Global Sourcing Spotlight: How to Evaluate Supplier Capabilities Worldwide
The Knowledge Base: Cultivating Your Brand in the Age of Connection
SMT Perspectives and Prospects: Warren Buffett’s Perpetual Wisdom, Part 2
Greener Cleaning
February 17, 2016 | Mike Konrad, Aqueous TechnologiesEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The electronic assembly cleaning industry is unique among other assembly equipment segments. Very few, if any, other assembly processes are considered unnecessary by some while being absolutely required by others.
The fact is, assembly contamination may or may not cause a reduction in product reliability. Each assembly has a "contamination tolerance signature." While some assemblies are impervious to contamination residues, others are not.
The amount of electronic assemblies with a high tolerance for contamination is shrinking. Assembly design including size, component type and density, stand-off heights, electrical voltage and current factors, as well as end-product in-use environmental/climatic conditions all play a role in determining the contamination tolerance signature of an electronic assembly. Add to that a cost of failure analysis and the decision to remove process residues/contamination or leave them on the assembly is an easy one. While other electronic assembly processes measure performance in "more" (more feeders, more zones, more magnification, more capacity), cleaning equipment and chemicals measure progress in "less" (less water, less chemicals, less VOCs, less discharge, less contamination, etc.). In the cleaning world, less is more.
In 1992, Aqueous Technologies made a commitment to reduce the footprint of cleaning. We designed equipment that cleaned electronic assemblies using less water, less electricity, less chemicals, less discharge, and less time than other processes common in that era. While less was more 23 years ago, even less is even more today.
During 2015, Aqueous Technologies' products saved millions of gallons of water (a fact not lost on our West Coast customers). More of our zero discharge cleaning systems were sold than any other year resulting in the savings of millions of gallons of water consumed and the complete elimination of a need for a drain. Our goal in 2016 is to continue our environmental stewardship by providing more zero discharge models to companies who clean their assemblies, resulting in improved product reliability and a cleaner, greener planet.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2016 issue of SMT Magazine.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
KYZEN Partners with LPW to Elevate High Purity Cleaning with Cutting-Edge Cyclic Nucleation Technology in North America
08/13/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, a global leader in advanced cleaning solutions, has reached a major milestone in high-purity cleaning with the addition of a state-of-the-art Vacuum Cyclic Nucleation System at its North American Application Lab.
KYZEN to Feature CYBERSOLV 141-K and KYZEN E5631J at SMTA Michigan Expo and Tech Forum
08/05/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally responsible cleaning chemistries, will exhibit at the SMTA Michigan Expo and Tech Forum, scheduled to take place Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan. During the event, the KYZEN Clean Team will highlight precision aerosol cleaner CYBERSOLV 141-K and understencil cleaner KYZEN E5631J.
Indium Corporation Introduces New Flip-Chip Flux for Semiconductor Devices
07/31/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation, a leading materials refiner, smelter, manufacturer, and supplier, today announced the global availability of WS-910 Flip-Chip Flux, a new water-soluble flip-chip dipping flux designed to meet the demands of cutting-edge semiconductor devices.
KYZEN Cleaning Experts to Provide Insights at SMTA High Reliability Cleaning and Coating Conference
07/29/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally responsible cleaning chemistries, announced today that three members of the KYZEN team of cleaning experts will present technical presentations as part of KYZEN’s participation at the 2025 SMTA High Reliability Cleaning and Conformal Coating Conference scheduled to take place Aug. 12-14, 2025 at the Westin DFW Airport.
The Knowledge Base: A Conference for Cleaning and Coating of Mission-critical Electronics
07/08/2025 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseIn electronics manufacturing, there’s a dangerous misconception that cleaning and coating are standalone options, that they operate in different lanes, and that one can compensate for the other. Let’s clear that up now. Cleaning and conformal coating are not separate decisions. They are two chapters in the same story—the story of reliability.