Hello, need to mask off sections of a PCA for conformal coating with acrylic. What tape do you recommend? Need fairly high tack to keep out acrylic, but also easily removable. I assume polyimide is best bet. Thanks.
Hi,
Welcome to the Digikey tech forum. I’m not familiar with PCA, perhaps this is a typo and you meant PCB ? Here are some options to look at for anti-static polyimide tapes.
Thanks, but I was looking for a more definite product recommendation from someone who has actually done this on Printed Circuit Assembles.
Hi michaellandersonee ,
Thank you for your reply. Please see response from our product specialist:
“I suppose the 92 series (click here) could be something for the customer to try. But like all things, the customer should qualify it in their own application. As we really don’t have enough info, but this will isolate typical IC’s or connector leads. It is the product that is used on the backing of ribbon cables in your iphone.”
You may also want to consider a peelable mask such as CM8-ND or 473-1212-ND, please review datasheet specifications before ordering.
Click here for all solder mask options.
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IME, standard painters tape works well for masking small areas of PCB’s from spray on acrylic conformal coating.
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Any concern with ESD? In some tapes, such as Scotch tape, the simple act of unrolling a section can generate kV.
After soldering, our boards are ready for use without extra ESD protection. So that is not a concern for me at the coating stage.
Also painters tape is not a plastic film tape so it generates nearly zero charge no matter how hard you try.