Conformal coating is a process in which dielectric coating, such as epoxy, urethane, parylene, acrylic or silicone, is sprayed onto a substrate. Conformal coatings are used to protect products from fungus, moisture, abrasion, corrosion and other hazards.
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Conformal Coating
Conformal coating is normally used for and applied on electric circuitry. It is used to protect electric circuitry from moisture, abrasion, corrosion, fungus and other hazards. Products that commonly utilize conformal coating include circuit boards used in transmitters, railroad and mass transit systems, data recorders and control systems. Conformal coating is normally sprayed onto a substrate. A substrate is the object being coated. Common types of conformal coating include epoxy, urethane, powder, parylene, acrylic and silicone. Coating for sensitive applications like circuit boards is important because micro-contamination such as fingerprint residue or moisture collected if the technician breathes on the device can make it become weakly conductive or non-functioning. Coating services are most effective when the contaminated area is cleaned first. If coated properly, it can reduce the amount of stress from that is placed on the device due to vibrations, mechanics and extreme temperatures. Conformal coating is primarily used by the military, aerospace, automotive, transit, marine, telecommunications and consumer electronics industries.
Conformal coating is just one example of several types of coating services. Coating services are necessary for applications in which thin films or coats made of varying materials are applied to substrates. The coating may be made of solids, liquids or gases. The coating process includes solution and application preparation, coating the application, drying and solidification. In the first step, raw material is tested, deaerated, mixed and dispersed. Then, fluid flow, weight and measurement of the coating are determined. Certain substrates will only be compatible with particular coating materials. The final drying and solidification process includes the use of heating and ventilation systems, as well as heat transfer and defect mechanisms. Coatings can have both scent properties (scratch and sniff stickers, for example) and optical properties (tint, color, holographics and anti-reflection, for example). Dipping, spraying, brushing and simple flow coatings are the typical methods through which conformal coatings can be applied. The benefits and characteristics of conformal coatings include low cost, non-toxic, low thickness, one-part product, rapid cure, abrasion and moisture resistance and wide operating temperature range.
