What is conformal coating on PCB circuit boards

Best conformal coating on PCB circuit boards Manufacturer.

As technology continues to evolve, electronics are increasingly exposed to all kinds of environments. There are electronic devices in all sectors of life, most with sensitive connections and components that hazardous elements in the environment can damage. Some elements that can end up damaging the electronics are corrosion, dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures.

The conditions can harm electronic components in terms of functionality and integrity. This has forced manufacturers to employ measures that can keep the devices secure. Printed circuit boards are essential electronic parts and require protection. Conformal coatings are among the most common and popular protective measures today.

Conformal coating is a transparent film that is very thin and applied onto the circuit board surfaces to offer protection from harmful elements without interfering with how the electronics work. The thin film contours according to the shape of the PCBs, thus covering the components and keeping them safe from hazards. The coating process is helpful and reliable on the circuit boards. The conformal coatings offer several advantages, including:

Conformal circuit board coating helps in protecting electronics from harmful environmental elements, including dust, corrosion, and chemicals.

The coating is lightweight and hence does not significantly increase the circuit board's weight.

The coatings provide excellent insulation properties to boards, thus reducing conductor spacing in the PCBs.

How conformal circuit board coating is done

The first step to getting the protective coating into desired areas is to select the best for the application's demands. After selecting the best, then you will base the application on variables like:

• Production requirements, which will cater to prep work, coating process speed, and how soon the boards can be handled after coating

• Board design needs, where you have to think about connecting designs and components that are solvent-sensitive, among other issues

• Equipment requirements, where you have to ensure that you have the tools needed to apply the coating; it is here you will decide whether you can handle the coating process on your own or whether you need assistance

• Pre-coating needs, which could include taping and masking areas that need no coating

• Quality requirements, which determine whether the application should be automated or not according to how critical the electronics are and the degree of reliability and repeatability needed

After checking the variables and you are sure how to handle the conformal coating process, next will be to choose the suitable application method and start the process. The most common application methods include:

Brushing where the application is made by hand and using a simple brush. The coatings from this method are usually thick and uneven compared with others. Even though it is a simple method suitable for low-volume production, it is labor-intensive. It is the best method for repairing and reworking circuit boards.

Spraying where aerosol sprays are used to apply the conformal coating onto the circuit boards. The technique offers excellent and consistent finishes but takes more time to finish as every application needs to be thorough to cover the circuit board entirely.

Dipping where circuit boards are coated by submerging them into a coating solution. However, this method is best for board designs that prevent leakage and have no problem being coated on both sides and everywhere. It is ideal for high-volume productions and is thorough, fast, and accurate.

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