How To Perfectly Clean PCBs after Soldering
How To Perfectly Clean PCBs after Soldering
Whatˇs is the Customer´s story?

The customer has been using DCT cleaning solution (InJet® 388 with cleaning fluid Decotron® 355S) to clean PCBAs from flux residues. Hovewer, DCT was asked to verify the suitability of the cleaning process and evetually to recommend other, more inovative solution for them, as DCT is still developing new cleaning agents and clening systems to provide the best cleaning solution on the market.

WHAT WE TESTED?

We removed flux residues from PCBs after soldering with another and newer DCT cleaning agent (Decotron® CP 381), designed for this process.

Type of of Solder Paste: ALPHA CVP-390

Type of Sample: Pallet of PCBAs: 15,3 x 11,5 cm

PCBA BEFORE Cleaning / AFTER Cleaning

Due to our own R&D team we are continuosly developing new cleaning solutions for our customers, customized according to their needs.

DCT has also its own production, where all cleaning systems are manufactured.

COMPLETE CLEANING SOLUTION BY DCT
388_CRD
InJet® 388 CRD 2PR
The cleaning system is developed primarily for cleaning boards after soldering or for a combination of board cleaning and for removing solder paste and SMT adhesives from stencils, PumpPrints, squeegees...
Decotron CP381
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...
RECOMMENDED CLEANING PROCESS
Cleaning:
Decotron® CP 381 / 15 min / 50°C
Rinsing:
DI Water / 7 min / 40°C / 1 μS
Drying:
hot air / 10 min / 80°C
15 minutes is a time, which was needed to completely clean flux residues from PCBs after the soldering process.
Flux residues were removed from most components in only 5 minutes, but one chip component with a small gap between solder joints and solder mask needed another 10 minutes to get 100% clean.
IONIC CONTAMINATION TEST

Cleanliness is checked in our Technical data sheet ROSE tester.

It is a device designed to measure the amount of ionizable impurities of a PCB.

IPC limit of ionic contamination (red line) corresponds to 1,56 μg NaCl/cm2.
Limit of ionic contamination (green line) is an option to enter your own limit – in this case the limit was set to 0,156 μg NaCl/cm2.
The result of measured ionic contamination (blue line) of cleaned PCB is 0,08 μg NaCl/cm2.

Decotron CP381
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...
PCBA BEFORE Cleaning / AFTER Cleaning
RECOMMENDED CLEANING AGENT
Decotron CP381
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...
Water-based cleaning agent
Determined to clean flux residues after soldering and misprints
Ready-mix, intended for direct use
Compatible with all types of cleaning systems
Recommended for high pressure Spray-In-Air cleaning systems
RECOMMENDED CLEANING SYSTEM
388_CRD
InJet® 388 CRD 2PR
The cleaning system is developed primarily for cleaning boards after soldering or for a combination of board cleaning and for removing solder paste and SMT adhesives from stencils, PumpPrints, squeegees...
with high pressure Spray-In-Air technology
The same results can be achieved also with using other cleaning machines of InJet® 388 type (388 CRD-2PR, 388 CRRD-1PR, 388 TWIN CRRD-1PR). It depends always on the customer‘s specific requirements and needs.
Critical Component AFTER 5 min / AFTER 15 min
RESULTS OF TESTING
Success rate: 100%

Decotron® CP 381 was evaluated as the best cleaning agent for removal of flux residues from PCBAs, based on a cleaning test and ionic contamination test, which we have done for the customer at DCT DEMO center. We are always customer-oriented and we are always willing to verify the suitability of currently used cleaning solutions. We are more than happy to recommend better and newer cleaning solution as it was in this particular case study.