Conformal Coating

As leading conformal coating specialists, we provide high-quality conformal coating services for the protection of printed circuit boards (PCBs) used within a wide range of environments, preventing PCB corrosion and ultimately extending their working life. We offer acrylic, polyurethane, epoxy, silicone, UV cure and two-part coatings and provide a number of application methods from dipping, spraying, selective coating, and hand brushing to suit client requirements.

A conformal coating is a protective film, such as an acrylic, silicone, or UV curable material, which is applied to a PCB to create a protective barrier. This coating contours to the board, protecting the PCB from environmental contaminants, heat, moisture, and other sources of potential damage or interference.

Conformal coatings are applied in a thin layer (generally 25-100 micron) so there is minimal weight increase, and the coatings apply very little stress to the components, so they can be used effectively, even if the components have thin pins or legs. Coatings are often clear which allows components to be easily identified and replaced as required.

Reduced cost of maintenance and replacement – Conformal coatings stop the ingress of moisture, dirt and dust, which helps maintain effective operation. This protection ultimately improves PCB reliability, reduces failures within the components, and extends the life of the board. This provides real value for money and maintains customer confidence if your products.
Optimum performance – Many electronic assemblies are required to operate in harsh environments - from extreme temperatures, hazardous materials and excessive humidity - but even day-to-day dust build up can cause problems. Conformal coating provides a protective layer separating the PCB from the external environment, ensuring that the electronics consistently perform to their full potential.
PCB design security – When your PCB design needs to remain confidential, we can cover your electronic components in a black coating. This coating has all the benefits of traditional conformal coating, but also helps to disguise componentry and protect against reverse engineering, which can be particularly useful in prototyping and military <link> applications. Talk to us about the material options we can offer.

Choose Chiltern Connections for your Protective Coating Project

experience

We have over 30 years experience in the industry and have developed technical knowledge on a huge range of materials and applications

on time

Short notice? No problem. We work around your schedule and ensure our lead times don't impact your production

Lasting partnerships

We become an extension of your team. Many customers trust us to manage their coating projects from start to finish, so they can get on with other tasks

Trust and care

Your products are in safe hands. As soon as your products are through the doors, to the moment they leave, they are treated with the utmost care

See the Process

Cleaning

We clean PCBs using an industrial washing machine or handwash components that cannot be submerged.

Masking

We protect key components by applying a selection of tapes and gels.

Application

We use a range of application techniques to apply coatings, from manual processes to automated selective coating.

Curing

We dry coatings either at room temperature or at a specified temperature using an industrial oven.

Inspection

Throughout the coating process we inspect each component to ensure each step has been performed accurately.

Application methods

Generally, dip coating is a process whereby a PCB assembly is submerged, either fully or partially, into a tank or suitable container of conformal coating.

The assembly can be either manually dipped (by hand) or for where larger volumes and/or greater controls are required, the use of a semi or fully automated controlled dip coater unit or machine is required.

Dip coating an assembly generally ensures complete and full coverage, except for any masked components. By using either a semi or fully automated dip process, functions such as emersion, dwell and withdrawal speeds and times can be fully controlled. Once set, this arrangement provides a fully repeatable process usually guaranteeing a known coating thickness with excellent aesthetic appearance.

Manual or hand dipping is suitable for quickness, convenience and extremely low volumes i.e. one or two assemblies – and of course where no controls or repeatability is a concern and appearance doesn’t matter either.

Semi-automated dip systems are suitable for almost all volume requirements, from one-off to one-thousand off. Generally, if the requirement is exceeding this figure then a fully automated system may become necessary and a more complex design criteria may need to be considered.

What are the main advantages of dip coating?

Manual process – very low set up costs – but no control and labour intensive
Semi-automated process - allows for low, medium and medium to high volume work
Provides full coverage of the assembly
Repeatable control, including coverage, thickness and appearance
Relatively simple dipping jigs, fixtures etc can be employed.
Safer level of health and safety issues and concerns – i.e. greater control over coating fumes etc

What are the main disadvantages of dip coating?

Manual dipping – no control, no repeatability, labour intensive and high health and safety issues.
Semi-automatic process – cost of good suitable dip coating system.

Other essential elements to consider:

Extraction and racking systems required to post cure assemblies
Adequate control of coating materials with good housekeeping and coating viscosity controls essential to maintain coating process
Comprehensive training for operator required to cover equipment, materials handling and assembly set up for suitable dip procedure.
Operator health and safety considerations – PPE, full air/fume extraction facility
Blending/mixing area required – secure material handling
Competent material batch record keeping required

As the name possibly suggests, conformal coating is applied to selected areas on the assembly.

A selective coating machine is programmed to 'spray' coat the exact areas required on a repeatable basis. However, the same machine can be programmed to completely 'spray coat' the whole assembly if required.

Generally, there is a reduction in the amount of masking required and this can vary between completely to a little depending upon the complexity of the assembly, coating requirement, and volume of assemblies to be coated.

Of course, if there is little or no masking required there is less manual labour in comparison to other methods of coating, however, there is not only the cost of the selective coating machine to consider, there are set up costs including programming which point to this process as only being cost effective for large volume PCB coating work.

What are the main advantages of selective coating?

Automated process - allows for medium to high volume work to be undertaken
Repeatable process/control, including coverage, thickness and appearance.
Much safer level of health and safety issues and concerns – i.e. greater control over coating fumes and material handling

What are the main disadvantages of selective coating?

Not suitable or cost effective for low volume work
Initial cost of Selective coater – can be expensive
Training of both operator and/or technician to run, program and maintain equipment

Other essential elements to consider:

Good coating machine fume/solvent extraction required
Racking systems required to post cure assemblies
Competent control of coating materials with good housekeeping and coating viscosity controls essential to maintain coating process
Comprehensive training for operator required to cover equipment, materials handling and assembly set up for suitable selective coater.
Operator health and safety considerations – PPE, full air/fume extraction facility
Blending/mixing area required – secure material handling
Competent material batch record keeping required

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Choose Chiltern Connections for your Protective Coating Project