Electrochemicals. PCB cleaners and degreasers

Correct cleaning of electronic components and equipment within the production process is a pre-requisite for long-term performance and quality. ACC Silicones electrochemicals range of products aid the preparation and cleaning of surfaces in order to effectively apply conformal coatings, adhesives or potting compounds, within electrical or electronic devices used in the following industries:

• Automotive
• Aviation and aerospace
• Telecommunications
• Railway and traction
• Measurement and control
• Household appliances
• General electronic and electrical applications

All ACC cleaners are fully RoHS compliant.

Water Based Cleaners

Where practical and viable ACC would always recommend the use of a water based cleaner which will have obvious environmental benefits however, in some cases it is not practical to use these types of cleaners.  ACC Silicones have produced very effective aqueous cleaners for use with both manual and machine automated systems.

ACC package their aqueous cleaners in three convenient forms: a foaming aerosol, for easy on the spot cleaning, a bulk solution, supplied ready for use, or as a concentrate, for further dilution.

Key features include:                                   

• Multi metal inhibited formulation
• Removes fluxes and residues, especially no clean and lead free
• Cleans to IPCTM650/ANSI-J-STD 001B standards
• Removes uncured surface mount adhesive residues from stencils and application equipment
• Removes some solvent soluble coatings (ACC Acrylic coatings)
• Biodegradable

The bulk liquids are suitable for use with ultrasonic or spray under immersion cleaning equipment.  As with all cleaners, it is important to rinse away all residues to complete the cleaning process.

Solvent Based Cleaners

ACC solvent cleaners, ACC52 (aerosol) degreaser and ACC51 PCB cleaner are fast evaporating solvents that do not contain CFC's, HCF's chlorinated or brominated solvents.

Degreaser - is designed for removal of greases, oil, silicones and hydrocarbons prior to the application of adhesives, coatings or other surface treatments.  Residues should be rinsed off using clean solvent.

PCB Cleaner - specifically designed to clean flux and residues, uncured surface mount adhesives, solvent soluble coatings from PCB's and associated equipment, such as stencils.  It can also be used as a very effective label remover.

Compatibility

When cleaning with either solvented or aqueous based cleaners it is important to ensure compatibility with the materials being cleaned.  It is not possible to provide a definitive list of which substrates should be avoided with specific cleaners.  Particularly sensitive to many solvents are many of the modern plastics used within the electronics industry, such as acrylic and polycarbonate.  We strongly recommend testing for compatibility prior to introducing a cleaner into the production process; selecting a test area where any adverse effects will not be detrimental to product integrity.

Care should be exercised when using any aqueous based cleaner on unprotected metals to avoid problems with corrosion.

Technical Wipes

These are made of high quality, lint free cloths designed for the general cleaning and drying of all surfaces including glass, plastics, rubbers, metals, LCD and filter screens.  They are specifically designed to be tear resistant and non-linting which makes it ideal for use on delicate surfaces and stencils.  They can be used with any of the ACC Silicones range of cleaners.