The Science Lab
How to Find the Right Balance with Your Cleaning Chemistry
Total Balance: is having the right amount -not too much or too little- of any quality, which leads to harmony or evenness. It is a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. The first and most important variable to look at is “what exactly are you cleaning.” Are you cleaning flux, solder paste, do you have particulate to remove? Are the soils organic or inorganic in nature?
Next you should consider these four important process variables: Time, Energy, Solvency and Temperature. Even small adjustments to these process variables can improve your cleaning and reliability outcomes. To help remember what the process variables that are in your control are, use the acronym T.E.S.T. All of these are critical factors to consider when getting your cleaning process balanced, effective and repeatable.
A balanced cleaning agent doesn’t just happen. It is built very intentionally with each building block serving a purpose and enhancing the effectiveness of the others. When choosing a balanced cleaning agent, check to see that it employs a good solvency package and functional additives such as: defoamers, buffers and inhibition technology.
A truly balanced cleaning agent:
- Is capable of removing all residues
- Is compatible with all materials present
- Will completely remove ionic contamination
- Is matched to the cleaning machine
- Is stable and effective for weeks if not months
- Is environmentally safe
- Is cost effective
When looking for the best cleaning agent, something to keep in mind is that a mild alkaline, balanced chemistry is much more stable as flux load increases. You should also consider the challenges of any cleaning process such as entrapment under fine pitch leadless components, longer wash times, material incompatibilities, bath life, and rinsing. To achieve cleaning stability in production you must look at developing process parameters that supply the same level of cleanliness on day thirty, day sixty, and day ninety as they did on day one. And, when looking to find the right balance with your cleaning chemistry, it is vital to keep all these things in mind. Luckily, KYZEN is here to answer all questions that might arise during this process. We are here to help find the best-balanced cleaning chemistry that works for you.
Additionally, learn more about finding the right balance with your cleaning chemistry the first time directly from a KYZEN cleaning expert; watch this Tech 2 Tech session by Global Key Accounts Manager, Jody Saultz.
How Clean is Clean? And How Can, You Be Sure?
Why would anyone consider cleaning in an era of no-clean? The main reason cleaning is so fundamentally important is because ionic contamination can cause dendrites which then in turn cause shorts that lead to device failure. This may seem like a simple nuisance, but is serious and in some cases, even life-threatening. Having the right test method to understand and know what is going on before a failure can happen is an excellent idea.
There are several common methods that are called out by IPC standards:
- Visual
- ROSE Testing
- Ion Chromatography
- Surface Insulation Resistance
Visual may seem like an obvious method, or maybe not. We look at everything we make, but can that really be considered a test method? Yes, it can! While this may not be the best method out of the four previously mentioned when an inspector spots a problem, they can immediately act on solving the issue. With this method there is room for more errors…we are only human after all.
ROSE Testing uses a more scientific approach. The ROSE test has been around for a very long time but is under further review because how the science is applicable to what we are doing to find contaminants is changing because the flux people are evolving.
Ion Chromatography is another solid scientific testing method. When we are analyzing, it means we are trying to understand what is really going on. Typical IC methods focus on the whole board rather than a specific site.
Surface Insulation Resistance uses highly respected science and typically gets required for process validation. That seems to be the highest recognition of its effectiveness as well as applicability.
Overall, there are a variety of testing methods that can be used, but the best approach to ensure your parts are clean is to back up and really look at what is being measured. You must understand the fundamental science, and ask yourself, “Is this solving what we are worried about?”.
More information about How Clean is Clean can be found in this T2T video. Watch it here or feel free to reach out to one of our cleaning experts.
Meet Your Clean Team
Jason Chan- Global Product Line Manager- Semiconductor
Jason Chan is the Global Product Line Manager for KYZEN’s Semiconductor segment. Jason and his family are from Taoyuan Taiwan where he currently lives and plans to stay. Jason received his master’s degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. He married his wife Tina in 2012 and shares two twins with her, Jessie and Brady. Even though they are twins and share the same mom and dad, they have drastically different personalities. Jessie is extremely outgoing, and brave, and enjoys trying new things. On the other hand, Brady is quiet and sensitive.
Some of Jason’s favorite hobbies include hanging out with his friends and family while having a nice meal. He enjoys BBQing and fishing in some of Taiwan’s pristine streams! In his alone time, you can find him watching movies or enjoying some music. While he is in the semiconductor segment now, he majored in construction engineering and computer information system during his time at school. He soon became dedicated to the chemical business in the semiconductor market.
Jason has been a member of the KYZEN team since November 2010! While at KYZEN, Jason has worn many hats. He has held positions that have involved sales, technical aspects, marketing, and product line manager. He says, “Different roles bring different challenges and those drive me to grow. However, the thing that has never changed is the ability to meet customers’ needs and help them improve based on the job function”.
Feel free to reach out to Jason Chan with any cleaning questions you might have.
Jody Saultz- Global Key Accounts Manager
Jody Saultz is KYZEN’s Global Key Accounts Manager and has been with us for three years. He is from Missouri and is a big family guy. Jody has two sons and six grandchildren! Some of his favorite things to do include hunting, fishing, and spending quality time with his family.
Some other fun things to know about Jody is he tried out for three major league baseball teams right out of high school. Was an avid racer of dirt track modified cars and he was once lost in the Colorado Mountains for over eight hours!… (if you are wondering he was found safe and sound.).
Jody brings over 30 years of cleaning experience to his position and enjoys solving problems for our customers. Being a team player, he is often called on to troubleshoot problems no matter where in the world they may occur. Jody is a valued member of the KYZEN Clean Team, and we are happy to have someone with such diverse interests and skills. Be sure to ask Jody about one of his exciting adventures the next time you see him!
Feel free to reach out to Jody Saultz with any cleaning questions you might have.
Preventative Maintenance Planning
When it comes to preventative maintenance, you may think that your business does not need it. You do a solid enough job taking care of your machines and maintenance program, but the reality is… everyone needs to have a preventative maintenance plan in place. There are many advantages to preventative maintenance such as less equipment downtime, fewer interruptions to critical operations, longer asset life, improved efficiency (assets in good repair tend to run better), increased workplace safety, and improved compliance with OSHA. If implemented properly, a preventative maintenance plan can save time, and money, as well as allow assets to last longer!
Here are some common mistakes when it comes to developing your preventative maintenance plan:
- Setting unclear instructions for your team
- Creating unrealistic completion goals and timeframes
- Errors in prioritization
- Forgetting to document all completed work (This is very important for the next PM cycle)
Overall, preventative maintenance is an excellent way to prolong the life of your capital equipment, improve production, and eliminate costly unscheduled downtime. Like any other program, everyone needs to adhere to a schedule to make the most of a well thought out preventative maintenance plan.
Check out our Tech 2 Tech Maintenance Series here – there is something for everyone.
The Age of Technology
In the age of technology, we expect information to be available at the snap of our fingers. Our technical resources page has recently been updated which makes this information even more accessible and in the palm of your hand! Now it is even easier to find the answers to your cleaning questions. Our main sections include our searchable Technical E-library, past volumes of our Cleaning Insights Newsletter, and almost 100 Tech 2 Tech sessions recording and information regarding Global Compliance and Certifications. Each of these sections is brimming with knowledge about KYZEN products and processes, industry information and trends, and so much more. Our hope in updating the Technical Resources page is to make information more accessible to our customers around the world.
If you have not yet explored the page, head there now and check it out!
