Wade: Do a SIR test on your flux/paste whatever you are using. If you have surface mount and wavesolder operation, then run a SIR for SMT paste, a SIR for wavesolder, and if you have mixed technology you should do a SIR using all elements of your process. Some customers want cleaning no matter what kind of flux you are using do to the nature of the product (we have this situation). You can use an omega meter. If you passed SIR testing, process some test boards the same way and check them using your omegameter. Clean the boards and check them in the omegameter. This will give you a baseline of what kind of cleanliness to expect. We have product that does not require cleaning and product that does require cleaning even though we are using a No-clean and Low-residue technology. We also eliminated two large inline cleaners and a host of other items like fire suppression at wave, flux thinner, etc., by going to a No-clean/Low-residue soldering solution. We still have a cleaner and still use it a lot. We do have an omegameter at the end of the cleaner and we use it as well. Sir test to qualify the flux and SIR test to qualify your process. I believe it's IPC-650 has the information for SIR testing. Personally, I called Robisan Labs and ask questions to Susan Mansilla before wasting a lot of dummy parts, boards, my time, money, and Robisan's time. You can also call Contamination Studies Labs and talk to one of the Ionic Blues Brothers (Doug Pauls I believe is into SIR testing). CSL's Terry Munson provided us with a lot of up front info on No-clean/Low-residue before we started. Another great resource is Dave Hillman, at Rockwell Collins. Ron Hollandsworth Ops Task Leader AME Group ITT A/CD ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ##############################################################