The short answer to this is ; The use of a nitrogen blanket in the wave solder process has several advantages. One is the increased "wetting" of solder in an inert atmosphere - this is important with the use of a no-clean flux which is less active than a normal rosin flux, so the nitrogen helps make up for this inactivity. The result is a lower defect rate in the process. Also, the nitrogen inhibits the formation of dross in the solder pot, a material cost and maintenance savings. The tradeoff to all of these good things is increased cost. The initial capital investment for an inerted machine is higher as well as higher operating cost for the nitrogen itself. -----Original Message----- From: Terry Huddleston <mailto:[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]> [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 1998 11:42 AM To: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] ASSY: Use of No Clean Flux in a Nitrogen Atmosphere? No-clean flux for wave soldering process with the presence of Nitrogen atmosphere . What are the advantages and disadvantages ? Any cost impact associated with this process ? Any solder quality output issues if Nitrogen jacket is not used ? Thanks Terry Huddleston Product Assurance Manager Teledyne Lewisburg Phone: (931) 359-4531 FAX: (931) 359-4978 ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [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://jefry.ipc.org/forum.htm> http://jefry.ipc.org/forum.htm) for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################ ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum 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://jefry.ipc.org/forum.htm) for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################