Are industry standards sufficient for characterizing the effects of cleanliness at high voltages?

The increasing popularity of high-voltage electronics, particularly in electric vehicles, underscores the need to address the quality assurance and reliability challenges linked to these technologies. Standards, such as those published by IPC, are a great way to accomplish this. A crucial step to ensure the proper application of standards is to tailor them accordingly. For high-voltage electronics, an initial part of this process involves defining high voltage. Different organizations have already put forth their definitions.

For instance, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and British standards stipulate that anything above 1kV AC or 1.5kV DC constitutes high voltage. On the other hand, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) categorizes high voltage as ranging from 115-230kV, extra-high voltage as 345-765kV, and ultra-high voltage as exceeding 1,100kV. When referring to IPC standards, however, which are more pertinent to the electronics domain, a provision in IPC-J-STD-001H states that the definition of high voltage hinges on the specific application.

A novel approach leverages ion exchange technology with continuous monitoring for superior tank management.

Aqueous cleaning operations in printed circuit board population require particular attention to water quality. Various soils – internal and external to the population processes – need to be removed to a very high degree to ensure trouble-free operation of the circuit board. The water used for the makeup of the cleaning solutions and rinsing must also be of very high quality to minimize the potential for contamination of the circuit board, with ion exchange technology being the technology of choice to purify and recover the water.

The quality of printed circuit boards, their operating characteristics, and ultimately, their lifespan depend on several factors, with one of the more important factors being the cleanliness of the boards. Several soils, if not removed, can negatively impact the operation of circuit boards. Incomplete removal of solder flux residue, for example, can lead to corrosion and potential short circuits. Aqueous cleaning chemicals may contain various additives (such as saponifiers, surfactants, etc.) that aid in soil removal but must also be completely removed from the PCB, as failure to remove these cleaning chemicals can lead to the formation of residual spotting on the board.

Diagnosing sources of crazing, delamination and peeling.

In printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, solder mask integrity is paramount. This protective layer, designed to shield the copper surfaces and prevent solder bridging between components, plays a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and functionality of electronic devices.

Solder masks can face several issues, however: crazing, delamination, peeling, and the presence of waxy or oily residues. These defects can lead to complications like micro solder balling, bridging, and solder snail trails, especially noticeable after wave soldering processes.

Not only do these challenges compromise the PCB’s quality and long-term reliability, but they can also lead to significant production rework and increased costs.

Indium Corporation celebrates its 90th anniversary with a look at its past and future innovations.

A sense of curiosity and discovery drove the founding of Indium Corp. in the early 1930s, and that continued drive to innovate has carried the company to success over the past 90 years of its existence – leading it to become a premier manufacturer and supplier for the PCB, semiconductor and thermal management industries.

After reaching the 90^th anniversary milestone this year, the company is celebrating with the theme of “A Legacy of Innovation Fueled by Curiosity,” meant to reflect the technological breakthroughs and the people who have fueled them.