Apr 09, 2015 
Aqueous Technologies, a manufacturer of fully automated cleaning / defluxing machines and cleanliness testing equipment, announces that its CEO Michael Konrad presented during the recent SMTA Intermountain Expo at Boise State University. Mr. Konrad presented “Low Standoffs, High Densities, and High Reflow Technologies. The Challenges of Modern Day Cleaning.”
Over the past several years, and for an increasing number of electronic assemblers, contamination removal from post-reflow circuit assemblies has transitioned from an “optional” to a “mandatory” process. Ironically, as more assemblies require cleaning, the process of contamination removal has become increasingly challenging.
Higher component densities, lower stand-off component stand-off heights and higher reflow temperatures have combined forces that make it both important to remove contamination and difficult to do so. This presentation addressed conventional cleaning challenges associated with modern assembly and component designs as well as the chemical and mechanical designs required to meet this challenge.
Modern assembly designs not only dictate new approaches to cleaning, they also change cleanliness testing criteria. The cleanliness “pass/fail” criteria used since the 1970’s is, for many assemblers, outdated.
Michael Konrad is an SMT Advisory Board member and President of Aqueous Technologies. Konrad was a member of IPC’s Stencil Cleaning Task Group, contributing to the IPC-7526 Stencil and Misprinted Board Cleaning Handbook and IPC 5-31Cleaning Handbook.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Corona, CA, Aqueous Technologies is a manufacturer of aqueous cleaning / defluxing systems. Aqueous Technologies manufactures batch-format aqueous cleaning/defluxing systems as well as ionic contamination (cleanliness) testing equipment. Aqueous Technologies also manufactures ultrasonic stencil cleaning systems. Aqueous Technologies’ products have won more than 40 major industry awards. Visit the company on the Web at www.aqueoustech.com.
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