The Science Lab
AQUANOX A4618 – Innovation to Enhance Reliability
In the realm of electronics, the ever-increasing challenges associated with thorough and effective cleaning have become more difficult. This cleaning challenge is further heightened by the trend toward smaller devices, the heightened harshness of cleaning standards, and the increased costs associated with process implementation. You want to be able to rely on your assemblies every time and never question their cleanliness or reliability, this is why it is vital to choose the most efficient cleaning processes available. Fortunately, KYZEN has a new cleaning solution that promises to bring your clean to new heights.
AQUANOX A4618, is a carefully crafted cleaning solution designed to address the challenges presented by contemporary lead-free flux residues while delivering pristine, mirror-like solder finishes. This innovative cleaning solution is bringing cutting-edge advancement to the world of electronics. With advanced features like unparalleled flux residue removal capabilities, cost-effectiveness in operations, exceptional compatibility with diverse materials, and enhanced performance even at lower concentrations and temperatures, using A4618 means that you will see exceptional results in no time.
You want to make sure you are getting minimal defects and the highest yield possible, and AQUANOX A4618 provides the peace of mind you need. To learn more about the benefits of A4618, please click HERE. If you want to explore how AQUANOX A4618 can work for your cleaning process, please reach out to a KYZEN Cleaning Expert today. Your search for optimal cleanliness begins with KYZEN.
Cleaning with Water or Cleaning Up After Water’s Damage in Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes?
To say that water is important in most cleaning processes is an understatement. But what happens when water threatens the integrity of the finished product, in this case, semiconductors, when used in a manufacturer’s cleaning process?
Manufacturing semiconductors requires both precision and accuracy to produce products used across industries ranging from communications and computing to healthcare and military systems. Cleaning solely with water can lead to defects and malfunctions because of low pH levels and inherent impurities. This means it isn’t only imperative to identify, test, and carefully select cleaning chemistries for a cleaning process but also how those chemistries interact with water during that process to affect components and substrates.
When qualifying a new cleaning process, or reviewing an existing one, in semiconductor manufacturing it’s recommended that each component be tested with extended water exposure. The extended exposure time simulates multiple cleaning passes while revealing potential issues with compatibility, like inconsistencies in the manufacturing of components or the sensitivity of those components to water.
Sensitive metals like copper, aluminum, nickel, gold, and silver are typically used in the production of components and packages in water-soluble flux applications. And they can be sensitive in water-only cleaning processes due to improper plating and thin metallurgy.
As die sizes increase and gap sizes decrease, wash exposure times must also increase to ensure complete cleaning, which could result in electrical and delamination issues. Using a balanced cleaning chemistry that provides metal protection through multiple wash cycles can help avoid these issues while preventing corrosion on the sensitive metals of which components are made and ensure that components are safe through multiple washes.
When investing in and implementing specialized cleaning solutions developed to address the issues that water-only cleaning processes can create, semiconductor manufacturers can ensure the cleanliness, integrity and long-term reliability of devices that are only becoming more complex.
To learn more, Click Here to read “Compatibility in Semiconductor Cleaning Applications – Could Water be the Problem?” by KYZEN’s Research and Development Chemist Haley Reid published in US Tech in July 2023.
Meet Your Clean Team
Laura Lanahan- Customer Service Representative
Laura Lanahan is a KYZEN Customer Service Representative and has been with KYZEN for twenty-three years. (Ask her what she loves about her job?)
She is originally from Springfield, Virginia but moved to Tennessee about twenty-five years ago. She finds the residents of Tennessee to be friendlier than people elsewhere.
Laura is a true football fan and even after all this time in Tennessee, none of the local teams have won her loyalty. She is a loyal Dallas Cowboys fan and a die-hard Notre Dame fan. She will root for the Irish no matter the sport or who they play.
Laura has a daughter, two sons, and a cat named Samantha who she describes as the sweetest, snuggly cat. Laura also enjoys going for walks, reading, and painting. She is a dedicated member of our service team and has loved being able to call KYZEN home for so many years. Laura says, “I enjoy working at KYZEN because of the culture. Everyone is so kind and helpful. I’ve stayed so long because it’s a great job! I really enjoy what I do.”
Don’t hesitate to contact Laura with any of your customer service questions.
Beth Smith- Customer Service Representative
Beth Smith is a KYZEN Customer Service Representative and just celebrated being with KYZEN for five years last May. Beth is from Portland, Oregon originally. She served for six years in the US Navy and loved every second of it. Tom Forsythe and Beth were even in the same helicopter squadron at NAS Norfolk. Kyle Doyel lived just down the street from her grandparents in Oregon and they even attended the same grade school. It really is a small world!
Beth has two adult sons, one of which is getting married at the end of the month! The other son is married and has a five-year-old son. Beth is married to a musician (guitar player) who plays out frequently. She even got married to her husband at a New Years Eve gig at the first set break!
Some fun facts about Beth include that she lived in Bermuda for four years and was where she was first stationed. She once flew aboard a P-3 Orion from Bermuda to South Carolina (and back again) just for Thanksgiving dinner! She loves attending live music, reading, cooking, and trying out new recipes.
Don’t hesitate to contact Beth with any questions you might have!
Meleia Dotson- Customer Service Representative
Meleia Dotson is a KYZEN Customer Service Representative and has just been with KYZEN just a little over two months. She was born in Fayetteville, TN and moved to Smyrna at eleven years old when her father became a manager at Nissan and her mother worked for StoneCrest Hospital. Meleia went to MTSU for a year and then the TN Technical Institute for Dental Assisting.
Meleia is super close knit with her parents, brother, and her sister. Meleia’s daughter Kelsey is twenty-nine years old and works for Jewel Mechanical in Accounts Payable. Her son Tyler is twenty-four years old and is going to school for Computer Engineering. Her other daughter, Makenzi who is twenty-one years old and works for Volunteer State Bank. Meleia also has a child that she took temporary custody of when she was fourteen. Her name is Victoria, and she is now twenty-two and works for another branch of Volunteer State Bank.
Meleia has been with David Gonzales who works in KYZEN production for seven years now. Meleia, all of 3 of her children, David, her son’s fiancé, and her granddaughter all live together which gets chaotic at times, but she loves it! Meleia loves trying out new recipes and spending time with her family…especially her grandbaby!
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Meleia if you have any questions at all!
Just in Case You’d Like to Study More: Case Studies from KYZEN’s Tech 2 Tech Case Study Series
It’s no news that since July 2020, KYZEN’s Tech 2 Tech has provided high-tech, high-value cleaning answers directly from cleaning experts. But, did you know, you can now go beyond the video with complete case study documents of the cases discussed in the recordings?
As the name of the Tech 2 Tech series suggests, each presentation is based upon a case study involving KYZEN and our customers from both the Electronics Assembly and Metal Finishing industries. The KYZEN cleaning expert presenting the Tech 2 Tech was often directly involved in assisting customers in the case, allowing that expert to provide first-hand knowledge of the case study they cover.
The case study documents provide a deep-dive option and, sometimes greater detail and data, than a Tech 2 Tech presentation can provide in 15 minutes or less. This makes them excellent supplemental resources, especially for those interested in seeing real-world applications of specific KYZEN chemistries and services helping customers find solutions to their cleaning challenges.
How easy is to access the case study associated with a Tech 2 Tech presentation? As easy as subscribing to KYZEN’s Tech 2 Tech On Demand by Clicking Here! Subscribers receive every case study in the Case Study Series direct to their email inbox.
EV is the Future and KYZEN’s in the Driver’s Seat
It seems like today, everywhere you turn, everything is powered by electronics. From the latest gadgets and gizmos to the vehicles that transport us daily, electronic capabilities continue to advance more and more, and there’s no sign that it will slow down anytime soon. However, with these advancements comes an entirely new set of cleaning challenges, especially in the growing electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Once what could’ve been considered a niche alternative to the traditional mode of automobile transportation has exploded into a global industry. Electric vehicles offer numerous advantages, such as reduced emissions, a quieter ride, and lower operational costs. However, these advanced machines also bring a host of unique cleaning requirements that demand meticulous attention.
Electronic vehicles rely on printed circuit boards (PCBs) to control and maintain the function of the vehicle. PCBs continue to control more important features of the car, which, if not properly cleaned, could be disastrous for drivers and manufacturers. Critical cleaning challenges, such as humidity and ionic contamination, can cause dendritic growth, which will lead to a whole list of operational issues. For more in-depth details of EV cleaning challenges, click here to read more!
Always looking to the future, KYZEN took notice of this blossoming industry and has been doing extensive research and testing to develop products and processes for the ever-changing EV market. With the growing popularity of electric cars, proper cleaning and maintenance is more important than ever. From properly cleaning critical components like batteries to the sensors that control the radio, cleaning is vital. If you would like to learn more about how KYZEN can help keep you in the fast lane, reach out to a cleaning expert today!
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