ELEC 6740 Electronics
Manufacturing:
Chapter 13 – Flux & Cleaning
R. Wayne Johnson
Alumni Professor
Auburn University
334-844-1880
[email protected]
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Flux
3. Contaminants
4. Selection of cleaning methods
5. Cleaning processes & equipment
6. Cleanliness Test Methods & Requirements
7. Design for cleaning
Introduction
! Flux residue
" Cleaning dependent on flux type
" Clean:
# Water soluble organic acid fluxes
# Rosin based fluxes with halides
# Resin based fluxes with halides
" Cleaning optional
# Rosin based fluxes without halides
# Resin based fluxes without halides
Cleaning Difficulty
Cleaning Difficulty
Function of flux
! To chemically react with oxides and quickly
produce a fresh, tarnish-free surface at
soldering temperatures so that intermetallic
bonding can take place
! To prevent re-oxidation during the sodlering
cycle
Flux Classification
! L = low or no flux/flux residue activity
! M = Moderate flux/flux residue activity
! H = High flux/flux residue activity
Flux Classification
Inorganic fluxes
! Hydrochloric acid
! Hydrofluoric acid
! Stannous chloride
! Sodium fluoride
! Potassium fluoride
! Zinc chloride
! Not used for electronics assembly!!!!
Organic Acids
! Citric acid
! Lactic acid
! Oleic acid
! Stronger than rosin fluxes
! Require cleaning, aqueous or semi-aqueous
! Can be used for military applications
Rosin Fluxes
! Extracted from the stumps or bark of pine trees
! C19H29COOH
! Abietic acid (70-85%)
! Pimaric Acids (10-15%)
! Rosin fluxes are inactive at room temperature but
become active when heated to soldering
temperatures
! The melting point of the rosin is 172-175oC
Rosin Fluxes
RCO2H + MX $ RCO2M + HX
RCO2H = is the rosin in the flux
M = Sn, Pb or Cu
X = oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate
Rosin Fluxes
Rosin Fluxes
! Rosin fluxes (R and RMA) do not have to be
cleaned, especially if halide free
! Sticky and can attract particles
! Residue can impact bed of nails testing
" Penetration of probe
" Coating probe
Low Residue or No-Clean
Fluxes & Solder Pastes (Resin)
Low Residue or No-Clean
Fluxes & Solder Pastes (Resin)
! Resin content varies from 1-35%
" Solids content
! High solids content $ more residue
! Low solids content resin fluxes leave no
visible residue
Low Residue or No-Clean
Fluxes & Solder Pastes (Resin)
! Generally not as aggressive as rosin fluxes
! Boards need to be handled properly to avoid
contamination
! Boards should be used FIFO to minimize storage
time (aging of finish)
! Solder balling more of a problem especially with
wave soldering
! Compatibility of flux with solder mask and finish
must be determined
Low Residue or No-Clean
Fluxes & Solder Pastes (Resin)
! Impact of residue on bed-of-nails testing
" Similar to rosin fluxes
! Compatibility with conformal caotings must
be determined
" Conformal coatings are typically silicone or
urethane coatings dipped or sprayed onto the
board surface after assembly to provide
environmental protection in the field
Contaminants
Contaminants
! Particulates ! Nonpolar (cont.)
" Dust " Oil used in wave soldering
" Lint " Greas or oil from palcement
" Solder balls of insertion equipment
! Nonpolar " Hand lotions or makeup
" Release agents on
" Rosin residues
components
" Synthetic resin
" Insoluble inorganic
" Organic compounds from compounds (oxidation
low residue/no-clean flux products)
formulations
" Rheologoical additives to
" Plasticizers from core flux solder paste
Contaminants & Solvents
Polar Contaminants
! Residues that form ions when dissolved in
water
" Salts
# NaCl
" Halides
" Acids
! Increase the conductivity of water
Polar Contaminants
! Main cause of electromigration
" Produces dendritic growth between conductors
and causes shorts
" Requires:
# A voltage difference between conductors
# The presence of moisture
# Ionic material
Polar Contaminants
! Corrosion
" Pb + ½O2 = PbO
" PbO +2HCl = PbCl2 + H2O
" PbCl2 + H2O + CO2 = PbCO3 + 2HCl
" CuO + 2HCl =CuCl2 + H2O
Environmentally Harmful
Solvents
CFC Phase-out
Other Selection Considerations
! Economics of usage
" Materials costs
" Equipment cost
" Energy cost
" Disposal/treatment costs
! In-house technical expertise
! Compatibility with equipment & components
Other Selection Considerations
! Performance
! Surface tension
" Gaps and spacings
! Streaking properties
! Odor
! Boiling point
! Flash point
! Fire hazard
Cleaning
Cleaning Chemicals
Batch Solvent Cleaner
Semi-aqueous Batch Cleaner
Three Stage Semi-aqueous
Batch Cleaner
Semi-aqueous Batch Cleaner
In-line Semi-aqueous Cleaner
Effectiveness of Aqueous
Detergents
Effectiveness of Aqueous
Detergents
Effectiveness of Aqueous
Detergents
Chelation
! Chelation is a process mwhereby an insoluble
product is dissolved with the aid of a complexant
! EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and its
sodium salts are typical chelating agents
! Chelation is used to dissolve heavy metal salts
which are otherwise insoluble in water
! The resultant complex or chelate is water soluble
Closed loop Design
with/without Chelating Agent
Aqueous Cleaner
Cleanliness Test Methods
! Visual inspection
" 2-10X microscope
! Solvent extraction
" Test solvent alcohol and deionized water
" Using agitation, submerge board into solvent mixture to
dissolve contaminants
" Measure the NaCl equivalent in the solvent per square
inch of board area
" J-STD-001 requires less than 10.06µg NaCl equivalent
per square inch
Cleanliness Test Methods
! Surface Insulation Resistance
! J-STD-001
! IPC-T-650 Test Method
SIR Test Patterns
SIR Test Patterns
SIR Test Patterns
Effect of Humidity on
Insulation Resistance
SIR Test Conditions
Bare Board Cleanliness
Example Results
Example Results
