Panel cleaner eliminates PCB contamination

Paul Boughton

A unit designed to pre-clean PCB boards to remove all dust, loose surface particles and static before critical processes, has been introduced by KSM Superclean Ltd.

The SCPC ensures a cleaner surface for printing, laminating and bonding. In addition, it can reduce rework and improve end of line yields. Both sides of the PCB can be cleaned using the company’s ksmsuperblue elastomer rollers, lifting particles down to one micron in size off the board. These particles are then transferred to an adhesive roll for disposal.

Finally the board goes through a static neutralisation unit reducing the static to prevent the clean PCB attracting further particles and eliminating static problems as it moves through the rest of the production process. The rolling action of the system means that there is no scratching of substrates and careful formulation of the elastomer rubber and adhesive roll means that there is also no danger of transfer of adhesive to the critical surfaces. Care has been taken with the design of the machine to make the operators life as easy as possible.

Side-pull access to the adhesive rolls makes purging saturated layers quick and easy. The elastomer roller assembly can be completely removed from the machine for maintenance and cleaning. Control of the machine systems is via a full-colour touchscreen HMI, with access to program selection, speed control, panel count functions, diagnostics and more.