Since the beginning of time, those who manufactured products have dreamed of ways to make their products last longer and perform better. When a product goes to a buyer from the market, the life of that product begins to tick away. With each and every use, it begins to wear. One technological innovation that has come along to assist with this is the process of conformal coatings. Conformal coatings add a layer to the outside of tools and machines such as circuit boards that protects against erosion from chemicals and other elements.
1) Conformal Coating Increases Durability
One of the amazing benefits of conformal coating, particularly in circuit boards, is that it increases the durability of the product. Circuit boards for car stereos are just one common example of items that are routinely applied with conformal coating to increase performance. Conformal coatings help protect against premature electrical failure for mere pennies on the dollar for what it costs to replace them. Conformal coatings also have the noteworthy property of reducing routine wear and damage to the board through normal vibrations that occur with the routine operation. The additional conformal coating to a circuit board increases its overall strength and ability to provide long-lasting service.
2) Conformal Coating Protects Against Erosion
The primary benefit of conformal coating is that it protects against erosion and contaminants. Having a protective layer to guard your circuit board against the natural contaminating elements in the air will increase the lifespan and performance significantly. Mere atmospheric dust can significantly degrade and even destroy an electronic circuit board over time, but with the application of the conformal coating, your electronics can be protected against the effects of this common menace. Parylene is a particularly good choice for both dust protection as well as reducing vibrations in circuit boards. The additional parylene coating benefits are numerous.
3) Conformal Coating Increases Performance
The overall benefits of conformal coating are numerous, but one of the most common benefits is that it increases performance. Conformal coatings can reduce the need for certain automated lubrication in some applications, as the surface itself has naturally lubricating properties. The insulative properties of conformal coating also allow for a reduced amount of space to be placed between conductors on the board. Therefore, planning to apply the conformal coating at the beginning of the manufacturing process can potentially lead to net savings in the overall design and manufacture process before the product is even brought to market.
4) Conformal Coating Reduces Materials Cost
The application of the conformal coating to most circuit boards is not only extremely affordable as little as thirteen cents per unit, in some cases, it can also reduce the need for additional costs in the manufacturing process. For example, the use of conformal coatings can prevent the need for expensive enclosures and other systems that generally protect the electronic system from dust and other environmental contaminants.
By applying the conformal coating to a completed design or product, a manufacturer can add years of life and hassle-free performance to a product while significantly reducing their potential costs of replacement for prematurely defective items. By planning to integrate conformal coating as part of the original design process, they can save valuable space and labor costs, removing the need for additional spacing between conductors and expensive dust shields and other circuitry enclosures. To put it simply, the most basic thing that any electronics manufacturer can do to reduce the costs of making their products while increasing the lifespan and value is to seek out and apply conformal coatings.
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