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Selecting Cleaning Processes for Defluxing
Production Floor |
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Authored By:Michael C. Savidakis, Ph.D., Jay Soma, Ph.D., Robert Sell, Christine Fouts, Ph.D. Petroferm Inc., Gurnee, Illinois USA TranscriptElectronics manufacturing process engineers are faced with significant challenges when selecting a cleaning system as a consequence of the wide range of cleaning processes and equipment. Currently available cleaning systems include aqueous processes, semi-aqueous processes, mono-solvent vapor degreasing and co-solvent vapor degreasing. Equipment options include inline, batch, centrifugal and ultrasonic immersion. When matching the right process with the right equipment for a specific application, many other factors must be considered including performance, capital expense, (safety, health and environmental restrictions), throughput, available floor space, chemical compatibility, operating costs and maintenance costs. An analysis of the total cost of ownership of a cleaning process is an important step in choosing the right process. This analysis helps identify the lifetime costs of acquiring, maintaining and operating a process. This paper also discusses the factors, advantages and disadvantages that should be considered for each of the commonly used processes in the electronics cleaning industry to help determine the total cost of ownership. So what were the conclusions? Even though the total cost per year for high-volume operations using inline cleaning equipment are substantially higher than low-volume operations using batch equipment, the total capital cost per board can be lower for inline systems. However, the operating costs per board for an inline system is generally higher than for batch operations. If high throughput is not required, mono-solvent batch vapor degreasing offers the lowest total cost per board amongst the processes evaluated, followed by aqueous batch cleaning. If high throughput is required, both the aqueous and semi-aqueous processes offer similar total cost per board. The total cost per board for the batch co-solvent process is high due to the expensive fluorinated solvents used in the process. However, new fluorinated solvents offering similar performance are now available at lower prices. SummaryElectronics manufacturing process engineers are faced with significant challenges when selecting a cleaning system as a consequence of the wide ranges of cleaning processes and equipment. Currently available cleaning systems include aqueous processes, semi-aqueous processes, monosolvent vapor degreasing and co-solvent vapor degreasing; while equipment options include inline, batch, centrifugal and ultrasonic immersion. When matching the right process with the right equipment for a specific application, many other factors must be considered including performance, capital expense, SHE (safety, health and environmental) restrictions, throughput, available floor space, chemical compatibility and operating costs and maintenance costs. An analysis of the total cost of ownership of a cleaning process is an important step in choosing the right process. This analysis helps identify the lifetime costs of acquiring, maintaining and operating a process. This paper discusses the factors, advantages and disadvantages that should be considered for each of the commonly used processes in the electronics cleaning industry to help determine the total cost of ownership. ConclusionsEven though the total cost/year for high-volume operations using inline cleaning equipment are substantially higher than low-volume operations using batch equipment, the total capital cost/board can be lower for inline systems. However, the operating costs/board for an inline is generally higher than for batch operations. If high throughput is not required, the monosolvent batch vapor degreasing offers the lowest total cost/board amongst the processes evaluated, followed by aqueous batch cleaning If high throughput is required, both the aqueous and semi-aqueous processes offer similar total cost/board. The total cost/board for the batch co-solvent process is high due to the expensive fluorinated solvents used in the process. However, new fluorinated solvents offering similar performance are now available at lower prices. Initially Published in the IPC Proceedings |
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