IEC Electronics

Year Submitted: 2003

Process: Circuit Board Cleaning

Industry: Electronics Manufacturing

Wastes Reduced: Flux and VOC emission

Substance: no clean flux

Location: Edinburg TX

No. of employees: 635

Contact: Fernando Gonzales

Phone: 956-380-8700

Description:

At their Texas facility, IEC was using a water soluble flux to clean their boards. Water soluble fluxes use aerators that create a flow of flux foam to clean the boards. Whether or not this flux becomes waste, depends on the specific gravity of the flux. If the specific gravity is too high (flux is too thick) then a thinner is added. If the specific gravity is too low ( flux is too thin) then the properties are lost and the flux is considered waste and disposed of. Now, IEC uses a no clean flux for some of their operations. No clean fluxes result in no or minimal amounts of flux waste and VOC emissions. The no clean fluxes are used with sprayers that is applied in a controlled spray pattern to clean the boards. The sprayer improves coverage and penetration using less flux. The flux remains with a stable specific gravity because it is not exposed to airflow.

P2 Application:

Does not apply

Environmental Benefits:

The use of no clean fluxes results in no or minimal flux waste and reduced VOC emissions.

Details of Reductions

Additional Information :

The cost of this product is approximately $2.00 more per gallon, but the savings realized on waste disposal outweighs the additional expense.

Source: TCEQ