The reason that epoxy is used for this sort of application is that it is
proof against most things for a long service life. The chemical strippers
which remove epoxies are therefore powerful and indiscriminate and likely to
chomp through other polymers that they happen to meet. After removal
cleaning has to be total or you won't be able to rebuild and this is an
issue you need to think about.

Encapuslant suppliers, conformal coating houses also supply removal
chemicals/strippers, these are usually mixtures of powerful solvents such as
methylene chloride phenols acids etc. They usually work by either softening
and swelling the polymer so you can pick it off or chemically attacking it
to dissolve it.

The alternative is mechanical abrasion. There are machines available which
have fine directed abrasive jets. You use them like unpeeling an onion so
there is reasonable control.


Regards

Mike Fenner

Applications Engineer, European Operations
Indium Corporation
T: + 44 1908 580 400
M: + 44 7810 526 317
F: + 44 1908 580 411
E: [log in to unmask]
W: www.indium.com
Pb-free: www.Pb-Free.com



-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Donald
Vischulis
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 7:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Epoxy Removal


I need some quick suggestions.  I have a sensor assembly (metal body) with
epoxy potting covering a header and wire terminations.  The termination area
is potted in epoxy, and the volume is about the size of a sewing thimble.
The wires require rework.  Is there a way to remove the epoxy to get to the
wire terminations?

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Don Vischulis

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