Page 64
www.us-tech.com
March, 2018
Coating Complex Electronics with Flexible Dispensing Systems
T
he use of conformal coatings and materials is rising, offering the protection necessary for complex electronic products to function in
By the Equipment Staff of Specialty Coating Systems (SCS), Inc. The PrecisionCoat’s motion system is a three-
harsh environments. To provide that protection, numerous conformal coatings and materials are available, such as acrylics, silicones, epoxies, ure- thanes, latex, adhesives, thermal pastes and greas- es, sealants, solder masks and room-temperature- vulcanizing (RTV) silicones. For more than 50 years, conformal coatings
and materials have been a tried-and-true method of protecting electronic devices and components. The versatility of these materials has made them an integral part of an impressive range of indus- tries, including industrial and consumer electron- ics, military, aerospace, automotive, maritime, medical, renewable energy, LED lighting, and many others. Choosing the best material, understanding
how it needs to be handled and applying it correct- ly are factors critical to a manufacturer’s success. Having a system in-house that can manage multi- ple materials and applications processes —for both current and future applications — is a great asset to the manufacturer or component supplier. Ongoing development of new conformal coat-
ing materials and application processes is creating opportunities for manufacturers to improve the quality and effectiveness of their products. In many cases, taking advantage of these industry advances requires existing application equipment to be upgraded or completely replaced. Manufacturers are discovering that if they can invest in a versatile system — one that performs numerous operations and/or can meet the needs of current and future applications — they save significant time and money in the long run. The PrecisionCoat V and PrecisionCoat BT are
two such systems available from Specialty Coating Systems (SCS). Whether a manufacturer is just entering the world of automated coating and dis- pensing or they are experienced with in-line coating and curing equipment, SCS offers systems and fea- tures that are designed to be flexible and reliable. These systems are also built to grow with a manufac- turer to handle the complex electronic requirements of today and of the future.
SCS PrecisionCoat SCS PrecisionCoat systems are designed to
apply numerous types of materials with speed and accuracy. Available in multiple configurations, these systems are able to coat and/or dispense mate- rial onto complex components. Materials are applied using one or more spray heads and dispense valves, or a combination of each, in addition to other valves and custom configurations. Spray heads apply either a flat or round pattern for overall cov- erage, while dispense valves use either cartridges or material lines and a needle to accurately dispense materials into restricted spaces and areas.
Automatic quick change (AQC) allows the use of five separate tools within a single machine.
Along with five-axis programmable tilt and
rotate capabilities, additional options include coat- ing flow meter, programmable atomized pressure, programmable coating pot pressure, material tem- perature control system, laser height-mapping, and the ability to turn valves on/off while they move across the board. PrecisionCoat options also include an advanced proprietary vision system, which utilizes fiducial recognition for accurate pro- gramming and position compensation. Coupled with the automated needle calibration feature and a barcode reader, PrecisionCoat systems ensure that each and every assembly is coated according to process specification.
Integrated UV Cure The use of UV materials in electronics is
expanding at an unprecedented rate as material technology improves and environmental efforts
axis platform with servomotor-driven ball screw slides and optical encoder feedback. A standard system is capable of coating substrate lengths and widths up to 20 in. (50.8 cm) each and component heights up to 4 in. (10.2 cm). An optional conveyor system can be used to move substrates into and out of the coating area. Material valves move along the Precision -
Coat’s direct-drive, three-axis system, with option- al fourth and fifth axes available for tilt and rota- tion. The system’s multi-valve technology is able to handle dots, lines, fills and glob tops, spray coat- ing, and dispensing, including two-part mixing, if required. Operated by SCS’ proprietary software, offline programming is a standard feature that minimizes machine downtime and enables profile sharing between multiple coating systems. SMEMA transfer protocols and safety interlocks are standard with all systems.
lead customers to low- or no-VOC materials. The PrecisionCoat UV wand aids in the control and application of UV materials used in masking, moating, adhesive and/or gasketing applications. With the UV wand on the head of a machine, the PrecisionCoat can apply a set amount of material and immediately follow with a localized, program- mable dose of UV. Of the many applications that may benefit
from having the ability to immediately cure UV material, dam-and-fill techniques and glob top application are two examples. These materials are often used to secure components mechanically on a board and require controlled amounts of material and cure. In applications where the wand is used repeatedly, it can be mounted to the application head to enable repeated deployment without any loss of processing time.
Fiducial Alignment Fiducial recognition and alignment enables
coating programs to autocorrect based on compo- nent location inside the machine, as compared with a set point. The camera-based fiducial align- ment feature of the PrecisionCoat has been devel- oped to compensate for changes in a product as it moves through manufacturing processes. The cam- era integrates with the machine software to permit the user to capture an image of various shapes. The SCS camera system reduces the effects of
lighting changes and finish imperfections that often accompany boards as they move through SMT and through-hole soldering steps. When these attributes are compromised, the fiducial alignment feature will accept user input to intelligently find the mark position. By opening the logic to this user interface, the operator can confidently replicate spray patterns, regardless of fiducial conditions presented to the machine.
Automatic Tool Changing With its automatic quick change (AQC) fea-
ture, the SCS PrecisionCoat can apply multiple materials with multiple valves and cure them, all within a single coating profile with fully-automat- ed positioning in all five axes. In standard sys- tems, using multiple heads on the same machine will limit head travel, reducing the overall work envelope of the system. AQC allows customers to use up to five valves
or heads, independently positioned with different materials and functions. This functionality enables users to automate and control the applica- tion and cure of multiple materials and masking agents and how they integrate with one another, while maintaining the full work envelope. AQC provides incredible flexibility to manu-
facturers across applications. One example is unsealed components on boards. A logic board with tight component proximity placement may have
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