What Is Conformal Coating For Electronics?

You love electronics and what they can do, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself how they operate? The inner workings of these systems can be boggling. It takes electronic circuits to have both big and small gadgets running. The circuits need protection, and this is where the conformal coating comes in. Back in the day, only mission-critical applications would go through the circuit board’s coating process. The demand for protection grew as more and more electronics miniaturized and became even more wearable.

Conformal coating is a polymeric product that is engineered specially to protect components, circuit boards, and other electronics from environmental conditions that can harm them. The conditions include thermal shock, vibration, contamination, and moisture. The coating conforms to irregular PCB landscapes, thus increasing dielectric resistance, reliability, and operational integrity.

What is it made of?

The conformal coating is polymeric resin and can be thinned in solvents where necessary to allow materials to flow and dispense properly. The protection required is used to select the best resin type for the electronics. The environment within which the electronic device will be used and located is also used to make the right decision, and so is the ease of repairing and applying.

What are the typical conformal coatings?

Typical coatings are resin based and can be diluted using solvents. They are semi-permeable; hence they do not fully seal or water-proof the electronics. They work by protecting devices from environmental exposure and improving durability. Coated devices remain practical to use and easy to repair. The types of coatings you will come across include:

Acrylic resin – AR, acrylic resin coatings offer exceptional overall protection, are economical, and are easy to apply and also repair. Their dielectric strength is high, and their abrasion and moisture resistance is fair. These acrylic coatings can be removed quickly using different solvents and without agitation. Reworking and repairing are thus made easy, economical, and practical. With this in mind, AR coatings are ineffective against solvent and vapor protection. For instance, they cannot be used in aerospace applications because of jet fuel fumes.

Silicone resin – SR, silicone resin, coatings offer excellent protection in a wide temperature range. They have superior chemical resistance and flexibility and resist salt spray and moisture. This type of conformal coating is not resistant to abrasion, considering it is quite rubbery, but this property gives it resilience to vibrational stresses. SR coatings are great for electronics with high humidity levels, like outdoor signage. They are not as easy to remove as acrylic coatings; they require special solvents, soaking, and agitation using an ultrasonic bath or brush.

Polyurethane/ urethane resin – UR, urethane resin, and conformal coatings are the other typical coating you will find. They are popular because of their excellent chemical and moisture resistance. The coatings are also resistant to solvents and abrasions; hence their removal is very difficult. To remove, you must use specialized solvents and soak for a long time before agitating using a brush or ultrasonic bath, as with silicone resin. They make the perfect coatings for aerospace applications because exposure to fuel vapors is not a concern for them.

For more about what is conformal coating for electronics,you can pay a visit to DeepMaterial at https://www.epoxyadhesiveglue.com/category/epoxy-conformal-coating/ for more info.