Electrolube, a provider of electro-chemical solutions, is set to launch an innovative range of UV conformal coatings, thermal management solutions and encapsulation resins at this year’s IPC Apex Expo, held at the San Diego Convention Center, CA, from 4–6 February. The company’s commitment to the evolving needs of its customers saw the launch of these products reach an unprecedented level of success at productronica recently, where their redesigned stand highlighted their escalating global growth and strong global position as a complete solutions provider of electro-chemicals.
At IPC Apex Expo, the company will demonstrate its advanced technical capability to the US market by launching solutions that help manufacturers speed up production and increase reliability and lifetime of end products. They will showcase a range of rapid curing UV conformal coatings that enable immediate board-handling with a full cure guaranteed within 6–12 hours due to the chemical secondary cure mechanism. One of the biggest advantages of this range is its capability to significantly reduce production time. Most systems can take between 8 to 14 days, and even longer in many cases, whereas Electrolube’s UV coatings fully cure in less than 12 hours.
These UV cure conformal coating products are solvent-free, VOC-free and provide unrivalled performance in harsh environments, including high resistance to cracking during thermal shock cycling. The range features UVCL, a single component, medium-low viscosity dual cure coating with secondary moisture cure, ensuring complete cure in shadow areas. UVCL-P, the ‘plus’ version, is a transparent, flexible coating which is extremely resistant to thermal shock and offers improved coverage and protection, along with a guaranteed chemical cure in 6 hours thanks to its unique secondary cure mechanism. An ‘xtra’ version, UVCL-X, is a green-opaque coating that can be applied at up to 300 microns and has a higher maximum operating temperature of 150 °C. UVCL-X shares the benefits of UVCL-P and increases ease of inspection.
Further UV cure coating products include UVCL-HV, a high viscosity UV curable material for better coverage of component leads and exposed metal surfaces during dispensing applications. The UVCL-Gel is a no-flow gel version, designed for sealing connectors and other areas that must not be coated.
Two new encapsulation resins are also launching at IPC Apex Expo. These polyurethane and epoxy resins are all available in user-friendly kit sizes to meet every need, from prototyping and product development to full production. The polyurethane resin, UR5645 is a tough, two-part encapsulation system developed for protection of electrical components and is ideal for a wide range of applications including automotive and marine environments. This resin is suitable for applications requiring continuous immersion in water at elevated temperatures and depth. The highly versatile UR5645 resin has an operating temperature range of – 50 to + 150 °C, (160 ºC for short excursions of 30 minutes dependent upon application and geometry) and is a low viscosity system, aiding quick and efficient potting processes. UR5645 exhibits excellent chemical resistance to acids, alkalis and fuels, and is perfect for the harshest environmental conditions, such as those found in typical automotive applications.
The second resin launching during the show is the ER6010, a two-part epoxy resin system with X-ray shielding properties allowing complete protection of the circuit board, components and design. This innovative solution is thermally conductive, 0.53 W/m.K and exhibits good flow characteristics, even with the most complex and challenging geometries. ER6010 has good chemical resistance across a range of environments for versatility but critically ensures complete protection of design and components, even from X-ray technology. Protection of design technology is becoming ever more prevalent and this is a specialist solution developed to meet increasing customer demand. It has an operating temperature range of – 40 to 160 °C, (180 °C for short excursions of 30 minutes) ensuring its viability for a wide range of critical applications.
Electrolube will also introduce a versatile range of gap-filling products with excellent thermal performance. The GF400 range is extremely adaptable and can be used in a multitude of applications from printed circuit board assembly and housing electronic components discretely to automotive electronics, including HEV and NEV batteries, power electronics, LEDs and fiber optic telecoms equipment. GF400 is a two-part, liquid silicone-based gap filler, which can either be cured at room temperature or accelerated with heat. Following cure, GF400 forms a low modulus elastomer that prevents the ‘pump-out phenomenon’, ensuring minimal degradation of effective heat dissipation. It is soft and compliant, making it ideal for low stress applications, and provides a wide operating temperature range between – 50 to + 200 °C. GF400 is also low viscosity, enabling easier dispensing, and provides high thermal conductivity of 4.0 W/m.K. The GF400 has a straightforward mix ratio of 1:1 and a fast cure time of 20 minutes at 100 °C, vastly speeding up throughput. Alternatively, the gap filler can be cured at 25 °C for 12 hours or 90 minutes at 60 °C. The new thermal gap filler is UL94 V-O approved and has excellent dielectric strength of 9 kV/mm.
Visitors to the tradeshow are invited to meet the company’s team and find out more about the solutions-based approach to providing effective products, creating them bespokely if required, that make a difference. The author of the ‘Guide to Conformal Coatings’ e-book, Phil Kinner, who heads up the company’s conformal coatings division, will also be available to answer any questions regarding their process and application requirements.
Apex, Booth 2413
Company contact
Electrolube
Ashby Park
Coalfield Way
Ashby de la Zouch
Leicestershire
LE65 1JR, United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 1 530 419600
E-mail: info@hkw.us.com
Website: www.electrolube.com
