-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueComing to Terms With AI
In this issue, we examine the profound effect artificial intelligence and machine learning are having on manufacturing and business processes. We follow technology, innovation, and money as automation becomes the new key indicator of growth in our industry.
Box Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
- Articles
Article Highlights
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
It’s Time to Retire ROSE Testing
June 27, 2018 | Joe Russeau, Precision Analytical Laboratory, and Mark Northrup, IEC ElectronicsEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
For decades now, the electronics industry has had a growing need to understand the impacts of chemical residues on PCB and PCBA reliability. Residues left from flux and other process chemistries can potentially lead to premature failure of assemblies once in the field. Understanding where such residues originate and their impact on product function is paramount to mitigating product failures due to cleanliness issues. One tool that has been used for decades to evaluate printed board and assembly cleanliness has been the resistivity of solvent extract (ROSE) test.
The ROSE test was developed in the early 1970s by the Naval Avionics Warfare Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. The early test used a squeeze bottle containing a solvent comprised of 75% 2-propanol and 25% deionized water (75/25). The surface of an assembly was rinsed with the 75/25 mixture and any material (e.g., flux) easily soluble in the mixture was dissolved and captured in a beaker. The resistivity of the captured solution was measured, and the result was expressed in terms of sodium chloride equivalents (NaCl eq.). Later versions of the test were automated and a 10.06 microgram (μg) of NaCl eq./in2 (1.56 μg of NaCl eq./cm2) limit was eventually ascribed to the test. That limit became enshrined in various military specifications, such as MIL-P-28809 and WS-6536 and eventually became the industry pass/fail standard. The limit persists today and is used across a wide base of material sets, from bare boards to assemblies to components.
Over the last two to three years, there has been considerable discussion within various IPC committees about the role of the ROSE test in today’s assembly environment. The transition from predominantly water wash processes to “no clean” has meant the advent of very different flux compositions. The question has been posed—on numerous occasions, we might add—as to whether the ROSE test is still a viable option for evaluating PCB and PCBA cleanliness. There have essentially been two camps of thought on the subject: those who want to continue using the test and re-invent it as a process control tool and those that think the test has run its useful course.
To update the test, IPC’s J-STD-001 committee commissioned a subgroup of users and subject matter experts to determine if there was a best-practices use that would bolster its continued application. Two conclusions were reached by that subgroup. First, the ROSE test should no longer be referred to as a cleanliness test, but as a process control tool. This was a reasonable conclusion since ROSE was never meant for cleanliness as industry had defined it. Second, users of the test must provide objective evidence, aside from just ROSE alone, to show that their manufacturing process is in control. More information about what the subgroup defined as “objective” evidence can be found in IPC-WP-019.
The statement made in the title to this article is where we want to focus most of our discussion. We are in the camp that believes the ROSE test provides little value for evaluating today’s assembly products and here’s why. The first significant concern with the validity of the ROSE test is the solvent. Back when the test was developed the predominant flux being used was heavily comprised of rosin (>30%). The 75/25 mixture was a very effective solvent for breaking down that flux and bringing it into solution. This is an important factor to consider because to accurately measure the amount of residual flux on a PCBA, you must first have a solvent that can dissolve it into solution. This is one of the major problems with the ROSE test today.
Why is the solvent an important consideration? Typically, four questions that are asked when performing cleanliness testing of assemblies. The questions are as follows:
1. What types of residues are on the surface of the assembly?
2. What are the concentrations of those residues?
3. Do those residues/concentrations pose any risk to product performance/function?
4. Where are the residues originating?
To have any hope of answering these questions, we need to consider a testing platform with two very specific attributes: selectivity and sensitivity. With the advances in board design, product miniaturization, process improvement and the myriad of chemicals used in assembly production today, a bulk-solvent measurement is not adequate for determining if there are any hidden residue traps.
To read the full version of this article, which appeared in the in the May 2018 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
IPC Focuses on Education and Onboarding
05/09/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineI recently spoke with Carlos Plaza, senior director of education for IPC, about expanding educational efforts in the PCB design, fabrication, and assembly segments. As Carlos explains, PCB design is a hot topic, but onboarding may be the hottest one of all.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Industry Growth, Challenges, and Technological Advancements
05/09/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Nolan Johnson and Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist, dive into key industry topics such as growth, challenges, and technological advancements. They discuss shifts in the global competitive landscape, downstream demand, customization, and how AI is enhancing human skills. The industry outlook appears promising for both the short and long term.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: The Driving World of e-Mobility with Indium
05/08/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn the competitive EV market, technology plays a crucial role facing the challenges of infrastructure. As Brian O'Leary explains, Indium's e-Mobility product suite includes proven solder and thermal management products for high reliability.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Understanding Objective Evidence in Manufacturing Processes
05/07/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOGraham Naisbitt explains the importance of objective evidence in manufacturing processes, debunking the common misconception that the ROSE test is a cleanliness test. He also discusses the introduction of Rev J, a requirement for measuring ionic contamination on circuit assemblies, and the challenges in accurately measuring contamination. Alternative methods like ion chromatography and the need for updating standards like the ROSE test are mentioned.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: My Role as a Technology Solutions Director
05/02/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOPeter Tranitz, senior director of technology solutions at IPC, shares insights into his role as the design initiative lead. He details his advocacy work, industry support, and the responsibilities of the design initiative committee. The conversation also covers the revamping of standards, the IPC Design Competition, and the implementation of design rules in software tools.