Tech-Tuesday Webinars
Available on Demand
The release of IPC J-STD-001J marks a revolutionary shift in how our industry approaches cleanliness testing for electronic assemblies. Gone are the familiar pass/fail limits. In their place:
Objective evidence requirements
Process monitoring through ionic contamination testing
These changes represent a bold move toward data-driven process validation—but they've also brought confusion and uncertainty across the electronics manufacturing industry.
We’ll break down the standard in plain language, walk through real-world scenarios using IPC’s J-STD-001J and WP-019B whitepaper, and give you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.
Whether you're in process engineering, quality assurance, or reliability testing, this is one session you can’t afford to miss.
Available on Demand
Poor thermal management can lead to condensation and moisture accumulation on a PCB’s surface, triggering electrochemical migration (ECM) and other reliability failures.
Through real-world case studies, including a billion-dollar recall of a popular video game console due to ECM failures, this webinar will illustrate how improper heat dissipation can create failure-prone conditions, even in devices designed for controlled environments.
By examining design strategies that mitigate localized harsh conditions, this webinar will emphasize the importance of holistic thermal management and an effective cleaning strategy in safeguarding reliability.
Engineers and designers must not only consider external climatic factors but also ensure that the device itself does not become its own worst enemy.
This on-demand non-commercial webinar is presented free of charge.
Webinar Duration: 55 minutes
Available on Demand
Welcome to our on-demand webinar, "Why Are We Cleaning No-Clean?", a deep dive into one of the most frequently asked questions in modern electronics manufacturing.
No-clean flux was first introduced in the early 1990s, during a time when the majority of circuit assemblies were through-hole, and surface mount technology was just beginning to gain traction. It was a revolutionary development that allowed many commercial manufacturers—particularly those producing IPC Class 1 and 2 assemblies, to eliminate the cleaning step altogether, saving time, cost, and complexity.
But the industry has changed.
Today’s circuit assemblies are far more complex. Miniaturization, the widespread use of bottom-terminated components, and the increasing deployment of electronics into harsh operating environments have significantly reduced the tolerance for flux residue. As a result, many manufacturers are re-evaluating the role of cleaning in their processes, even when using no-clean flux.
In this one-hour webinar, we go beyond the traditional concern of electrochemical migration (ECM) to explore the full spectrum of reasons why cleaning no-clean has become a critical consideration. From corrosion prevention and improved coating adhesion to signal integrity, cosmetics, and wider reflow process windows, the case for cleaning is broader and more compelling than ever.
Whether you’re responsible for reliability, quality, or production efficiency, this session offers practical insights and objective guidance to help you determine if cleaning no-clean is the right move for your operation.
This on-demand webinar is designed for process engineers, quality managers, designers, and decision-makers who are ready to look beyond the label and reconsider what “no-clean” really means in today’s manufacturing landscape.
Available on Demand
There is well documented historical proof that post-reflow circuit assemblies, when subjected to harsh environments, are particularly vulnerable to failure mechanisms that can drastically reduce their performance and longevity. Modern electronic assemblies are far more susceptible to this phenomenon. Among the critical issues affecting these assemblies is ionic contamination, which can lead to a series of deleterious processes, including electrochemical migration (ECM).
This webinar explores the relationship between harsh environmental conditions, ionic contamination, and the resulting electrochemical effects on circuit assemblies.
Webinar Length: 39 Minutes
Cost: This non-commercial webinar is free for all attendees
Available on Demand
The Dirty Dozen - Twelve Common Mistakes Made When Cleaning Circuit Assemblies is now available to view on demand.
Post-reflow contamination removal of circuit assemblies is a proven method of eliminating electrical chemical migration (ECM) failures. The suggestion that some cleaning is better than no cleaning is grossly inaccurate. The fact is, to eliminate any chance of ECM related failures, cleaning must be performed thoroughly and correctly.
Join us for this informative webinar where we will review the dirty dozen, twelve common mistakes made when cleaning circuit assemblies. Modern cleaning is a go-big or go-home proposition. Circuit assemblies gain added reliability when a cleaning process is performed properly. When a cleaning process is performed improperly, reliability may be substantially worsened.
This webinar is presented free of charge.
You can view this webinar from your computer, tablet or mobile phone's browser. No downloads are required.
Webinar Length: 60 minutes
Available on Demand
Step into the intricate world where technology meets resilience, where the reliability of circuit assemblies in the face of unforgiving environments takes center stage. Welcome to a world where the impact of post-reflow contamination on circuit assemblies deployed in harsh conditions is a current reality.
In this MasterClass, we embark on a journey through the intricate web of challenges posed by residues and contaminants, unraveling their detrimental effects on tolerance levels and overall reliability.
As electronic devices solidify their place as indispensable tools across industries, the quest for robust circuit assemblies capable of withstanding harsh environments becomes imperative. This two-hour exploration delves deep into the heart of this challenge, shedding light on the nuances of mitigating contamination. From the selection of cleaning methods to the strategic acquisition of equipment, every aspect is examined. Operational costs, the economics of clean assemblies, operator proficiency, throughput optimization, and the imperative of environmental considerations form the tapestry of our discourse.
Through a comprehensive lens, we navigate the relationship between harsh environments, post-reflow contamination, and the reliability of circuit assemblies. Armed with insights gleaned from this MasterClass, industry professionals will emerge equipped to make informed decisions that resonate with environmental sustainability, budgetary prudence, and operational efficacy.
Furthermore, as the landscape of industry standards evolves, we will review the new IPC cleanliness testing and process monitoring requirements, ensuring that participants are not only abreast of current practices but poised to embrace future advancements.
Join us on this illuminating journey where knowledge intertwines with practice. A Certificate of Completion Will be provided to all those complete this educational journey, underscoring their commitment to excellence in the realm of circuit assembly reliability.
Webinar Length: 100 minutes
Available on Demand
Aqueous Technologies is proud to announce the return of SMT WARS - Lessons Learned by a Contract Manufacturer and Their Customer who Sued Them.
What happened when an electronic contract manufacturer followed their customer’s instructions to the detriment of the product? Product failures, blame, drama, and a really big lawsuit.
Mike Konrad, who was appointed as an Expert Witness in this civil litigation matter, will present this webinar and review the trials and tribulations of a contract manufacturer and their customer. Assembly residue-related failures (ECM) contributed to product failures, product recalls, and, ultimately, a multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
Misguided “best practice” techniques only made matters worse. This presentation will discuss what factors contributed to the “perfect storm” of product failures. Factors that go as far back to original product designs, printed circuit board fabrication, storage and handling, assembly, testing, and coating. While mistakes were made all along the way, product failures could have been avoided with a few simple process changes, adding mere pennies to the cost of each assembly while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation.
Webinar Length: 62 Minutes
Available on Demand
Tech-Tuesday webinar series continue with "Optimizing Your Cleaning Process for Maximum Results at Minimum Cost".
Many modern circuit assemblies now require a cleaning process to operate reliably in their intended climatic operating environment. The fact is, the most common flux removed today is no-clean. While it may sound counter-intuitive, many flux manufacturers now boast how "cleanable" their no-clean fluxes are.
With the residue tolerance of circuit assemblies at an all-time low, for many assemblers, allowing residues to remain on an assembly is no longer an option. Not only is a cleaning process required for many assemblers, cleaning effectively is paramount for maximum reliability.
This webinar will present strategies for maximum cleaning effectiveness and efficiency. Improving reliability through contamination removal does not have to be an expensive process.
This webinar will review cleaning best-practices from several points of view including:
How clean is clean enough?
What are the problematic residues to be removed?
What are the most common cleaning methods?
Factors to consider when choosing a cleaning process.
How to calculate the cost of cleaning.
How to optimize a cleaning process for lowest cost per clean assembly.
How to reduce or eliminate environmental liability (how to solve one problem without creating another).
Webinar Length: 65 Minutes
Cost: This non-commercial technical webinar is free of charge.
