Conformal Coating
Conformal coating is a protective coating for printed circuit boards (PCBs). It protects components from moisture, heat, cold, dust, fumes, weather variations and other environmental conditions that could affect the PCB’s performance. Using conformal coating for PCBs can decrease the need for printed circuit board repair or replacement, which can, in turn, reduce the cost of maintenance or warranty repairs by increasing the product’s mean time between failure (MTBF). There are different materials and application methods for conformal coating your PCBA:
- The entire board may be coated by spraying or brushing on the coating. Surya uses an automated conformal coating system which accurately dispenses consistency.
- The coating may be brushed or automatically sprayed on specified components.
Conformal coatings are applied to the finished PCB before assembly into the final product or subassembly. The key to successful conformal coating is to choose the proper chemistry and amount specific to each application. Dispensing the appropriate amount and covering to specific critical areas will yield the best product.
Benefits of Conformal Coating
- protect sensitive components from harsh or variable conditions in its ultimate environment
- extend the life of the components, the entire PCBA, and the system in which it’s installed
- product becomes higher quality
- product becomes more durable and less susceptible to moisture or corrosion damage.
This can be crucial for use in mil-spec, aerospace, government, healthcare and consumer applications where the cost ramifications of failure are high. It is also a necessity for board uses where unexpected failures could be dangerous or life-threatening or where frequent failures could tarnish a brand’s reputation.
Some of the most frequently used standards for conformal coating, depending on the ultimate use case or environment the PCB will be used in include:
- MIL-I-46058C Mil Standard
- IEC 61086-1 edition 2.0
- Underwriters Laboratories UL 746E and UL94
- IPC-CC-830B
Each specification focuses on different PCB performance parameters such as heat, flame and ignition resistance.
It’s best to work with the engineering team at a company skilled in conformal coating for PCB manufacturing to get advice on the best protective coating for printed circuit boards in your
particular design and use case.
We’ve been in the printed circuit board business for more than 30 years. We can recommend the best coating and application method for your product to help you balance cost over the reduction in repairs and maintenance costs to optimize your overall profitability and product performance.
Our Capabilities
Learn more by watching our video or clicking the links below.