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This blog post outlines the techniques required for the removal of HumiSeal UV cure conformal coating. The products covered in this article are:

• UV40, UV40-250
• UV50LV
• UV500, UV500LV

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.

Much time and planning are invested in the choice of the ideal conformal coating material and process to adequately protect your printed circuit boards. This often includes multiple qualification trials. There is also what can be long and detailed testing in areas such as electrical performance, flame resistance, and thermal or mechanical cycling. Unfortunately, the qualification and testing process for conformal coatings is simply a snapshot of the process at the start. In order to maintain consistency, there remains an often-overlooked activity: regular cleaning and flushing of your selective conformal coating equipment.

So, you’ve spent a considerable amount of time setting up your conformal coating process only to observe the dreaded cobwebbing effect once you start applying the material. Well, in this blog post, I’m going to run through the common root causes and provide some simple solutions you can take to get you back to applying your coating in a defect free manner.

Have you ever wondered if your UV oven is performing up to specification?   Has your UV curable conformal coating come out of the oven tacky?  Today I’d like to take a few minutes to write about the importance of calibrating your UV oven to ensure you are getting the most out of our UV conformal coatings.  Setting up and optimizing your UV oven is a simple process that can be accomplished in three easy steps.  Here’s what you’ll need to get yourself started!

• Conformal coating technical data sheet (TDS)
• UV radiometer (calibrated and certified)
   

That’s it!  You only need these two items to successfully test and optimize your UV oven whether you are using a benchtop or inline UV curing system.