Being able to determine the cause of corrosion on a printed circuit board assembly will allow you to be able to both clean up the corrosion and prevent further issues from arising. Contamination can be caused from a variety of sources, including packaging, installation, the environment and the application itself. There are a number of steps that you can take to find the culprit on your PCB and remove it. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) can help determine the elemental composition of the corrosion. When you are able to identify the chemicals present in the corroded area and compare them to those that you expect to be present in the soldermask you can use process of elimination to find the offending elements. This will allow you to take the necessary corrective action to fix your circuit board.

Understanding the Composition of Your PCB

Working with materials that are not harmful to the environment is extremely important in order to conserve resources and energy associated with PCB production. Contacting your PCB manufacturer and assembly company will allow you to get information on lead-free initiatives and the assembly process so that you can be sure you get the PCBs you need that will work as designed in your application. The type of laminate and board material you use for your circuit boards can also help you meet industry regulations and applicable laws in your area. Contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today to get more information about the composition of your printed circuit boards and see ways that you can benefit from more environmentally friendly options.