Interesting question Doug
 
1) My mental image is that it is that the term is related to processing  
and potting is most often done atmospherically, with occasional vacuum  assist 
and encapsulation under pressure but it is pretty fungible with  lots of 
fuzziness between the two. A potted assembly is definitely encapsulated  when 
finished. 
 
2) Likely? Yes but don't know where
 
3) Thickness of the coating seems reasonable but don't know where to draw  
the line. 250 micron? 100? 500? Perhaps a percentage of total  thickness? 
5%? 10%?
 
4) In neither (or both depending on process). The other  two generally 
provide complete coverage of the device or assembly  underfill is by definition 
partial.     
 
Joe   
 
 
In a message dated 6/4/2009 11:33:27 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Good  afternoon all,

All this talk of underfill sparked a reminder of an IPC  action item of 
mine.  Unknownst to most of you , I signed you all up  on some of my 
committees.  There will be a new task group addressing  potting and 
encapsulation, which will meet at the Fall IPC.  We  already have conformal 
coat task groups. 

So, I wish to initiate a  series of questions and illuminating debate. 
Pardon me if I fall short on  the illumination part (leave it alone Dewey).

1.  What would you  consider to be a definition of "potting" and a 
definition of  "encapsulation"? 

2.  Are there standard definitions for these  somewhere?  They don't exist 
in IPC as far as I know.

3.   What would you consider to be the boundary between conformal coating 
and  "potting or encapsulation"?  I have my own opinions but want to hear  
yours.

4.  In what class would you consider an underfill to be  in?

That's enough homework for now. 

Doug Pauls
Rockwell  Collins

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