SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:00 am–12:00 pm
Cleaning Agent and Cleaning Equipment Integration
Dr. Mike Bixenman, Kyzen Corporation
Steve Stach, Austin American Corporation

Cleaning challenges have increased with the growing complexity of electronic assemblies: miniaturization, alloys, board finishes, lower component gaps, and improved flux designs. The need to remove ionizable contaminants is critical to production yields and reliability.

This workshop provides considerations for integrating the cleaning agent and equipment — for maximum performance and minimum variation in the manufacturing process.

• Understanding soil properties
• Matching the cleaning agent to the soil and process
• Materials compatibility issues
• Evaluating parameters — pressure, flow, temperature, through-put equipment
• Implementing process controls
• Successful system integration

Co-founder and chief technology officer of Kyzen Corporation, Dr. Mike Bixenman has over 35 years of experience in wet chemistries. He is an active researcher, and has contributed to more than 50 papers on electronics assembly and advanced packaging cleaning. He chaired the IPC-7526 Stencil Cleaning Handbook and is current chair of the IPC 5-31 Cleaning & Alternatives Handbook. Mike holds two undergraduate science degrees with focus on chemical engineering and accounting, a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).

Steve Stach is the founder, president and chairman of the board of Austin American Technology Corporation. He holds patents in cleaning and soldering, and has authored over 50 papers and articles on cleaning and microelectronic assembly processes. Steve has worked in the medical and military sectors as a process engineer for Texas Instruments and Intermedics, holds a BS in chemistry from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and studied at graduate level in chemical engineering at Texas Tech. He is a past director of IMAPS and currently serves on the IPC cleaning committee.

1:00–5:00 pm
Practical Conformal Coating for the Future
Lee Hitchens, Ph.D., SCH Technologies
This workshop demystifies the science of conformal coating, coating material technologies, and available application methods. Participants will be encouraged to take control of their conformal coating process:

• understanding which coating to use, how to apply it, and how much that costs
• troubleshooting process problems and how to resolve them
• specifying a new process, interaction on key customer projects

The workshop includes practical examples, demonstrations, defect guides, and cost models for introducing a conformal coating line.

• Basic concepts — definitions, what coating does, why used, chemistry and technology
• How to select a coating — fit for purpose, standards and specifications
• Application of conformal coating — including robotic selective, dipping, and spraying — pros and cons of each technique
• Managing coating thickness — viscosity control and curing
• How poor cleanliness destroys PCB

Lee Hitchens, Ph.D. has 18 years of industry experience. Currently the managing director of SCH Technologies, a global conformal coating company offering Humiseal products, Dr. Hitchens also serves as technical director of Advanced Coating Robotics Ltd, an automation company offering integrated equipment solutions. With an undergraduate degree in engineering physics and a doctorate in semiconductor physics from Sheffield University, Dr. Hitchens began work as a scientist at the UK National Physical Laboratory in electronics reliability, circuit board cleanliness and production process control.