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The Growing Importance of Conformal Coating in PCB Protection

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are at the heart of modern electronics—but as devices become smaller, more powerful, and more widely used in harsh environments, protecting these sensitive components has become more critical than ever. That’s where conformal coating in PCB protection steps in as a game-changer.

Whether it’s a consumer product exposed to daily wear or a military-grade device deployed in extreme climates, PCBs need an added layer of protection. Conformal coating provides exactly that: a thin, durable film that safeguards electronics from moisture, dust, chemicals, and temperature extremes without compromising performance or size.

Solder Mask on Printed Circuit BoardsWhat Is Conformal Coating?

conformal coating maskingconformal coating maskingConformal coating is a protective chemical layer applied to the surface of a PCB to create a barrier against environmental contaminants. It’s “conformal” because it conforms to the shape of the board and its components, coating even hard-to-reach areas without needing bulky enclosures.

At Board Assembly, we apply conformal coatings using precise, industry-approved techniques that ensure full coverage without interfering with the function or accessibility of electronic parts.

Why Is Conformal Coating Becoming More Important?

As electronics continue to expand into sectors like automotive, aerospace, defense, and IoT devices, the environments these PCBs operate in are becoming more unpredictable and challenging.

Here are a few key reasons conformal coating is gaining traction:

  • Moisture & Corrosion Resistance: In humid or marine environments, moisture can cause corrosion, short-circuits, and long-term failure. Conformal coatings seal off the PCB surface, keeping moisture at bay.

  • Chemical Protection: In industrial settings, exposure to cleaning agents, fuels, or harsh chemicals is common. A conformal coating acts as a shield, preventing chemical damage.

  • Dust & Debris Protection: For electronics in outdoor or manufacturing environments, dust accumulation can hinder performance. Coatings protect against particulate buildup.

  • Extended Product Life: By protecting the PCB from environmental damage, conformal coatings significantly increase product reliability and longevity—essential for industries where equipment failure is not an option.

Applications Across Industries

From automotive control units to aerospace avionics, and from wearable medical devices to outdoor smart home systems, conformal coating in PCB protection is now a standard best practice in many industries. As miniaturization and high-performance demands increase, protective coatings are no longer optional—they’re essential.

Why Work With Board Assembly?

At Board Assembly, we offer advanced PCB assembly solutions that include precision-applied conformal coatings to ensure your product performs reliably in any environment. Whether you need protection from moisture, vibration, chemicals, or dust, our team ensures your PCB is ready for real-world conditions.

Want to learn more about how conformal coating can improve your product’s performance and durability? Contact us today to discuss your PCB protection needs.

Conformal Coating Spray

Adding Acrylic Conformal Coating to Your Printed Circuit Boards

Acrylic resins (AR) are single component materials. To specify, they are preformed acrylic polymers that are dissolved in a solvent to be applied to surfaces. One main benefit of using an Acrylic conformal coating service on your electronics is it provides an excellent barrier to moisture/humidity and have good fungus resistance. They also have minimal chemical resistance which makes it ideal for reworking and removability.

Acrylic Conformal Coating can be easily applied with a brush, sprayed or by dipping.  For smaller batch productions, such as prototyping, hand brushing is commonly.  For those large batch groups, spraying the coating on is best because it gives you an accurate control of coating. Dipping is achieved by placing the assembly into a vat of the coating.  This procedure is also well suited for small batches.

No matter where your electronic device is meant to be used, chances are high that there is at least one major atmospheric threat that can harm the delicate circuit boards within.  Conformal coatings made of acrylic resin (AR) are very popular choice because it protects printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electronics from corrosion, dirt, dust, fungus, moisture, and thermal shocks.

Acrylic conformal coating currently makes up 80% of the market. The purpose of conformal coating is to protect the sensitive circuits in your device so that it can live longer and work better. What kind of threats does conformal coating protect against?

Moisture and Humidity

Moisture is a printed circuit board’s worst enemy. It can easily fry the circuit board, rendering it inoperable. Conformal coating may not be able to protect your device from a torrential downpour or a drop in the toilet, but it can resist humidity and condensation.

Dust

Dust can easily clog up a printed circuit board, especially due to electrostatic attraction. Conformal coating shields the inner workings of a circuit board from dust.

Heat and Cold

If your electronic device is meant to be used outside, then it will have to be able to withstand the sizzling highs and bone chilling lows of the environment. Conformal coating can protect against temperature extremes.

At Acme PCB Assembly, we offer a variety of different conformal coating options for our customers.  Acrylic conformal coating in Los Angeles.

Contact us today to learn more.

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Conformal Coating Service

Why apply conformal coating?

Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) is the core of everyday life as most electrical devices can not function without one. From everyday life to military and medical situations, a PCB must be able to withstand the wear and tear of time and other elements. Conformal coating is designed to protect Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and related equipment from their environment. Typically applied at 0.001 inches to 0.003 inches on the PCB. It is a protective nonconductive dielectric layer that is applied to the assembled printed circuit boards to protect the electronic product from damage due to contamination, salt spray, moisture, fungus, dust, and corrosion caused by the harsh or extreme environment.

Solder Mask on Printed Circuit BoardsACME PCB Assembly happens to offer three different kinds of conformal coating for our valuable customers. The acrylic conformal coating is a low viscosity coating that is cured through drying and isn’t too resistant to chemicals but hardens quickly. The Urethane conformal coating is also a low viscosity coating, however, is cured through crosslinking with strong resistances to chemicals. Silicone conformal coating is a very viscous coating that is applied through swirl technology with high chemical resistances.

Below is a graph that shows the characteristics of the conformal coatings ACME PCB Assembly provides.

Acrylic conformal coating Urethane conformal coating Silicone conformal coating
Viscosity Low Low High
Typical applicator technology Film coating Film coating / Swirl Swirl
Curing Drying Crosslinking Crosslinking
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Yes Yes No
Chemical resistance Low High High
Thermal span Low Low High
Glass Transition Temp Low Low N/A
Repairable Solvents Solvents & Mechanical.

 

May result in stratified coating after repair.

 

 Solvents & Mechanical.

 

May result in stratified coating after repair.

 

Call 310-715-1898 or email sale@ruhielectronics.com for a free quote.