Methods for cleaning flux from PCBs

During the manufacturing process of circuit boards, it is often necessary to use flux to better connect electronic components. However, after using, to ensure the normal operation of the circuit board, it is necessary to clean it.

Method of cleaning

1. Traditional cleaning methods

The traditional cleaning method is to use solvents or cleaning fluids to clean the flux on the board, but this method sometimes leads to residues that affect the performance and stability of the board.

2. Water washing method

Water washing is the most common cleaning method. It uses pure water or deionized water to clean the flux. This method is simple, easy to implement, and also relatively low-cost. However, water washing may cause damage to some PCBs and components, such as water accumulation on the solder pads and pins of the components, leading to circuit short circuits or corrosion.

3. Dry ice cleaning method

The dry ice cleaning method is a non-contact cleaning method that uses dry ice particles as the cleaning medium and utilizes the low-temperature and high-speed impact force of dry ice to clean the soldering flux on circuit boards. Due to the extremely low temperature of dry ice, the flux can be frozen into a solid state in a short period and then removed from the circuit board through high-speed impact force. This method will not leave any residue and will not cause harm to the circuit board and the environment.

4. Ion cleaning

Ion cleaning is a high-tech cleaning method that uses ion beams to clean PCB surfaces. Ion beams have high energy and speed, which can remove dirt and flux from the surface of PCBs. This method has an excellent cleaning effect and will not cause damage to PCBs and components. However, ion cleaning equipment is expensive and requires professional equipment and technical support.

5. Solvent cleaning

Solvent cleaning is an efficient cleaning method. It uses chemical solvents to dissolve the flux and then rinses or sprays it off. Although this method can quickly and effectively clean the flux, the cost of solvents is high, and special attention needs to be paid to safety when using them.

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