The company I worked for during the 1990's used Crest Ultrasonic cleaning
equipment. The electronic manufacturing process methods were originally
designed by experts from Rockwell International in the late 1970s and early
1980s. The products carried a 10 year warranty.
I was their Quality Manager. I tracked electronic failure data through
collected over 30 years. 
There were only two instance of failures induced by Ultrasonic cleaning,
both related to a failure of the amplifiers which caused the transducers to
output too much energy. This damaged reed switches and reed relays. These
were not latent failures.

Guy

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gregg Owens
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 2:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] ULtrasonic Cleaning of PCBAs

Dear Technetters:

I have been posed a question that I don't have much experience with other
than general knowledge. It there an ultrasonic cleaner system/setting
available that can clean printed circuit assemblies (yes will electronic
components)?  With some pending designs there is a concern that our board
houses will be able to sufficiently clean (deflux) under bottom only
components/BGA style components. I know from the standards that ultrasonic
cleaning is typically limited to bare boards so as to not damage internal
interconnections/wire bonds. But I am wondering if there is a low setting
available to agitate the solution while not destroy/damage components?

Your thoughts are most appreciated.

Gregg Owens
Technical Writer - Avionics
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
1 Rocket Road | Hawthorne | CA | 90250
[log in to unmask]

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