Emil Otto Massively Expands the Cleaning Media Product Area

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

On the occasion of the SMT 2018, Emil Otto will present a range of new cleaning media to the expert audience. Products added to the portfolio include the cleaning agents Etimol from the stencil cleaning area, cleaning of soldering systems and metering devices including conformal coating systems, component cleaners as well as cleaning agents for solder and conformal coating frames. The new products will supplement the existing range.

In the past few years, the supplier based in Hesse, Germany, has recorded increasing sales volumes in the cleaning media area. “This is why we took the decision to expand the product range with particular focus on specialist applications,” as Markus Geßner, Marketing and Sales Manager at Emil Otto GmbH explains. Stencil cleaning accounts for the biggest group of the new developments.

The new Emil Otto range comprises a total of six new stencil cleaners. Most of these are intended for use in fully automatic cleaning equipment. The concentrates are diluted with water and efficiently remove residues of leaded, lead-free and so-called no clean solder pastes as well as SMT adhesives. The pH neutral mixtures are very well compatible with other stencil materials. Thanks to the innovative formula, high bath load values are achieved compared to standard cleaners so that intervals between bath changes can be extended significantly and, in some cases, produced waste quantities for disposal can be reduced considerably. One focus area was to ensure that μ-GBA and fine-pitch stencils can also be cleaned effortlessly. Two underside-stencil cleaners have also been added to the range. These can be used in the wet cleaning process in conjunction with cleaning rolls or non wovens following the solder paste and adhesive print. The innovative homogeneous formula and the optimum drying properties help avoid the frequently observed phenomena of streaks and smudging of solder paste parts.

Another group are maintenance cleaners for reflow ovens and other soldering machines. These water-based alkaline cleaning media efficiently remove flux residues and solvent evaporation residues from printed circuit boards from condensate traps and machine parts. Thanks to the foam-free formula, these products can be used in both pressurized air systems and spray systems, and normally no anti-foaming agents are required. The machine cleaner range is completed by cleaning media specially designed for SMT ovens, wave and selective soldering systems and vapour phases. These media are foaming and achieve an excellent cleaning effect. They can efficiently be used on systems with residual heat.

New cleaning agents have also been developed for dispense and conformal coating systems. The product Etimol NC 88 RSN is a solvent-based, pH neutral agent that is especially suited for cleaning solder paste and SMT adhesive residues from nozzles and dispenser needles. It is used at room temperature in suitable cleaning equipment, e.g. ultrasonic baths. The process can be accelerated by increasing the cleaning temperature to between 40-55°C. In this case, the cleaning result will also be improved. The cleaned material is then rinsed with deionized water. In addition, cleaning media for removing silicone paints from painting frames, as are used in conformal coating, have been developed. These cleaning media are based on non-combustible solvents for increased occupational safety.

A PCB-cleaner completes the new product range. The water-based alkaline cleaning concentrate Etimol DFX 80 CA is mixed at one part concentrate to 4-5 parts of deionized water. It removes flux residues efficiently from electronic modules. It can be used in both spray and ultrasonic systems.

Emil Otto will exhibit at the SMT 2018 in Nurnberg, in hall 4A, booth 144.

About Emil Otto

The name “Emil Otto” has been synonymous with the highest quality since 1901. Being an owner-run company, Emil Otto specializes in the development and manufacture of high-quality fluxes. Market leaders both in Germany and abroad rely on the fluxes for electronics production, strip tinning, cooler production and galvanizing.

For many years, the company has taken pride in offering reliable products with a high customer focus. The manufacture fulfils the highest standards, and the quality and environmental management systems have been certified for many years. Emil Otto addresses customer requests flexibly. Speciality products and product adaptations are developed and implemented in collaboration with equipment manufacturers and institutes.

For more information click here.