As electronic products continue to advance in technology, the demand for product quality becomes increasingly stringent. Consequently, the production process for PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) becomes more rigorous. PCBA cleaning, as one of the processes in PCBA manufacturing, requires strict adherence to standards. Let’s explore some common cleaning methods and popular cleaning techniques for PCBA.
- Manual Cleaning
Manual cleaning machines are designed to effectively remove residues such as flux, water-soluble flux, rosin flux, and no-clean flux/solder paste from the surface of SMT/THT PCBA after soldering. It is suitable for small batch PCBA cleaning. Through temperature control, it adapts to the manual cleaning process using MPC microphase cleaning agents, completing the chemical cleaning process within a constant temperature tank.
- Semi-Automatic Offline Cleaning
A semi-automatic offline cleaning machine is another option for effectively cleaning residues from SMT/THT PCBA surfaces. It targets residues such as rosin flux, water-soluble flux, and no-clean flux/solder paste. Suitable for small batch and multi-variety PCBA cleaning, this machine can be placed anywhere on the production line through manual handling. The offline cleaning machine completes the chemical cleaning (or water-based cleaning), water-based rinsing, and drying processes within a single chamber. During the cleaning process, PCBA is usually fixed in fixtures or placed in baskets. The cleaning solution must be compatible with components, PCB surfaces, metal coatings, aluminum coatings, labels, and markings.
- Fully Automatic Inline Cleaning
A fully automatic inline cleaning machine is designed for efficient cleaning of residues from SMT/THT PCBA surfaces. It is suitable for large batch PCBA cleaning. Positioned on the assembly line, this machine utilizes safe and automated cleaning equipment to perform chemical cleaning (or water-based cleaning), water-based rinsing, and drying processes in different chambers online. Similar to the semi-automatic offline cleaning process, during the inline cleaning process, PCBA passes through different solvent cleaning chambers on the conveyor belt. The cleaning solution must be compatible with components, PCB surfaces, metal coatings, aluminum coatings, labels, and markings.
The inline cleaning process typically includes the following steps: board entry, chemical pre-wash, chemical cleaning, chemical isolation, pre-rinse, rinse, spray, air knife drying, and drying.
