In a message dated 6/18/98 6:59:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Technetters,
>  After routing stage the PCBs are washed to remove dust , fingerprints etc .
>  Normally , this is done using washing machine fitted with hot water rinse ,
>  soft brushes , high pressure rinse , DI rinse and dryer . As long as the
PCB
>  is bigger than , say , 7" by 4" , we have no problems . Probles are with
>  really small boards such as 2" by 3" or even less .
>  What kind of washing machines are used for such small boards ?
>  Edward Szpruch
>  Eltek Ltd - Israel
>  Tel  972 3 9395050
>  Fax 972 3 9309581
>  E-mail :  [log in to unmask]

Hello Ed,

     Normally what I've done in the past (and what I'm having to do now), is
getting some stainless steel wire baskets made to place the boards in. Made of
a heavy enough gage stainless wire that it'll be able to take the abuse and
give it some weight so that it doesn't fly about inside the cleaner like small
boards do when trying to wash them individually.

     That's one thing that seems to be a bit of a headache with the newer
aqueous cleaners...along with the added cleaning power that the 10-15
horsepower washer pumps and drying blowers bring in the latest generation
cleaners, the problem is trying to keep the darn things from bouncing around
like a ping-pong ball inside the cleaner. They do have double mesh belt
systems out that do capture the boards preventing that from happening, but
they've got their problems too...getting tangled and jamming, boards getting
caught in it and taking them back into the machine to follow the belt around a
bunch of rollers nicely stressing the solder joints...

     Baskets are about the only thing I've found that works...

                         -Steve Gregory-

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