholds;
-
equipment capabilities and throughput needs.
ZESTRON recommends establishing cleaning time windows via DOE trials and verification with ionic and non-ionic tests.