Oxidation-free MSD drying
30 April 2012
Super Dry by Totech has launched an oxidation and inter-metallic free alternative to oven baking of moisture sensitive components and PCBs that will be on display at the upcoming Del Mar Electronics and Design Show
Super Dry by Totech has launched an oxidation and inter-metallic free alternative to oven baking of moisture sensitive components and PCBs that will be on display at the upcoming Del Mar Electronics and Design Show.
The Stratesys Group serves the Southern California market with a variety of production supplies, clean room and automated assembly equipment and specialist services. Their team will be on hand from 2-3 May at Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego to demonstrate this new technology.
Designed to exceed the formidable challenges associated with IPC J-STD-033C and IPC 1601 for handling Moisture Sensitive Devices and PCBs, the XSD Series desiccant cabinets offer a process combining ultra low humidity and mild temperatures proven to replace oven baking of components and PCBs safely and at a fraction of the cost.
IPC 1601 prohibits the baking of OSP coated boards and warns against baking any board types. The Super Dry XSD cabinets can dry PCBs and other moisture sensitive devices at high speeds without the oxidation and inter-metallic growth induced by baking. And, unlike vacuum or baking ovens, the XSD cabinets also offer cost effective long term and short term MSD safe storage solutions in full compliance with 033C specifications.
The XSD Cabinet Series has recently been expanded with two additional configurations that employ a unique, energy saving dual wall insulated steel and glass design and the U5002 ‘Dynamic Series’ closed loop dehumidification. Optimal humidity levels are below 0.5%RH and vapor content of less than 0.05g.m3. Recovery time after door openings, the most overlooked operational function of MSD storage systems, is unmatched at <240 seconds. In addition, their design regenerates only when necessary according to cabinet load, thereby further reducing energy consumption, which averages less than 30W/hr.
Oxidation has always been a significant drawback of baking components, and in fact even a single bake cycle at typical 125°C temperatures will significantly increase wetting times. The Super Dry process dramatically reduces this oxidation risk, because it employs mild, low heat delivered within an exceptionally dry atmosphere. The oxygen molecules in water are a much greater catalyst to the oxidation process than those in the air. So heating at the sub 0.5% RH levels the XSD is capable of achieving does not promote the oxidation common to traditional processes.
Furthermore, 50°C is safe for tapes and reels, enabling drying of taped component without damage. This fully eliminates the cost and logistics of removing components from tape prior to drying, then re-taping for subsequent production use.
Contact Details and Archive...
