General Design Rules for Conformal Coating

The failure to appreciate the subtleties of the conformal coating application process can result in a board design that cannot be conformal coated effectively. Understanding some basic design rules for conformal coating could save a lot of time and money. Unfortunately, for too many designers, conformal coating is simply a part number, to be applied to circuit boards. For companies embracing lean philosophies and applying coatings, this failure to appreciate the subtleties of the application process can result in a board that cannot be conformal coated in the (at least as specified) process. The design rules for conformal coating are straightforward. Follow them and you could save money and time in your application process. However, if the rules are not followed, the resultant circuit board design can challenge even the most sophisticated conformal coating system and its operator to achieve the finish desired.