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 --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ----------------------------------------------------- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: This email, its content and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may be legally privileged and/or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient please delete and contact the sender by return and delete the material from any computer. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. Messages sent via this medium may be subject to delays, non-delivery and unauthorized alteration. This email has been prepared using information believed by the author to be reliable and accurate, but Indium Corporation makes no warranty as to accuracy or completeness. In particular, Indium Corporation does not accept responsibility for changes made to this email after it was sent. Any opinions or recommendations expressed herein are solely those of the author. They may be subject to change without notice. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------