Creating and Protecting Printed Circuit Boards for Harsh Environments
Dr. Adam Klett, Kyzen’s Director of Science explains how harsh conditions-such as temperature fluctuations, mechanical stress, moisture, and corrosive contaminants-can all undermine the reliability and longevity of your circuit boards. He emphasizes that understanding these threats early in the design process is crucial for ensuring the durability of electronic assemblies.
Harsh environments aren’t always obvious; even a PCB in a non-hermetically sealed enclosure exposed to outdoor conditions can face risks like condensation, which can lead to corrosion. To address these challenges, Dr. Adam recommends two core strategies: applying conformal coatings to shield critical surfaces and thoroughly cleaning boards to remove ionic contamination. Both methods help prevent corrosion caused by moisture and contaminants, which are common culprits in field failures.
By proactively addressing environmental risks and integrating protective measures during the design stage, you can significantly enhance the performance and reliability of PCBs in demanding applications.