Conformal coating is part of the process involved in the manufacture of printed circuit boards (PCBs). This process protects the PCB from dirt, moisture, chemicals, gas and temperature variations to ensure the PCB components do not corrode or fail due to external factors or conditions.
Many manufacturers of PCBs include this process to meet industry standards and to ensure the durability and reliability of their products. Conformal coating can be applied manually via an aerosol can but it contains some compounds which are potentially hazardous to health, both in the short- and long-term.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as Toluene, Butane, Heptane, Xylene and Ethylbenzene are known to present major health risks and can all be found in many types of conformal coatings.
Short-term over-exposure to VOCs can cause symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea and a worsening of existing asthma conditions. Long-term exposure at high levels can cause an increase in the risk of damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system and even cancer.
Health and safety measures have to be a top priority within the conformal coating process and extraction systems should be installed to remove the hazardous compounds present.
Monitoring the area using a photoionization detector (PID) and maintaining good ventilation are a must as many employees can work applying these coatings for long periods of time and be at risk of going over STEL (Short Term Exposure Levels) or TWA (Time Weighted Average) limits during a shift.
The coating aerosol can and the MSDS Safety Sheet will specify the exact mix of chemicals being used, which informs operators of the risk levels involved and the specific compounds workers will be exposed to.
Fixed, portable or personal PID detectors are an ideal solution to allow spot checks or to continuously monitor the work area and ensure the environment remains below any limits of concern. A PID is also a useful indicator if a ventilation system starts to become less effective, thereby acting as a warning device to ensure extraction performance and service intervals are sufficiently maintained.
For monitoring individual workers, the Cub is the world’s smallest, lightest personal VOC detector with photoionization detection (PID) technology. It offers STEL and TWA calculations based on an individual’s exposure and can data log all readings.
Comfortable and unobtrusive to wear, Cub sits within the breathing zone and has a dynamic range of 0 to 5,000 ppm – the widest on the market – measuring 480 selectable compounds.
Cub is available as a standard instrument with 10.6eV lamp for accurately detecting a wide range of VOCs to parts per million (ppm) levels. The CubTAC ppm variant has a 10.0eV lamp that accurately detects total aromatic compounds (TACs), including benzene. Both models can be upgraded to ppb sensitivity quickly and easily online.
When worker exposure exceeds pre-set limits Cub’s audible, vibrating, and flashing LED alarms alert the user to the gases present. Readings are displayed on its bright, back-lit LCD display with selectable data logging time.
Cub’s patented PID sensor technology has been independently verified as best performing for speed, accuracy, and humidity resistant operation.
The PID sensor’s Fence Electrode utilizes a humidity resistant and anti-contamination design providing extended run-time in the most challenging environments.
CubDoc docking stations are also available for USB communication, charging, and calibrating instruments, depending on requirements.
Cub is exclusively available from Shawcity in the UK and Ireland. Contact us for any further information or to arrange a demonstration or free site visit: www.shawcity.co.uk
