Re: Pcb cleaning

[skimask]

I'm trying to understand what is typically done to clean and dry pcb's.
I'm using a water soluable solder paste from Stencils Unlimited.
http://www.stencilsunlimited.com/pro...roducts_id=179
After soldering, I use soapy water with a tooth brush to remove the flux residue. This works pretty well and is similiar to the much suggested
"just put the pcb's in the dishwasher to clean them"
But then how best to safely dry them? I've read that using compressed air is good enough?
Or should they be dried in the oven for a day or two at a low temperature ~ 80 to 90 celsius?
Thanks,
Steve

From what I got from that class I went to last year, as far as cleaning paste, flux, etc, the 2M level 2 answer is and always has been iso-alcohol. But then again, this isn't a space station manufacturing facility
As far as drying the PCB's, now that answer, according to the books and the old guys at the school, has always been 120F-140F in an oven overnight. PCBs, parts, components, whatever.
Something else I didn't realize until I went to that class...
Say I go out and buy a package of 100 PIC's tomorrow, doesn't matter which type, may as well be 100 pack of 10K 1/4 watt resistors. Well, turns out those things are only supposed to be laying around for a limited time, especially with IC's. Moisture collects, rust starts, and so on and so on...hence the baking before using them.
I dunno...sometimes it all seems like magic...

[Steve_88]

Skimask,

Thanks that is very helpful.

Regarding pre baking the parts to remove moisture, this makes sense.

I'm always interested in what the "old school folks" do, in fact I'm probably considered one of those "old folks"

Now if we could use PBPro to create an anti aging system......lol

Regards

[falingtrea]

FYI, part baking is required for parts used in IR solder systems, if they have been unsealed for a certain length of time. Any moisture in the part could cause case cracking when that part is raised to 260C very quickly, as is done in an IR soldering system.

As for drying boards after cleaning, they could be air dried without any problems, if you have the time. Oven drying is really only necessary if you are planning to conformal coat the boards or if you need them dry real quick. Time is money on an assembly line.