Hi Ron - We have run into the same "opportunity"! As part of our transition from RMA type fluxes to low residue materials there was a point when both materials were on the factory floor (and there are still a few holdouts that still have an RMA flux pen stashed away for use!). As part of our compatibility testing we looked at what would happen if the RMA and low residue materials ended up mixing and found no problems. We have phased in low residue flux pens that perform the same function as the old RMA pens and it was not too tough to get acceptance on the factory floor. The easy test is to run an SIR coupon that has a RMA/low residue mix on it that has seen your process flow (i.e. duplicate the factory situation) - that will give you some proof that there are no compatibility issues After going through the RMA to low residue conversion I really have to laugh at what we (well, military assemblers anyway) lived with for so long. We could only use RMA type fluxes because the activators were not aggressive enough to cause corrosion and the Rosin portion of the flux would "trap" the activators that didn't decompose during soldering. Yet, there was always a requirement to clean flux off of the assemblies and leave no residue - talk about a strange logic sequence! Low residue materials are more process sensitive but definitely have advantages over RMA's in the assembly process. Good luck with your transition. Dave Hillman Rockwell Collins [log in to unmask] ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: subject: Flux Marking Pens & No-clean Process Author: [log in to unmask] at ccmgw1 Date: 2/11/97 9:17 AM Good Morning TechNet! I would like to submit a question to the forum members using No-clean/Low-residue fluxes. Are any of you using flux marking pens to identify defects? If so, how are you removing the flux from the marking pen? My delimena, I think, is, if I am in the process of removing inline cleaners by moving to No-clean/Low-residue fluxes, yet, I use a RMA type flux pen to mark a defect that will need to be cleaned off, then it would seem I am defeating my purpose of No-clean/Low-residue flux transition. Has anyone any experience on this? Can you leave the marks on the CCA? If so do you have any data to show no electromigration/dendritic growth/fungus growth or problems long term from Hallides ...etc...? I would appreciate some discussion since I know there is quite a bit of valuable experience out there in cyberspace. Thanks in advance for your inputs. Ron Hollandsworth [log in to unmask] IR&D Operations Task Leader ITT Aerospace/Communication Division *************************************************************************** * TechNet mail list is provided as a service by IPC using SmartList v3.05 * *************************************************************************** * To unsubscribe from this list at any time, send a message to: * * [log in to unmask] with <subject: unsubscribe> and no text. * *************************************************************************** * If you are having a problem with the IPC TechNet forum please contact * * Dmitriy Sklyar at 847-509-9700 ext. 311 or email at [log in to unmask] * *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** * TechNet mail list is provided as a service by IPC using SmartList v3.05 * *************************************************************************** * To unsubscribe from this list at any time, send a message to: * * [log in to unmask] with <subject: unsubscribe> and no text. * *************************************************************************** * If you are having a problem with the IPC TechNet forum please contact * * Dmitriy Sklyar at 847-509-9700 ext. 311 or email at [log in to unmask] * ***************************************************************************