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For customers who need to protect their equipment from environmental elements such as high humidity, Elma can offer additional protection against these effects on backplanes and partner boards using conformal coating. This coating process applies a special protective surface to the printed circuit board, either manually, or by means of CNC coating machines using a spray coat method.
Depending on the destination of the boards, the different methods protect against moisture, dust or chemicals. They provide powerful protection, ensuring that high demands are met regarding reliable performance, service life and quality – even in scenarios of increased climatic strain.
To prepare the products for their specific environment, we offer a range of coatings (we recommend Peters ELPEGUARD conformal coatings, HPA or 1B3), in accordance with IPC-HDBK-830, MIL-I-46058 and IPC-CC-830 standards. Since we also perform some these finishing procedures in-house, we are able to guarantee quality of workmanship. All protective layers are confirmed using optical and mechanical testing.
FAQs
Conformal coating is a protective polymer layer applied to printed circuit boards (PCBs) and assemblies to shield them from moisture, dust, corrosion, chemicals, and environmental stress, helping improve long-term reliability.
In rugged or demanding environments, electronics face humidity, temperature changes, salt fog, or contaminants. Conformal coating protects sensitive components from these hazards, reducing the risk of failure and enhancing durability.
Typical conformal coating materials include acrylics, silicones, urethanes, and epoxies. Each material offers distinct performance benefits such as flexibility, chemical resistance, or thermal stability — chosen based on the application’s environment and requirements.
Conformal coating is usually applied after PCB assembly and testing but before final system integration — once all components and solder connections have been verified, to ensure board reliability in its end-use environment.
Elma uses controlled processes (such as selective spraying or automated techniques) to apply consistent and reliable conformal protection. The specific method is chosen to meet the design, environmental, and performance criteria of the electronics being coated.