Tools For Cleaning PCB after Soldering

You should drawing the attention of large contract manufacturers and large supply chain players.

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Rob,

That is where Bob works. -------------------------------------------------------

There are many companies that exist offering multiple different products and procedures for cleaning pcb assemblies.

I agree, in my practice, most companies strive for lean manufacturing processes that eliminate post-soldering cleaning cycles to begin with. Albeit, we have all been told cleaning should be done before and after soldering. In the real world, however, it is much different from what we learn in text book.

From a manual cleaning practice stand-point, as you stated Bob, we typically perform a majority of our cleaning using an Isopropyl Base which does a sufficient job on most applications. However to completely remove all "tackiness" is somewhat cumbersome for most manufacturers looking to improve through-put.

For hard to clean applications (eg, difficult to reach areas) or applications requiring additional cleaning - I would explore Table-Top Ultrasonic cleaning stations.

I had the opportunity to review/demo an ultra-sonic cleaning station at the 2016 SMTAi Expo in Rosemont, IL and found these to be very efficient at cleaning hard to reach areas (and to remove tackiness). Some companies will even offer product demos for clients truly interested in making the investment.

If anything, reduce the quantity / percentage of flux core in your solder wire to reduce the amount of removal/cleaning being done by hand. - If standard brushing and KimTech wipes are not enough, try adding some IPA and, using a can of compressed air, blast the "wet" IPA off and you should be able to see the remaining contaminants on the assembly. This will not help with removing "tackiness" but it will show you how "unclean" your supposedly "clean" board is.

*Note - Not all solders are the same. Depending upon which manufacture you are using for solder materials - there are a multitude of different material technologies available that may be more suited for your specific application requirements. This may also be an avenue for continued exploration.

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