The Importance of Drying

Q: How do I determine if a bake-out is required?

A: If you are running heavy production and you are not able to slow down and extend your drying time, that is when we consider bake-out. Rather than slowing the whole cleaning process, we can take it offline and run it in batches.

Q: What are common bake-out times and temperatures?

A: It depends on what materials you have on your boards. When it comes to copper dpcs, you do not want to take them to extreme temperatures because that can induce oxidation on the surface. Typically, for PCBs, we’re trying to get to 100C; you want to be close to the boiling point of water. For times, it will depend on the complexity of the board. Are you only drying connectors or large components? These are some factors to consider. Normally it will be an hour to four hours.

Q: How do I know my drying process is effective?

A: If you see pooling in any sections of the board, it may not be completely dry. An air nozzle is a great tool for forcing air down components and driving out any leftover residue.

Q: What failures would indicate drying issues after long-term storage?

A: Corrosion on the surface of the board.