With the kids now back in school I am reminded that we too are constantly learning.

In this newsletter we learn a few more tips on cleaning no clean flux chemistries. BESTProto uses a water soluable flux as its standard processing chemisry, however other chemstires such as no-clean flux system can be specified.

I also invite you to check out the review on one of the newest smart phones in our NEW Gadget Review corner.

Cleaning a No Clean

PCB assemblies are becoming denser, which means that higher-quality cleaners are needed to remove no-clean residues. In addition the distance between components and the board continues to decrease as more high density package styles such as microBGAs, chipscale packages (CSPs), 0204s, etc. are in use.

The term no-clean implies, according to norms, that residues are chemically safe and can be left on the PCB. The corrosion test, surface insulation resistance (SIR) test, electromigration, and other specialized tests determine the halogen/halide content used to verify no-clean safety for the finished assembly. However, for high-reliability or high frequency applications, no residues or other contaminants can remain on the circuit board.
BESTProto makes certain that any cleaners used on your PCBAs are compatible with the residues left by the soldering processes. In fact, if residues are hidden or trapped under components, using the right cleaner along with partial cleaning is preferred.

BESTProto has the expertise and the process knowledge to clean your PCB whether it is a no-clean, aqueous or other process.
Find another article on the topic here:

Make sure you understand the type of chemistry being used to build your product. Have this conversation with your contract manufacturer BEFORE your next build.