3) There are several papers on the safety of cleaning PCBs and ICs using ultrasonic technology. The latest is in the October 2004 issue of SMT magazine by William Kenyon, "Why Not Ultrasonics?" Most of the studies have been performed by Dr. B.P. Richards of GEC Marconi and the EMPF Lab.
Dr. Richards published a report in Circuit World, Vol. 18, No. 4, "The Effects of Ultrasonic Cleaning on Device Degradation - Quartz Crystal Devices." In his conclusion he states "...ultrasonic cleaning of boards containing such devices can be undertaken, but with some caution." I have these articles in electronic format. If you would like a copy, send me an e-mail.
A good summary of the precautionary cleaning parameters can be found at the following URL: http://www.smartsonic.com/news.html
Regards, Bill Schreiber Smart Sonic Stencil Cleaning Systems Tel: 1(818) 610-7900 E-mail: bill@smartsonic.com
Web: http://www.smartsonic.com
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