Technical Bulletin December

 

  What is UV Radiation?
 

 
Ultra-violet radiation forms part of the
  electromagnetic spectrum and is invisible to the
naked eye. The wave length of UV radiation
  varies from 100-400nm, finishing in the blue
portion of visible light.
 
In terms of energy output, the shorter the
 
wavelength of the UV radiation the higher the
  energy of the light. These energy levels can be
subdivided into 4 specific regions: What is Humiseal UV 40 and how does it differ
  to solvent and water based coatings?
UVA-Radiation (400-315nm)
  UVB-Radiation (315-280nm)

  UVC-Radiation (280-200nm) Humiseal UV 40 is a single part conformal coating

VUV-Radiation (200-100nm)
  What type of UV light is used in Conformal
Coating Inspection?
 
  The UV lamps used in the IB100 and 101 booths
for conformal coating inspection is UVA
  radiation. These lamps filter the majority of visible
light leaving only UVA radiation which is perfectly
safe when correctly positioned in the booths.
 
that cures with UV radiation and therefore can
be instantly cured if the right light source is used.
Unfortunately, the UV radiation needed differs
from UVA lamps used in our inspection systems
which will not cure the coating.
The UV light neded for curing UV 40 is a mix of
UVA, UVB and most importantly UVC. However,
UVC radiation can be dangerous if exposure is
not controlled. Therefore, UVC must be
contained within a suitable system with
safeguards against exposure. UV Cure conveyors
like the systems SCH offer are built to ensure
exposure is avoided.

 
What do we provide?
  SCH Technologies can offer conformal coating services, equipment, consultation and
Humiseals great range of conformal coating materials. We will be happy to answer any of your
  questions and we’ve got the experience to solve any of your conformal coating headaches.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with the details on the following page and we’ll help to ease the
pain of conformal coating.  

 
   
UV 40 contains no solvents or water within it
 
meaning 100% of the product is coating and the
product is classed solventless. Therefore, one of  
the advantages is that what you deposit when
coating is what remains after curing.  

You could spray a wet film thickness of 100  

microns (0.1 mm) down and for solvent and
water based coatings, the solvent and water
“evaporate” leaving a thinner dry film thickness
of approx 30-40 microns. The rest of the coating
has volatized off into the atmosphere and is
wasted.
Once cured the UV 40 coating is extremely
There is no evaporation with UV40 so if you coat
flexible compared to other UV coatings. This
100 microns it dries 100 microns. Therefore, waste
makes it almost unique. Normal UV coatings
is minimized.
have poor flexibility and so can crack.
Another important factor for the UV 40 coating is
UV 40 doesn’t crack under the typical stress trials
its very effective secondary cure mechanism. This
that are carried out. It also has excellent
means the coating can cure without the aid of
chemical resistance so is ideal to stop chemical
UV light. This is important because of shadowing
attack.
effects which can be detrimental in UV materials.
This means UV40 is a very important material for
If you coat a PCB with UV 40 some coating could
the high volume markets like the automotive
get into areas where there is no way the UV light
industry with advantages such as speed of cure
can get to it for curing. The coating is effectively
and no solvents.
in shadow from the UV radiation. The coating
could then stay liquid which is not ideal!. Do I need a conveyorised UV cure system to
Therefore, a secondary cure mechanism is process my UV 40 material?
critical to ensure correct processing.

For UV 40, the secondary cure mechanism is

moisture from the air causing the coating to cure
within a sensible timeframe.
Ideally you do due to the nature of the UV light
source needed to cure the coating. The UV light
is highly focused in a small strip / area and the
conveyor moves the PCB past the light, curing
the coating successfully. If you use a less intense
static light box it has a more diffuse strength due
to it having to cure a larger area all at once and
is slower at curing the coating. This in turn means
the coating has a different reaction and can
cure unsuccessfully.

SCH Technologies is a Trading Name of SCH Services Limited

Newburgh Building, McLintock Way, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. S70 6BF
Tel: +44 (0)1226 297711 Fax: +44 (0)1226 297733
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