Fellow Techies,

Hope someone out there can help with this one:

We have a customer with a number of VERY EXPENSIVE assemblies onto which has been put some peelable latex masking material. (NOT OURS BTW!)

These assemblies were then placed into an oven at 80Deg C (175Deg F - 176 for those who want precision :>) ) overnight. Unfortunately the fan in the oven broke so they were exposed to 130 Deg C for some time, estimated at 6 hours.

As you might imagine, this has not done the latex any good at all. It pretty much resembles the gum you leave on the bedpost overnight (for 5 days!).

We have tried up to and including MEK solvent without success. Of course we tried peeling it - but, having lost its molecular bond, it fragments too easily.

As if that was not enough of a problem, it is inside through hole vias and empty sockets into which they must place some other leaded components and then solder them.

Can anyone out there come up with a solution (liquid or metaphysical) that will allow total removal? Rudy, you got any suggestions?

Regards,
Graham Naisbitt

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