What is UV radiation?
Ultra-violet radiation forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum and is invisible to the naked eye. The wave length of UV radiation varies from 100-400nm, finishing in the blue portion of visible light.
In terms of energy output, the shorter the wavelength of the UV radiation the higher the energy of the light. These energy levels can be subdivided into 4 specific regions:
- UVA-Radiation (400-315nm)
- UVB-Radiation (315-280nm)
- UVC-Radiation (280-200nm)
- VUV-Radiation (200-100nm)
SCH Technologies use UV light technology in curing conformal coatings in both their coating services and in their UV conformal coating conveyors.
For further information click UV Conformal Coating FAQs.
Can the IB100 Inspection Booth be used in ambient light or does it need to be in a darkened room?
The single & double inspection booths can be used in ambient light and have UV tube lights built in. the system was designed for inspecting PCB’s with a UV trace present in the coating and as such is black inside. However, additional light shielding may be advisable if the ambient light is very bright as it works better in the dark.
Click Conformal Coating Inspection Equipment FAQs to find out more about this and other issues relating to the process.
For conformal Coatings what is the best wavelength range for optimal stimulation of the fluorescent effect in the conformal coating?
The optical brightener will glow at a wavelength range between 300-400nm. That is what most of the manufacturer of UV lights are specifying in their tubes. However its maximum peaks are at 365nm and 450nm.
Click for further information on Humiseal conformal coatings.
Inspecting Conformal Coating on PCBs – Using the IB100 Conformal Coating Inspection Booth
The IB100 conformal coating inspection booth is an ideal work station for operators to inspect & finish circuit boards which have been conformal coated.
Fitted with dual UVA lamps behind a safety screen to allow solvents to be used safely in the booth, the IB100 offers 36W of ultraviolet light for maximum visual inspection & finishing performance without compromise to operator safety in operation.
Conformal coating Inspection – A range of systems for inspecting conformal coatings on PCBs
SCH Technologies design and manufacture a range of purpose-built, compact and coordinated UV inspection & finishing booths for conformal coating inspection.
These systems are used in SCH’s coating service and have been optimised to offer the best inspection & finishing performance without compromise to health & safety, coupled with ergonomic design to minimise operator fatigue.
An important point in conformal coating inspection & finishing is to creat the optimum environment where an opertor can easily inspect coated circuit boards without fatigue to body or eyes, provide the highest quality results for the conformal coating process and keep the operator safe from the harmful effects of solvents.
UV cure conformal coatings – All the FAQs you need!
SCH have a range of FAQs on UV cure conformal coatings and how UV curing works. These FAQs include what is UV radiation, What type of UV light is used in Conformal Coating Inspection and the conformal coating spray booths and what is Humiseal UV40 and how does it differ to solvent and water based coatings like 1R32, 1B31 and 1R32A2?
There are also a range of FAQs on UV conveyors & ovens and how they interact with the UV conformal coatings.
Click here for information on conformal coating UV cure equipment and UV conformal coatings.
Conformal Coating 