Technology is a growing industry, and an important key to electronics manufacturing is to protecting PCB’s and other critical devices. It is essential to understand the basics of the conformal coatings.

At Chemical Concepts, we’re always striving for more durable adhesives and coatings to serve your business’s most important components. That’s why we stock a range of Shin-Etsu conformal coatings to protect even the most complicated components.

What is a Conformal Coating?

Conformal coating is a polymeric film that conforms to the contours of a printed circuit board to protects against damage from moisture, dust, chemicals and extreme temperatures that if uncoated can result in damage or failure.  PCB boards can possibly suffer from issues like erosion, softening, deformation or mold in most environments.

A conformal coating is a protective polymer film that (as the name implies) conforms to the circuit board’s intricate topology. It protects the delicate wires and circuits from extreme temperature changes, humidity, airborne contaminants, dust, and anything else that could potentially harm or clog the controls.

Shin-Etsu KE-1871

When it comes to uncompromised quality, Shin-Etsu’s KE-1871 is at the top of the conformal coating pack. A single-component, heat-cured coating, KE-1871 cures to form a flexible, yet durable elastomer ideal for protecting electronic components in the aerospace, automotive, and computer engineering fields.

KE-1871 can also be applied in several different ways depending on the way in which it’s being used. The flow coating method is perfect for circuit board applications, while the selective spray coating and mass coating techniques are better suited for aerospace components and the automotive industry.

Shin-Etsu KE347TUV

Shin-Etsu KE347TUV is a room-temperature-cured, high viscosity adhesive that cures to form a flexible, durable elastomer not unlike its counterpart, the Shin-Etsu KE-1871. However, the room temperature cure and low odor makes this product more versatile for use with highly sensitive electronics.

Shin-Etsu KE347TUV exhibits excellent unprimed adhesion to most metals, plastics, glass, and ceramics. The most unique feature of this product, however, is the UV tracer incorporated in the adhesive for easy inspection. This allows for the product to be viewed after curing to ensure that the electronics are fully encased with no gaps.

Alternative to this is KE3475 which is very similar being a single component , room temperature cure, low viscosity conformal coating.  Exhibits the same qualities as the KE347.

All in all, conformal coatings are an essential piece of the aerospace, automotive, and computer engineering fields. Not sure which coating best suits your project? Our representatives are here to help! Give us a call, toll-free, at 1-800-220-1966 or send us an email at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!