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Conformal coatings have a long and storied history with printed circuit boards. A good conformal coating protects PCB components from moisture, corrosion, contaminants, and additional PCB threats like vibration and thermal shock. Coatings are a complicated science, and there isn’t one best coating or application method for every job. These choices are dependent on the design, use case, and assembly of the PCB. For instance, manual brushing PCB coating material is a slow, tedious process; but for small batch applications, it’s quite cost-effective.

Regardless of the chosen method, there are fundamental application errors that can occur, leading to defects forming in the coating which ultimately limit the functional service life of the PCB.

Conformal coating technology is on a continuous path of improvement, and we're excited to say the latest step on that path just happened. UV550 is the most recent innovation from HumiSeal, continuing the trend of industry-defining capabilities in the conformal coating space. This is to be expected from the original inventors of conformal coating material. But what sets UV550 apart from the rest?

Let's discuss how the ever-changing requirements of the automotive and white market space fueled the thresholds this uv-curable material attains, especially with regard to its durability under the most extreme thermal and mechanical cycling conditions.  

HumiSeal development specialists have been designing high-performance, UV-curable conformal coatings for approximately three decades. Compared to legacy solvent-borne and silicone technologies, UV- curable coatings provide some unique properties that can be of great value such as- 

• Nearly instantaneous, consistent curing 
• Superb moisture and environmental protection
• Little or no VOC content

These coatings also lend themselves well to high-speed and high-volume applications due to manufacturing advantages such as- 

• Minimal WIP due to immediate cure capability 
• Low material cost due to 100% solids chemistry
• Smaller manufacturing footprint due to much smaller curing equipment

In the days before surface mount printed circuit assemblies, components (such as resistors, diodes, and capacitors) were axial, and printed circuit board components were installed with the “through-hole” method using large conductor spacing. With the advent of integrated circuits, these too were through-hole with good spacing between legs.

We at HumiSeal are no strangers to conformal coatings; and if you’re reading our blogs, it’s likely you’re familiar with these coatings as well. The word “conformal” is descriptive of the function of the coatings which are expected to spread and conform evenly across all surfaces that are to be protected. This uniform and even distribution is necessary to protect delicate electronic components from things such as humidity, water, vibrations, and thermal damage (to name a few).

We at HumiSeal would like to dedicate a bit of time and space to one of the most often ignored factors related to successful conformal coating processes: Clean Air.

We recently published a blog outlining radiometer configuration and usage. Give it a read if you missed it! Since you’re now an expert at operating your radiometer, this blog will look at the steps needed to optimize your UV or LED oven.

This process is practically as simple as increasing and decreasing the UV or LED cure system’s conveyor speed to affect the dose. You must also consider increasing and decreasing the distance between the cure system’s lights and the radiometer to achieve at least the minimum irradiance required per the coating, adhesive or GELS technical data sheet.

One further note regarding LED cure systems is to ensure you’re using a light source that not only has the correct power (Watts), but also emits UV energy in the correct wavelength.  

How to Calibrate a UV or LED Curing Oven

It's 2023; the electronics industry is embracing UV-curable coatings. There are many valid reasons for this, from the desire to reduce/eliminate VOCs, difficulty navigating ever-changing and complex environmental regulations, increasing energy and labor costs as well as the sheer volumes modern assembly lines must increasingly meet.

The transition to LED curable conformal coatings is beginning to build momentum, beginning as a slow evolution and developing into a revolution of sorts. The driving forces behind this include: 

• Improved processing equipment designs and availability 
• Aging or outdated application equipment replacements 
• Increasing range of LED curables commercially available or in development 
• Rising labor, equipment, and energy costs  

If you and your organization are faced with aging equipment and higher costs, there isn't a better time to consider the potential advantages of LED curable conformal coatings! 

Manual brushing is just one of many methods commonly used for applying conformal coating materials to PCBs and other components. It is a hand-applied method that requires little investment into automation or equipment. With practice, it can be one of the simplest methods available, especially for small-batch production or isolated applications.