3 Steps to Help You Choose the Right Conformal Coating Machine

Normal circuit boards will not survive from damage that usually happen due to contamination, salt spray, moisture, dust as well as corrosion caused by harsh environments.  Whenever you think of protecting your PCBs from the extreme environments, the use of conformal coating machine comes into place. 

Why Conformal Coating Is Important?

Conformal coating is nothing but a protective non conductive dielectric layer or chemical coating which is applied to protect the circuit boards from damage that usually happen due to contamination, salt spray, moisture, fungus, dust as well as corrosion caused by harsh and/or extreme environments.  

By applying conformal coating as well as electrically insulating your boards, it maintains long-term surface insulation resistance. It ensures the integrity of your circuit boards. It provides a barrier against contaminants and preventing corrosion. Coatings not only help prevent damage from rough handling and installation but also help reduction of mechanical and thermal stresses. It can also prolong the life of the assemblies during its operation.

There are normally five types of coating, each coating comes with dozens of variations, meaning there are literally hundreds of conformal coatings for you to choose from. Therefore, you need to choose the best conformal coating machine as possible to do your work properly. The costs of different coating machines vary from company to company depending on the material type and application methods. 

Choose the Right Conformal Coating Machine for your device

Here are the three steps you can take a look to choose the right conformal coating machine for your project.

Define Clear Performance Requirements

It is critical that you clearly define the performance requirements for your assemblies. What temperature range will it face? Do you know that? Will it have to withstand moisture? Do you know the vibration? These are very important things to know before you choose a machine. Therefore, clear these things prior to buy a coating machine.

Know the five types of conformal coatings

As discussed, there are mainly five types of conformal coatings, each with its own benefits and shortcomings. Therefore, know five types of coating first, so that you can chose the best machine for your requirements.

Find a company that provide a reliable machine

Companies that are specialized in manufacturing one type of coating machine often have an “every issue looks like a nail to a hammer” approach. It is better to work with a company or buy a machine from a manufacturer that provides machines for all five coatings.

Last, but certainly not the least, nobody force you into preferred coating. A company will only be able to help you when you tell them about your requirements. They, then, will help you find a perfect conformal coating machine that is cost-effective and meets your performance requirements. They will also be able to support you if you wish to outsource the work or keep everything in-house.