Ultimate Guide To Benchtop PCB Rework & Repair - Chemtronics

9/2/2020 Ultimate Guide to Benchtop PCB Rework & Repair | Chemtronics
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Ultimate Guide to Benchtop PCB Rework &

Repair
The reality is that no soldering operation produces perfect assemblies every time. Even the highest quality
components fail from time-to-time. That’s why understanding the best rework and repair methods and materials
is so important for those who manufacture, maintain, or repair printed circuit boards (PCBs).
What is the safest way to handle PCBs when repairing them?

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Care needs to be taken when handling printed circuit boards (PCBs) to prevent causing more damage than you
cookie policy (cookie-notice-2). By clicking 'OK', closing this banner, clicking a link or continuing to browse, you agree to
are repairing. These are issues to be concerned about:
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1. Wear safety glasses – Solder can splatter or leads can fly when trimmed, so wear safety glasses to
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protect your eyes anytime you are repairing a PCB.
https://www.chemtronics.com/ultimate-guide-to-benchtop-pcb-rework-repair 1/32
2. Unplug and discharge your electronics – To prevent short circuiting the electronics and possibly
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electrocuting not finish submitting
make sure the device your
you areinformation to request
repairing is unplugged a sample
and fully discharged.
Capacitors and power supplies can hold a charge, so pay extra attention to make sure they are fully
discharged. If there are any supplemental batteries, disengage those as well.
3. Prevent static discharge – Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden flow of electrons, or spark, from
one surface to another. This is caused by a differential between the two surfaces, so one has more
electrons than another. Nature loves equilibrium, so the electrons are exchanged to equalize the
distribution. Wearing a grounded wrist strap and working on a grounded ESD-safe mat is the best way to
prevent ESD. A wrist strap has a conductive surface that touches the skin, so can bleed off excess
electrons. An ESD-safe mat works by a similar principal, so bleeds off a charge from anything on its
surface. If working on a PC, you can clip the wrist strap directly to an unpainted area of the case.
4. Reduce contamination by washing hands and handling only the edges of the PCB – Contamination from
your hands can create solderability issues and possibly lead to board failure from corrosion or dendritic
growth. Silicone in your hand lotion or picked up from somewhere can create a barrier on contact areas,
which in a soldering process, could prevent the solder from creating a good metallurgic bond. The solder
may stick temporarily, but pop off when exposed to any kind of thermal or physical stress. Contamination,
like salt on those fries you had with lunch, are another leading cause of problems introduced in the repair
process. Salt is an ionic soil, which when combined with moisture from the air, can cause corrosion. The
ionic particles can also join together to form dendrites, which can lead to current leakage and even short
circuiting. Washing your hands and using only electronic-safe hand lotion is a good way to prevent this
type of board failure. Also holding the board only by the edges without contacts (e.g. gold fingers) can
help prevent depositing contamination on any critical areas.
Associated products:
https://www.chemtronics.com/static-free-hand-guard (/static-free-hand-guard)
https://www.chemtronics.com/static-free-mat-and-benchtop-reconditioner (/static-free-mat-and-benchtop-
reconditioner)
Should I be worried about static electricity with handling PCBs?

Yes. A typical technician working on a PCB can generate thousands of volts. SMOS logic devices can be
damaged with 250-3000 volts, EPROM devices down to 100 volts, and microprocessor chips as low as 10 volts.
Damage can shut down functions or create intermittent problems, and it can either be catastrophic (immediate)
or latent (later as in "field failure"). (source: Phil Storrs PC Hardware Book)
Electrons are constantly being exchanged as objects interact with each other. Problems occur when the
materials involved don’t allow the electrons to flow easily and reach equilibrium. Called insulators, they tend to
collect electrons, which create negatively charged hot-spots on their surface.
When these charged hot-spots come in close proximity (but not even direct contact) with another object, a
sudden exchange or "discharge" can occur, where electrons are suddenly exchanged to create equilibrium. That
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Electrostatic discharge happens all the time, especially in dry climates and in the winter season, when there isn’t
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moisture in the air to help bleed off excess electrons (water is conductive, so allows the electrons to flow more
readily). Normally it is nothing more OK Privacy Policy
than an irritation, (/privacy-notice)
but with sensitive electronics, it can lead to PCB failures.
Wearing a grounded wrist strap and working on a grounded ESD-safe mat is the best way to prevent ESD. A wrist
You did not
strap has a conductive finish
surface submitting
that touches your
the skin, information
so can toelectrons.
bleed off excess requestAna ESD-safe
samplemat works
by a similar principal, so bleeds off a charge from anything on its surface. If working on a PC, you can clip the
wrist strap directly to an unpainted area of the case.
Grounded wrist strap bleeds off excess electrons to prevent damaging static discharge.
https://www.chemtronics.com/static-free-hand-guard (/static-free-hand-guard)
https://www.chemtronics.com/static-free-mat-and-benchtop-reconditioner (/static-free-mat-and-benchtop-
reconditioner)
How do I reduce thermal stress on components with repairing or

reworking a PCB?
The objective is to heat and remove the solder joint and remove the component as quickly as possible, and avoid
heating surrounding areas as much as possible. Heating only the solder joints required to remove the defective
components, and performing the task quickly and with one try reduces thermally stressing other areas. Solder
wick or desoldering stations are good methods to remove solder from isolated areas. Methods involving hot
plates or hot air have a better chance of caused PCB failure later on.
https://www.chemtronics.com/desoldering-braid-wick (/desoldering-braid-wick)
How can solder or components be removed from a PCB?
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Can solder benot

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How do you fix soldering mistakes?

Soldering is a fairly simple concept of combining two metal surfaces using a hot soldering iron, flux, and solder.
Removing the same solder if something isn't right is more complicated. Bad components may need to be
removed and replaced, or excessive solder may need to be removed, like with bridging between two contacts.
The following are common methods of solder removal, also called "desoldering":
1. Solder wick – Solder wick, desoldering braid, or just "wick" are all names for a copper braid that is used to
absorb solder. It is generally coated with flux, so when heated, solder is melted, drawn up, and retained
using a combination of wetting and capillary action. Solder wick allows you to remove solder in isolated
areas without thermally stressing the overall board or nearby components. Solder wick can only remove
exposed solder, so components covering contact areas, like ball grid arrays (BGAs), have to be removed
before the residual solder can be removed.
2. Solder suckers – Solder suckers use a spring loaded vacuum to draw up melted solder. The solder needs
to be melted by either with a soldering iron or hot air, like from a heat gun or rework station. Only small
amounts of solder are drawn up at a time, or it often takes multiple attempts to remove a component.
Maintaining soldering temperature or remelting a solder joint over-and-over increases the thermal stress
on components, other solder joints, and the overall circuit board. Solder suckers can only remove exposed
solder, so components covering contact areas, like ball grid arrays (BGAs), have to be removed before the
residual solder can be removed.
3. Desoldering stations – Desoldering stations have a soldering tip with a hole in the middle that draws up
the solder once it is melted. While a very efficient method of desoldering, rework stations can only remove
exposed solder, so components covering contact areas, like ball grid arrays (BGAs), have to be removed
before the residual solder can be removed.
4. Hot air solder stations – These stations blow hot air over the repair area to melt the solder, and the
component is removed either with tweezers or a vacuum lifter. Once the component is out of the way, the
solder will need to be removed another way.
5. Hot tweezers – If you picture grabbing the lead areas with a tweezer made of 2 soldering irons, you get
the general idea. The idea is to clamp onto the leads on both sides of the component to melt all the solder
at once. This limits the overall thermal stress compared to hot air. Once the component is out of the way,
the solder will need to be removed another way.
6. Hot plate – Placing the PCB on a hot plate melts (or reflows) all the solder joints to allow several
components to be removed at the same time. This method may unnecessarily stress other components
and the board as a whole.
What is solder wick?
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Solder wick, desoldering braid, or just “wick” are all names for a copper braid that is used to absorb solder. It is
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generally coated did flux,
notsofinish submitting
when heated, solder isyour information
melted, drawn up, and to request
retained usingaa sample
combination of
wetting and capillary action. Solder wick allows you to remove solder in isolated areas without thermally
stressing the overall board or nearby components. Solder wick can only remove exposed solder, so components
covering contact areas, like ball grid arrays (BGAs), have to be removed before the residual solder can be
removed.
Solder wick comes in a wide variety of widths to efficiently remove solder from different types of contact areas.
Solder wick generally comes coated with flux that can be matched to your original soldering process: rosin, no-
clean, or unfluxed to add your own flux as you use it.
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Close up of copper solder wick
How do I use solder wick?

1. Place the braid over unwanted solder, preferably on the greatest solder build up so that it maximizes the
contact of the braid to the surface area of the solder.
2. Next, place your iron tip over the wick at 45 degrees and allow heat to transfer to the pad. Molten solder
will absorb into the braid.
3. Move the solder tip and braid as needed to remove all of the solder at one time. Careful not to drag the
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Why are there so many different kinds of solder wick?

Solder wick comes in a wide variety of widths to efficiently remove solder from different types of contact areas
and is coated with a variety of flux that can be matched to your original soldering process
Common sizes of solder wick:
Wick that is too thin won't remove enough solder and requires you to trim and remelt the solder over and over.
Wick that is too wide takes longer to heat and may interfere with other components on the circuit board.
Choose a desoldering braid width that closely matches the size of the contact area. This will ensure that you get
proper heat conduction and that you don’t desolder unwanted areas. Widths of desoldering wire are designated
by the numbers 1 through 6 or color codes, which are the standard in the industry.
#1/white braid is the smallest (under 1mm wide) and is mainly for SMD’s and microcircuits.
Most will find #2/yellow, #3/green, and #4/blue to be the most common desolder wire.
#5/brown is ideal for removing large blobs of solder and #6/red is best for desoldering BGA pads or
terminals.
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Wick can be folded or trimmed at an angle to better fit the contact area.
ESD-safe bobbin for 5' and 10' solder wick
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Spool common for bulk lengths of solder wick
Common types of flux coating on solder wick:

Rosin – Rosin fluxed braid has the fastest wicking action but does leave behind residues that need to be
thoroughly cleaned.
No-Clean – No-clean fluxed braid is ideal when cleaning isn’t practical or possible. After desoldering, the
only thing that remains is a clear, non-ionic residue. For field work, when a thorough cleaning is more
challenging, this is the type of braid to use.
Unfluxed – In a production or repair environment where the flux is specified and can’t be changed, or
when an aqueous flux is needed, you can add your own flux to this type of braid. Unfluxed wick will not
remove solder unless flux is added. Different types of fluxes are available in pen packaging, which is ideal
for fluxing braid.
Solder wick can also be packaged in a variety of lengths. 5’ and 10’ lengths are handy for use at a work
station. Static dissipative spools, also called “bobbins”, are available to prevent damaging components
sensitive to ESD. Longer spools, like 25’ (7.6M), 50’ (15.2M), 100’ (30.5M) and 500’ (152.4M), are
commonly stored in a more central location and dispensed to technicians as needed.
Other specialized braid designs are also available. For example, Chemtronics offers Soder-Wick Lead-Free,
which is engineered to heat faster, so minimizing thermal shock for high-heat lead-free applications.
Can I add my own flux to solder wick?

In a production or repair environment where the flux is specified and can’t be changed, or when an aqueous flux
is needed, you can add your own flux to this type of braid. Unfluxed wick will not remove solder unless flux is
added. Different types of fluxes are available in pen packaging, which is ideal for fluxing braid.
For example, Chemtronics offers the following flux pens:
No-Clean Flux Pens - This no-clean flux is formulated to perform at the elevated temperatures of lead-free
soldering but is also effective for tin-lead soldering as well. It's designed with a low surface tension to
prevent bridging. Post-soldering cleaning is optional because the light residue left after soldering is barely
noticeable is non-corrosive and halide free. This is a good choice for tin-lead soldering where cleaning is
to be avoided.
Rosin Flux Pen - This is a high solids type R rosin flux which provides excellent solderability in a wide
variety of applications. The residue left behind is non-corrosive and is halide-free, but it is best to remove
the residue after soldering for aesthetics.
Water Soluble Flux Pen - This is a very active pH neutral ORH1 flux. It enables easy soldering of both lead-
free and lead-containing solders. This flux must be cleaned and can be removed easily with DI water, like
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https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-fluxes-and-flux-pens (/circuitworks-fluxes-and-flux-pens)
6 tips for efficient, high quality desoldering.

1. Keep Your Soldering Iron Tip Clean and Tinned For Effective Heat Conduction.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s often overlooked and critical for efficient desoldering. Soldering
iron tips covered with burnt flux and oxidation will not wet (accept solder) and will conduct heat poorly. A
clean and tinned soldering tip conducts heat through the desoldering braid better and starts the wicking
action faster.
2. Minimize the Length of Time That the Board and Components Remain at a High Temperature.
Applying high heat levels to the board or its components for an extended period of time can damage your
board, components, create brittle solder joints, and lead to service issues down the round.
3. Match Braid Width to Solder Joint or Contact Pad
Desoldering
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the circuit board.
4. Match Soldering Iron Tip to Braid Width for Accuracy

Use a soldering tip that is roughly the width of the braid and contact area. A tip that is too small will
require more dwell time. A tip that is too large runs the risk exposing other components in a dense
assembly. Matching the tip allows you to melt the unwanted solder faster and minimizes the time that
heat is applied. Use a blade or knife tip when desoldering large areas, like a BGA pad.
5. Match Flux Type to Your Cleaning Process
Desoldering braid is available in various flux types depending on your cleaning process and other
requirements. Rosin fluxed braid has the fastest wicking action, but does leave behind residues that need
to be thoroughly cleaned. No-clean fluxed braid is ideal when cleaning isn’t practical or possible. After
desoldering, the only thing that remains is a clear, non-ionic residue. For field work, when thorough
cleaning is more challenging, this is the type of braid to use.
6. Protect Your Board Against Corrosion By Using a Quality Flux Remover
Flux residues can cause dendritic growth and corrosion on PCB assemblies, so make sure you’re using
best practices and clean the board. After all the components have been replaced and excess solder
removed clean the area thoroughly with a quality flux remover.
How do I remove excess solder from BGA pads after removing the
component from the PCB?
Large amounts of solder on large pads or ball grid arrays (BGAs) can be removed using a solder sucker and hot
air, but that requires exposing the PCB to high temperatures for an extended period of time, which can thermally
stress other components and the board as a whole.
Solder wick is a faster and less thermally stressful method of removing solder from a large area. Solder wick is
available in wider configurations, from 3 to over 5mm. 3.5 to 4mm width is identified as #5 or brown wick, and 5
to 5.5mm as #6 or red wick. The soldering tip geometry should be matched as closely as possible to the width of
the braid. Tips with a large flat surface, such as a screwdriver, chisel, bevel, or kife shape, tend to work best.
Many technicians make the mistake of holding the soldering tip on surface of the braid and then dragging the
braid across the pads to remove the molten solder. The dragging motion can scratch the surface of the pads or
the OSP coating. The following is the best-practices technique that we recommend:
Apply the braid over the pads to be desoldered.
Apply the hot soldering tip on one end of the braid (step 2).
Holding the braid still, drag the soldering tip up the braid (steps 3-4). There is no need to apply pressure
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Lift braid while it is still hot, and repeat the above steps on the next row of pads (step 5). Make sure to
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braid acts as a heat sink, so it will take longer to
heat up.
How do you clean PCB after soldering?
How do you remove solder flux?

The most common way to clean flux residues from a repair area is to saturate a cotton or foam swab with
isopropyl alcohol or another cleaning solvent, and rub it around the repair area. While this may be adequate for
no-clean flux, where the goal is a visually clean PCB, this may not be clean enough when more heavily activated
fluxes are involved, like RA or aqueous. The dirty little secret is that flux residues will not evaporate along with
the solvent. You may dissolve the flux, and some of the residues will soak into the swab, but most of the residues
will settle back onto the board surface. Many times these white residues are more difficult to remove than the
original flux.
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Flux residues don't evaporate along with the solvent.
One quick and easy improvement to this process is to rinse the board after swabbing around the repair area.
While the solvent is still wet, spray over the entire board with an aerosol flux cleaner. Hold the PCB at an angle to
allow the solvent to flow over the board and run off, along with any residues that are picked up.
The straw attachment that comes with aerosol flux removers is a good way to increase the spray force and
penetrate under the components.
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Aerosol with straw good for cleaning under components
Chemtronics offers the BrushClean system with many of their flux removers. The cleaning solvent sprays
through the brush, so agitation can be increased by scrubbing while spraying. To absorb the flux residues, a lint-
free poly-cellulose wiper can be placed over the repair area, and the spraying and scrubbing can occur over the
material. Then remove the wipe and brush attachment, and spray over the board for the final rinse.
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components that need to be thoroughly mixed before the curing process will begin. Once mixed, you use the
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included plastic didtonot finish
apply submitting
to epoxy yourIfinformation
to the connection. to request
movement is possible a sample
during the curing process, you
will need to tape down or otherwise secure the wires or components.
Conductive epoxy used to attach a jumper wire.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conductive-epoxy-2 (/circuitworks-conductive-epoxy-2)
How do you remove conformal coating when repairing or reworking

a PCB?
The best method of removing a coating depends on the type of coating and the sensitivity of the components:
Acrylic (AR) / Silicone (SR) / Urethane Coatings (UR):
When desoldering, it is common to simply burn through these coatings. This could leave burned or rough
edges that will need to be cleaned up before recoating. These coatings can be removed chemically, using
either specialized solvents, or common solvents like acetone, toluene, and xylene. All of these are very
harsh (which is why they dissolve coatings so well), and toluene and xylene have toxicity issues, so make
sure to wear appropriate PPE and have adequate ventilation.
Chemtronics offers the CircuitWorks® Conformal Coating Remover Pen that allows you to remove a tight
area of coating around a repair area without affecting the rest of the PCB. You first saturate the tip by
tapping it lightly on a surface, which opens the valve and releases solvent. Holding the tip down may
oversaturate it, which could lead to solvent flowing into unintended areas.
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as you clean. There is no need to press hard on the pen tip, which could lead to excessive solvent flowing
over the board. Let the solvent
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the time necessary to break down the coating
resin. Acrylic coating will break down quickly, but silicone and especially urethane will take more time.
Epoxy Resin (ER) / Parylene (XY):

Epoxy and parylene coatings coatings are incredibly tough coatings, and resistant to physical and
chemical stresses. Of course, the properties that make them so effective also make them difficult to
remove. You can’t strip these resins using a chemical. Burning or melting them off may be possible, but
risks damaging the PCB as well. The micro-abrasive blasting method is generally the accepted way of
removing epoxy and parylene coatings.
Micro-abrasive blasting uses a specialized device to blow abrasive particles over the coated surface. The
abrasive medium needs to be chosen with great care so the process doesn’t damage the surface or
components and remove markings. The area around the repair should be masked to isolate the effect of
the blasting.
Ultra-Thin Coating (UT):
Ultra-thin coating, which is becoming more common for consumer electronics like mobile phones, should
not have to be removed. It is invisible to the naked eye, and easily burns and scrapes away.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conformal-coating-remover-pen (/circuitworks-conformal-coating-
remover-pen)
How do I patch the conformal coating after a PCB repair?

the Ideally, you should use the same coating material as the original PCB assembly, which should be specified in the
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service manual of the device. In the real world of electronic repair, you may have no idea what was originally
applied. In that case, the easiest solution is to coat using an acrylic coating.
Aerosol brush attachment over a wiper dissolves and absorbs flux residues at the same time.
Chemtronics BrushClean Demo Video
https://www.chemtronics.com/flux-removers (/flux-removers)
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-flux-remover-pens (/circuitworks-flux-remover-pens)
https://www.chemtronics.com/chemtronics-cottontip-swabs (/chemtronics-cottontip-swabs)
https://www.chemtronics.com/chemtronics-controlwipes (/chemtronics-controlwipes)
How do you connect a temperature sensitive component without

high temperature soldering?
2-part conductive epoxy is a great solution for making solderless electronic connections. This type of epoxy
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Chemtronics offers CircuitWorks® Overcoat Pens in a variety of colors to match the PCB resist. Overcoat pens
are basicallyYou didconformal
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used to coat small
areas. Simply press down the pen tip and squeeze the barrel to dispense the coating material. For larger areas,
conformal coating can be applied using a small acid brush.
No matter how you coat, make sure you avoid coating connectors by either coating around them, or masking
them with Kapton tape or temporary solder mask.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-overcoat-pens (/circuitworks-overcoat-pens)
https://www.chemtronics.com/konform-ar (/konform-ar)
https://www.chemtronics.com/chemask-peelable (/chemask-peelable)
How do you repair a broken trace on a PCB?

A common method of repairing a broken trace is to solder on a jumper, which is basically a wire bypass around
the broken trace. This can be time-consuming and visually unappealing. Chemtronics offers CircuitWorks®
Conductive Pens, which contain a highly conductive material like silver or nickel suspended in a liquid polymer.
These pens allow you to literally redraw the trace.
These are the steps to quickly and effectively repair a trace with a conductive pen:
1. For good electrical continuity, you need some surface area of the original trace exposed. If there is solder
resist right up to the break, use a sharp blade to scrape away about a 1/16” portion of the resist.
2. Clean the area with either a swab saturated with a solvent cleaner like isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or a
CircuitWorks® Flux Remover Pen.
3. Vigorously shake the conductive pen until you hear the internal ball rattle.
4. Press the pen tip at the break area and squeeze the pen barrel to dispense the conductive ink.
5. Allow the conductive ink at least one hour to cure before repairing the overcoat.
6. Use a CircuitWorks Overcoat Pen to repair the resist area in the break area. Overcoat pens come in a
variety of colors to match the color of the PCB. Press down the pen tip and squeeze the barrel to dispense
the overcoat material.
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https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conductive-pen (/circuitworks-conductive-pen)
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conductive-pens-paint (/circuitworks-conductive-pens-paint)
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-overcoat-pens (/circuitworks-overcoat-pens)
How do you repair breaks in EMI or RF shielding?

CircuitWorks Conductive Paint is a single component, silver-filled polymer that dries in minutes at room
temperature, making it an ideal solution for patching EMI/RFI shielding. The kit comes with brushes, swabs, and
a plastic pick to repair large and small areas.
In the case of metal screen and wire mesh, it is important that the holes in the screen or mesh are significantly
smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation being kept out. The goal of such mesh designs is to
maintain a consistent hole pattern with a conductive material to ensure electrical continuity. Such a mesh can be
repaired by restoring the hole pattern using polyimide tape and CircuitWorks Conductive Paint.
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cookie policyIt(cookie-notice-2).
is important to ensure that the
By clicking contact
'OK', closingisthis
maintained betweenathe
banner, clicking linkmesh and the conductive
or continuing to browse, paint. A to
you agree
the second layer of polyimide tape can be applied to the opposite side for increased durability. Since the polyimide
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tape is invisible to electromagnetic fields at these wavelengths, the polyimide tape can remain and the EMI
shield is restored.
Figure 1: Damaged screen mesh can be repaired with polyimide tape and conductive paint.
Another common situation is that the aluminum foil inside shielded cable is damaged. Similar to the case above,
this will cause a loss of continuity and could again allow electromagnetic interference. A simple repair in this
case is to repair the hole or tear with polyimide tape and then use the CircuitWorks Conductive Paint to paint the
tape and restore continuity.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conductive-pens-paint (/circuitworks-conductive-pens-paint)
How do you repair a damaged pad on a PCB?

Standard 2-part epoxy can contaminate the surface of the connector, creating an insolative barrier. 2-part
conductive epoxy is a great solution for making repairing damaged pads. This type of epoxy contains conductive
material, so when cured, it forms a very strong and highly conductive bond, similar to a solder joint. Chemtronics
offers two options: CircuitWorks® Conductive Epoxy, which cures in 10 minutes, and CircuitWorks® 60 Minute
Conductive Epoxy, which provides more time to work. Both Epoxies have A and B components that need to be
thoroughly mixed before the curing process will begin. Once mixed, you use the included plastic pick to apply to
epoxy to the connection.
Our To repairuses
website a lifted pad: To find out more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the
cookies.
cookie policy (cookie-notice-2).
1. Clean By clicking
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saturated thisabanner,
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or ayou agree to
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with the supplied plastic pick.
3. Press down the pad.

4. AllowYou did not
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to fully submitting
cure before solderingyour
to theinformation
pad. to request a sample
To replace a damaged pad:
1. Cut away the damaged pad.

4. Apply the mixed conductive epoxy under the pad with the supplied plastic pick.
5. Press down the pad.
6. Apply additional epoxy between the pad replacement and the exposed trace.
7. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before soldering to the pad.
To repair without a pad replacement:
1. Cut away the damaged pad.

4. Apply the mixed conductive epoxy over the padless area with the supplied plastic pick.
5. Place
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6. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before handling the PCB.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-conductive-epoxy-2 (/circuitworks-conductive-epoxy-2)
How do you repair a PCB crack or open area of the solder resist on
a PCB?
This answer assumes the crack does not impact surface or inner-layer traces. CircuitWorks® Epoxy Overcoat is a
2-part green epoxy that
2. Mix equal amounts (1:1) by volume of Part A and Part B. Mix thoroughly for one minute.
3. Use brush or pick to apply epoxy. Pot life is 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
4. Tack free time is 30 minutes at room temperature. Excellent results have been obtained by curing for 10
minutes @ 100°C. Optimum cure cycles using radiant or convection conveyer ovens are best determined
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experimentally. Product may also be cured for 24 hours @77°F (25°C).
5. Clean-Up/Removal (uncured): Use isopropanol, acetate, or MEK to clean-up uncured resin. Cured Epoxy
Youcannot
Overcoat did not finish submitting
be removed using solvents. your information to request a sample
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-epoxy-overcoat-adhesive-syringe (/circuitworks-epoxy-overcoat-
adhesive-syringe)
What flux should I use when replacing PCB components?

Flux is needed to prevent oxidation that tends to form when hot metals come in contact with the air. During
printed circuit board repair and soldering, it's common to see liquid flux from the wave soldering equipment
poured into jars and applied with an acid brush. That can lead to applying too much flux, forcing an additional
cleaning step that might not otherwise be necessary. Other types of flux and special packaging are available that
are better suited for PCB repair:
Flux Pen - Flux pens are valved, prefilled pens of flux. Flux pen avoids the mess and hassle involved in
filling your own flux bottles. A flux dispensing pen contains the flux in the airtight barrel of the pen. Flux
pens are an excellent way to dispense flux for benchtop soldering. You just hold the pen vertically and
briefly depress the tip to start the liquid flow. This will saturate the tip of the pen with flux. Draw flux on
the area to be soldered. Gently press the tip again when more flux is needed to keep the tip damp with
flux.
CircuitWorks® flux pens are available with a variety of fluxes to fit your specific shop requirements,
including: no-clean, high temperature no-clean for lead-free soldering, rosin, and water soluble.
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Tacky Flux - Tacky fluxByisclicking 'OK',pasty
a viscous, closing this
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without it spreading you agree to
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surrounding areas the way a liquid flux can. It can be used to hold small parts in place before soldering
and is common in the manufacture
OK andPrivacy
repair ofPolicy
SMT components. Tacky fluxes in syringe dispensers
(/privacy-notice)
provide for dispensing convenience similar to a pen in situations where a tacky flux better fits the
application. The thick, honey-like consistency is ideal for ball-attach applications, BGA re-balling and hand
YouSMT
soldering didcomponents.
not finish The
submitting yourfrom
flux is dispensed information
a syringe andtocan
request a sample
be manually spread over the
desired area for soldering.
CircuitWorks® No-Clean Tacky Flux is a mildly activated rosin (RMA) no-clean tacky flux. Its formulation
includes a unique rosin/resin blend coupled with a proprietary blend of activators and stabilizers,
providing significantly increased shelf life and long-term product stability. The remaining residue is stable
and can be left on a board without cleaning, or can be easily removed with Flux-Off® No-Clean Plus Flux
Remover. CircuitWorks® Lead-Free Tacky Flux is formulated for higher temperatures common in lead-free
soldering.
Is there a quick fix for cold solder joints?

A "cold" solder joint is generally grainy, which is a sign that the solder didn’t melt and wet properly, so you may
not have a good metallurgic bond. The connection will most likely break loose with any amount of physical or
thermal stress. Be warned that graininess is a visual cue for lead-based solders. Lead-free solders often look
grainy even when there is a good metallurgic bond.
The quickest way to fix a cold solder joint is to simply use a solder iron to remelt the solder. The flux will have
been fully activated in the original soldering process, so additional flux can be added using a CircuitWorks® Flux
Pen.
1. Lightly press the Flux Pen tip to the solder joint until the tip saturates enough for flux to start to flow.
2. Rub saturated Flux Pen tip over the solder joint.
3. Apply
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find out to theorsolder joint your
withdraw and remelt.
consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the
4. If necessary, clean flux residues with either a swab saturated
cookie policy (cookie-notice-2). By clicking 'OK', closing this banner, with aa link
clicking solvent cleaner like
or continuing toisopropyl alcohol
browse, you agree to
(IPA) or a CircuitWorks Flux Remover Pen.
the use of cookies.
the Associated products:
use of cookies.

How do you repair black carbon conductor button pads on PCBs?
Chemtronics offers the CircuitWorks® Rubber Keypad Repair Kit, which can be used to repair keypads by
restoring conductivity to worn, intermittent, and nonconductive carbon contacts. It is a 2-part mix, and comes
with a swab, brush, and plastic pick to help with mixing and applying the materials.
To fix black carbon conductor button pads:
2. Pour the liquid in Part B into the container of Part A. Stir thoroughly for two minutes.
3. Paint the worn carbon contacts with the mixed conductive material using the enclosed applicator
brushes. Use the least amount of conductive material as possible.
4. At room temperature (<75°F / 25°C), material dries tack-free in one hour. Repaired keypads can be
returned to service in 24 hours. Ultimate properties are achieved in 72 hours. For faster drying, expose the
material to approximately 190°F (90°C) for 10 minutes. Do not exceed 212°F (100°C).
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-rubber-keypad-repair-kit (/circuitworks-rubber-keypad-repair-kit)
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Is there a good way toOKremove labels and sticky residues?
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Old identification or QC fault labels can be difficult to remove. They either leave sticky adhesive behind that is
insoluble byYou did not
commonly finish
available submitting
solvents youralcohol
like isopropyl information
(IPA), or areto
sorequest a sample
dried and baked-on that they
won’t budge. While consumer products like Goo Gone or bug-and-tar remover are common to see on
workbenches, Chemtronics offers a cleaner that is actually intended for PCB repair called The Mighty Pen®. It
contains a fast acting solvent that breaks down dried and sticky adhesives.
How to use The Might Pen to remove labels:
1. If the label is plastic or covered by a film laminate, you may have to peel it up to allow solvent to penetrate
underneath.
2. Lightly press the pen tip on the label until the tip saturates enough for solvent to start to flow.
3. Rub saturated pen tip over the label area and allow it to soak through.
4. Allow the saturated label to sit for at least 15-20 seconds, then rub area with pen tip until label material
and adhesive is removed.
5. Wipe area with clean wiper to remove adhesive residue and solvent.
6. Reapply solvent as necessary or allow more soak time for stubborn adhesives.
7. If there is adhesive built-up on pen tip, wipe with clean wiper.
https://www.chemtronics.com/circuitworks-the-mighty-pen (/circuitworks-the-mighty-pen)
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CircuitWorks Conformal Coating Remover Pen (/circuitworks-conformal-coating-remover-pen)

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coatings from a sample
PCBs
(/circuitworks-epoxy-overcoat-adhesive-syringe)
CircuitWorks Epoxy Overcoat (Adhesive Syringe) (/circuitworks-epoxy-overcoat-adhesive-syringe)

Tough, thermally stable, epoxy protective conformal coating
(/circuitworks-gold-guard-pen)
CircuitWorks Gold Guard Pen (/circuitworks-gold-guard-pen)

Pen for cleaning and lubricating gold and other noble metal contacts and connectors
(/circuitworks-heat-sink-grease)
CircuitWorks Heat Sink Grease (/circuitworks-heat-sink-grease)

Silicone compound for heat transfer away from electronics and electrical components
(/circuitworks-lead-free-pocket-solder)
CircuitWorks Lead-Free Pocket Solder (/circuitworks-lead-free-pocket-solder)

Lead free, high purity pocket sized solder dispenser for convenient rework and repair
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Ultimate Guide To Benchtop PCB Rework & Repair - Chemtronics

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Ultimate Guide to Benchtop PCB Rework &

What is the safest way to handle PCBs when repairing them?

Should I be worried about static electricity with handling PCBs?

How do I reduce thermal stress on components with repairing or

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Can solder benot

How do you ﬁx soldering mistakes?

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Close up of copper solder wick

How do I use solder wick?

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Why are there so many different kinds of solder wick?

Common sizes of solder wick:

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ESD-safe bobbin for 5' and 10' solder wick

Common types of flux coating on solder wick:

Can I add my own flux to solder wick?

For example, Chemtronics offers the following flux pens:

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6 tips for efﬁcient, high quality desoldering.

3. Match Braid Width to Solder Joint or Contact Pad

4. Match Soldering Iron Tip to Braid Width for Accuracy

5. Match Flux Type to Your Cleaning Process

6. Protect Your Board Against Corrosion By Using a Quality Flux Remover

Apply the braid over the pads to be desoldered.

How do you clean PCB after soldering?

How do you remove solder flux?

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Flux residues don't evaporate along with the solvent.

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Aerosol with straw good for cleaning under components

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Conductive epoxy used to attach a jumper wire.

How do you remove conformal coating when repairing or reworking

Acrylic (AR) / Silicone (SR) / Urethane Coatings (UR):

Our website uses

Epoxy Resin (ER) / Parylene (XY):

Ultra-Thin Coating (UT):

How do I patch the conformal coating after a PCB repair?

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Chemtronics BrushClean Demo Video

How do you connect a temperature sensitive component without

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How do you repair a broken trace on a PCB?

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How do you repair breaks in EMI or RF shielding?

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How do you repair a damaged pad on a PCB?

3. Press down the pad.

To replace a damaged pad:

1. Cut away the damaged pad.

To repair without a pad replacement:

1. Cut away the damaged pad.

You did not ﬁnish submitting your information to request a sample