New military qualification testing procedures for cleaning agent alternatives to CFCs

The joint industry/military/EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) program to evaluate alternatives to CCs and CFCs (chlorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons) for printed board assembly cleaning is described. Phase one was completed in 1989 and established three measures for determining circuit-board cleanliness; surface insulation resistance (SIR), ionic levels (for inorganics), and a novel rosin-residue extraction method (for organics). Phase two of this program is to test alternative cleaning agents and processes against the standard. The author presents results obtained from this protocol for several cleaning alternatives under consideration as replacements for CFC-based materials.<
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