Test Boards for Cleanliness and Conformal Coating

Practical Components offers the following PCB Test boards for printed wiring assemblies materials for process qualification evaluations.

The Practical Components B-52 CRET (Cleanliness & Residue Evaluation Test) board is designed to help determine the ionic cleanliness of a customers manufacturing process. The test board follows guidelines associated with the IPC-B-52 Test Vehicle. There are several different ways to measure residues and their effects on electrical performances, the two most common in the industry are ionic cleanliness testing, for determination of ionic residues, and surface insulation resistance (SIR) testing, for the evaluation of electrochemical failures in humid environments.

Of the various methods for determination of ionic residues, the method of choice is ion chromatography, which determines both the type of ionic residue and the amount of the residue. The IPC method for ion chromatography is IPC-TM-650, method 2.3.28. For SIR testing, the most modern test method, involving frequent of continuous monitoring, is IPC-TM-650, method 2.6.3.7. Consequently, a test vehicle was needed which could be used for both ion chromatography and surface insulation resistance testing, but which was more representative of mainstream manufacturing materials and process.