This is a brief introduction to selecting a precision swab for use in laboratories, clean rooms, electronic assembly, rework and repair of electronics. We’ll be speaking in generalities, but you
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Methanol is a toxic cousin of common (and much safer) alcohols commonly used for disinfecting hard surfaces: ethanol (aka ethyl alcohol) and isopropanol (aka isopropyl alcohol, IPA). Of course, all of
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EMS and PCB repair facilities that work with static sensitive equipment are very familiar with ANSI/ESD-S20.20 and the challenge of maintaining compliance. You buy all the right benches, mats, straps,
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Conformal coatings are usually applied as very thin coatings, providing the maximum protection possible using the thinnest amount of material. This minimizes heat entrapment, additional weight addition,
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Certifications are an important way to distinguish general purpose varnishes and shellacs from engineered coatings designed specifically for PCB protection. Although there are dozens of user and industry
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How do I solder? Make sure the surfaces to be soldered are clean. Turn on the soldering iron and set temperature above the melting point of your solder. 600°-650°F (316°-343°C) is a good
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Soldering is the joining of two metal surfaces mechanically and electrically, with the use of metal called solder (pronounced “sodder”). Solder secures the connection so it doesn’t break
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Solder stations normally come with a sponge and/or brass “brillo” pad. The purpose is to remove excess flux and solder from the tip. If too much flux builds up and burns onto the soldering
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What is flux? Think of flux and a prepping agent for the soldering process. When joining two metal surfaces together with solder, there needs to be a good metallurgic bond, so the solder joint doesn’t
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The goal is to match the tip shape and size to the contact pad. That allows you to maximize the contact surface area, so you heat the lead and contact area as quickly as possible. If you choose a tip that
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