Impact of Rinsing and Drying in PCBA Cleaning Process

Vliv oplachu a sušení během procesu čištění PCBA

WHO IS THE CUSTOMER?

Electronics designers, whose goal is to clean PCBAs in a small amount in a laboratory environment. Then, they provide the SMT manufacturers with the most suitable production process data including the proper cleaning process.

Electronics Designers -> Process Data -> Electronics Manufacturers -> PCBA

WHAT IS THE CUSTOMER‘S STORY?

The developers used to clean PCBAs with IPA, which is an inappropriate solution. IPA is flammable and ineffective for cleaning of modern soldering materials. The developers searched on Google for better cleaning solutions and discovered our company. We analyzed their cleaning needs and demonstrated the effective and affordable cleaning methods for the R&D purposes.

WHAT WE TESTED?

Our laboratory specialists tested the cleaning of PCBAs polluted by soldering material in a tabletop ultrasonic cleaner. For comparison, we provided the customer with the cleaning of PCBs after soldering in a fully automatic cleaning system InJet® 388 CRD with Spray-In-Air technology.

Type of Solder Paste: No-clean Solder Paste SSA48-M955

COMPLETE CLEANING SOLUTION BY DCT

Companies with small-volume production of electronics:

Water-based cleaning agent Decotron® 356S
Tabletop ultrasonic cleaning machine
DI Water

SMT providers with larger production of electronics:

Water-based cleaning agent: Decotron® CP381
InJet® series with vertical highpressure Spray-In-Air technology and rinsing with external filtration
DI Water

TESTING OF DIFFERENT CLEANING PROCESSES

We tested the cleanliness of PCBAs in our Rose Tester, which is a measuring device
for the detection of the ionic contamination according to IPC-TM-650, 2.3.25.

We tested contamination of:

Uncleaned PCBA
PCBA cleaned in a tabletop ultrasonic cleaner with one rinsing and one drying by an air gun
PCBA cleaned in a tabletop ultrasonic cleaner with three rinsings and three dryings by an air gun
PCBA cleaned in a fully automatic cleaning system InJet® 388 CRD with an external filtration

COMPLETE CLEANING SOLUTION BY DCT

DECOTRON®

Decotron® CP381

Water-based cleaning fluid determined to clean misprints and remove flux residues from PCBs after the soldering process. Ready-mix, intended for direct use. Intended for use in all types of DCT...

Info

Datasheet

DECOTRON®

DECOTRON® 356S

Water-based cleaning fluid to remove flux residues from PCBAs after soldering process. Ready-mix, intended for direct use. Also available as a concentrate. Intended for use in ultrasonic cleaning machines.

Info

Datasheet

RECOMMENDED CLEANING PROCESS

The best PCBA cleaning results:

Cleaning system:

InJet® 388 CRD

Technology:

vertical high-pressure Spray-In-Air + external filtration of DI water

Cleaning:

Decotron® CP381 / 12 min / 50 °C

Rinsing:

8 min / DI water / 1–3 μS

Drying:

10 min / hot air

Satisfying PCBA cleaning results

(laboratory environment):

Cleaning:

tabletop ultrasonic cleaner 12 minutes / 50 °C / Decotron® 356S

1st Rinsing:

DI Water + 1st Drying: hand drying - air gun

2nd Rinsing:

DI Water + 2nd Drying: hand drying - air gun

3rd Rinsing:

DI Water + 3rd Drying: final hand drying – air gun

Based on the previous ionic contamination tests, we can recommend two cleaning processes addressing your specific cleaning requirements.

Cleaning tests comparing PCBA cleaning in a laboratory tabletop ultrasonic cleaner with additional rinsing and hand-drying and in fully automatic cleaning system were performed.

Based on the testing results, it can be concluded it is possible to clean PCBA in the laboratory environment in a tabletop ultrasonic cleaner to achieve satisfying cleaning results.

It is important to understand the cleaning process is complex. All steps - cleaning with suitable chemistry, rinsing with high quality DI water, and drying, has to be done properly.

No-clean soldering materials must be either 100% cleaned, or it is better not to clean them at all.

RECOMMENDED CLEANING AGENT

DECOTRON® 356S

Technický list

Water-based cleaning agent

Removes flux residues from PCBAs

Intended for clean and no-clean lead or lead-free solder pastes

Determined for ultrasonic cleaning systems

Works well in InJet® 388 series as well

Ecologic – RoHS and REACH compliant, biodegradable, does not contain any halogenated compounds

RECOMMENDED CLEANING AGENT FULLY AUTOMATIC CLEANING PROCESSES

Decotron® CP381

Water-based cleaning fluid determined to clean misprints and remove flux residues from PCBs after the soldering process. Ready-mix, intended for direct use. Intended for use in all types of DCT...

Technický list

Water-based cleaning agent

Removes flux residues from PCBAs

Can be used for cleaning of misprints

Intended for clean and no-clean lead and lead-free solder pastes

Suitable for all types of cleaning machines

Determined mainly for the high-pressure Spray-In-Air cleaning systems

Ecologic – RoHS and REACH compliant, biodegradable, does not contain any halogenated compounds

Other recommended
cleaning systems

InJet® 388 TWIN CRD 2PR "Sausage dog"

InJet® 388 CRD 2PR

RESULTS OF TESTING

Success rate: 100%

Cleaning tests comparing PCBA cleaning in a laboratory tabletop ultrasonic cleaner
with additional rinsing and hand-drying and in fully automatic cleaning system
were performed.

Based on the testing results, it can be concluded it is possible to clean PCBA in the laboratory environment in a tabletop ultrasonic cleaner to achieve satisfying cleaning results.

It is important to understand the cleaning process is complex. All steps – cleaning with suitable chemistry, rinsing with high quality DI water, and drying, has to be done properly.

No-clean soldering materials must be either 100% cleaned, or it is better not to clean them at all.