Resource Library
When it comes to SMT stencil cleaning, the best results come from nonflammable, slower-drying fluids working with lint-free fabric wipes (no paper with cellulose and glues) to get perfect results. Detailed results depend on the solder paste being used, the age of that paste, the design of the stencil and how it was made, whether…
Yes, MicroCare has a number of choices here. But for maximum safety there are some rules you will want to follow:The solvent must have manageable toxicity ratings;The fluid must NOT be flammable;It must have a high boiling point; the higher the better;The component chemistries should not separate when they are heated (which is called 'azeotropic'…
The short answer is, maybe. Many of the cleaners used to replace alcohols, old- style chlorinated solvents, plus HCFCs and CFCs, all have Global Warming Potential (GWP) ratings of some degree or another. Careful engineers will need to determine which solvent works best in their application while minimizing the GWP. Most MicroCare product specifications list…
Using a fiber smaller than human hair, digital fiber optic networks have transformed our world. Today’s highly mobile world, with email anywhere, video on-demand and endless streaming video all is a direct result of powerful, reliable fiber optic networks. But amazingly, the signal carried by the fiber is astoundingly fragile. So cleaning connectors and end-faces…
Almost everybody uses the dip-and-brush method to clean circuit boards during rework and repair. But this process doesn’t work very well.Other companies suggest you should use high-pressure aerosols and blast the contamination off the board. Which will work fine, if you don’t mind buying lots of aerosol cans.At MicroCare, we think the best way to clean PCBs…
It’s a funny thing — MicroCare’s biggest competitor is not some other aerosol company. Our biggest competition is cheap alcohol in a small bottle. “Dip-and-brush” cleaning is cheap to buy, but more expensive to use. In our opinion, dip-and-brush cleaning at the benchtop is an expensive way to get poor results.Remember that alcohol is hygroscopic, which…