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  3. Aquastorm 50 Batch PCB Cleaner

Aquastorm 50 Batch PCB Cleaner

  • The Aquastorm 50 batch cleaner utilizes technologies that are common to the Aquastorm 100 and 200 in-line PCB cleaners but are offered in a batch footprint.

  • The software has an advanced user interface that utilizes a 21" touch screen PC with Windows 7 operating system. The software GUI is common across all Electrovert cleaning, wave, and reflow product lines.

     

Overview

Today’s challenges for PCB manufacturers hinge on high density, increasing complexity, and miniaturization.  Manufacturers who currently clean with batch-type cleaners are looking for a solution that will increase cleaning capability without moving to an in-line cleaner.  The Aquastorm 50 batch cleaner utilizes technologies that are common to the Aquastorm 100 and 200 in-line PCB cleaning machines but are offered in a batch footprint.

Benefits and Features

Patent Pending Fluid Delivery System

The objective of a mechanical fluid deliver system is to clean under difficult, low stand-off components by maximizing the physical energy delivered at the surface of the area to be cleaned.  The Aquastorm 50 wash fluid delivery system utilizes multiple Jet Impact Cleaning (JIC) sprays that creates a web of omni-directional dynamic energy to remove flux residue.  The web (or storm) of mechanical fluid energy that is created delivers the dynamic energy required to achieve higher product reliability, effectively removing flux residues under the low stand-off components.

Drying Performance

Torrid Zone drying has set the industry benchmark for drying with in-line cleaners, and is a standard feature on the Aquastorm 50.  Electrovert’s patented convection drying technologies for cleaning applications deliver a controlled dynamic process that effectively removes moisture from the PCB. Typical performance includes drying complex assemblies to within .1g of prewash weight.

Durable Design

The Electrovert brand name holds the reputation of having the ‘longest product life cycle’ within the electronic production equipment industry, including the Aquastorm 50.  While typical batch cleaners are modified version of residential dishwashers, the Aquastorm 50 utilizes field-proven technologies that are common across the Aquastorm in-line cleaners, including fluid delivery and pump designs and drying technologies.

Advanced User Interface

The Aquastorm 50 software features an advanced user interface that utilizes a 533 mm (21 inches) touch screen PC with the Windows® 7 operating system.  All machine operation parameters are easily viewed to optimize the machine and process controls.

Enhanced Technology

Mixed Spray Technology

The clear advantage of the Aquastorm cleaners is the ability to deliver a combination of chemistry, thermal, and mechanical forms of energy at the PCB surface. Aquastorm utilizes mixed spray technologies including high-impact force for tight spaces,  scillating action for low pressure applications and complete flooding action for high pressure applications. Jet Impact Cleaning with omni-directional spray patterns greatly improves cleaning under low-standoff components, and eliminates shadowing effects. Chemical Isolation provides optimal process separation and minimizes chemistry consumption.

Drying Performance

The Torrid Zone drying system continues to set the benchmark in drying performance and capability.  Electrovert’s patented Torrid Zone convection drying delivers a controlled dynamic process that effectively removes moisture from the PCB.  Typical performance includes drying complex assemblies to within .1g of prewash weight.

Cost Saving Advantages

The Aquastorm 50 batch cleaner utilize several of the same technologies and cost saving designs from the in-line cleaners and are made standard in the Aquastorm 50 batch cleaner:

  • Pre-heated wash tank reservoir:  The Aquastorm 50 utilizes a wash tank reservoir with immersion heater which ensures the wash fluid is constantly kept at proper temperatures. 
  • Chemical isolation:  The Aquastorm 50 comes standard with a chemical isolation cycle.  The recipe can easily be programmed to include the chemical isolation in the wash process.
  • Torrid Zone Drying:  The Torrid Zone drying system is designed to maximize the balance between thermal and mechanical energy within the drying process.  The integrated design has proven to use up to 40% less power over conventional drying systems. 
  • On board closed-loop rinse:  On-board DI water generation for rinse and final rinse cycles.
  • Intelligent Rinse Control: Controls the number of rinse cycles to a user defined rinse water conductivity level.  This feature saves on rinse water cycles and cycle time.
  • Zero discharge to drain:  An integrated on-board filtration system eliminates all chemical isolation and rinse water to drain effluent.
  • Commonality across Electrovert Platforms:  Electrovert has focused on utilizing common materials, common I/O, and GUI software processes across all product platforms (wave, reflow, and cleaning).  This provides cost savings in the form of spare parts (materials and I/O system) and significant savings on training of operators, engineers, and maintenance technicians (GUI software and I/O system).
Process Flexibility and Control

The Aquastorm series cleaners are designed to provide maximum in process flexibility and capability. 

  • Mixed spray technologies:  Spray bars, manifolds, and pumps can be configured to provide the greatest amount of process flexibility and performance.
  • Torrid Zone drying:  The drying capability of Torrid Zone will ensure that both your current and future board designs will be dried within the cleaning system.
  • De-flux and misprint cleaning:  The Aquastorm misprint feature allows the ability to de-flux side A and clean the side B misprint at the same time without re-depositing solder spheres onto the PCB (see technical paper case study)
  • Integrated chemistry concentration monitoring capability:  The Aquastorm now offers software integrated chemistry concentration monitoring.  All chemistry concentration parameters (percentages with user-defined alarm functions) are integrated into the machine software.  All parameters are data logged for traceability and trending capabilities.  Only available for specific chemistry types and brands.
  • The Aquastorm 50 Batch cleaner can be configured in the software to run in either straight DI water mode or in a chemistry mode (standard in software).
  • Field upgrades:  Electrovert always evaluates the feasibility of the technologies to be offered as a field upgrade.  This allows existing users the opportunity to upgrade a current piece of equipment with new technologies.  Check with your local sales representative on availability of new technologies as field upgrades.
Other Value Based Features
  • Board handling features for small light-weight products
  • Chemistry sampling port
  • Digital flow meters
  • Integrated sump tank with effluent transfer