NR: Mike, Novagard were one of our founding exhibitors and are a big supporter by being a Gold Sponsor. What factors attracted Novagard to Silicone Expo?

MK: Sure Nathan! We’re entering a new economic era, globally. As our society continues to drive towards renewable energy, electric vehicles, and upgraded electrical grids, silicones are essential. Silicones are incredibly capable materials, and this new show is certain to highlight just how great a role they will play in high-growth industries over the coming decades. When you profiled your plan for this show, we knew we had to be a part of it. Our core business is focused on silicone innovation, and we are excited that Silicone Expo will provide a global platform for connecting our capabilities with these expanding opportunities and markets. We are looking forward to this international gathering of the industry’s best.

NR: So, Novagard have achieved IPC-CC-830C certification for portfolio of uV/Dual Cure Alkoxy Silicones for electronics manufacturers. Congratulations.

Let’s start simply here. What is the purpose of a conformal coating?

MK: Sure, Nathan. A conformal coating seals and protects electronics, circuit boards, and other component assemblies. There are multiple conformal coating chemistries available, but for the harshest applications silicone is by far the preferred option.

NR: What is UV/Dual Cure coating, and how does that work?

MK: Sure. It’s all about speed on the manufacturing line. So after the coating is applied, typically sprayed on, the part passed under a UV curing lamp. This UV energy sets off the cross-linking process, which cures the exposed areas of the coating.

NR: Which would be all there was to it if the board were perfectly flat. But in the real world, these complex boards have “shadow areas” where the light can’t reach. That’s where the “dual cure” part comes in. Over the next 24 hours, the material continues to cure in the shadow areas and a full adhesive bond develops between the coating and the substrate.

NR: Do you have to wait that 24 hours before you can handle and ship the product?

MK: Nope. You can typically package and ship immediately and the curing completes in route. And if your process requires a faster secondary cure, we just introduced a new Fast Cure line where that secondary reaction completes in 20-30 minutes.

NR: You mentioned UV Curing, what kind of equipment is required for that?

MK: The first generation of UV Curing Ovens used to be fairly large and complex. They used a fair bit of energy and were a maintenance nightmare. But like many things in the world, this is changing rapidly. We’re on about our 4th or 5th generation of curing technology now, and they are getting super-efficient. We are trialing some of the newest LED technology in our lab right now, and based on what we are seeing, LED will be the technology moving forward.

NR: What is IPC CC 830, and why is it important to electronics manufacturers?

MK: IPC’s Conformal Coatings Task Force is made up of some of the best minds in the business, deciding and agreeing on how conformal coatings should perform, and what customers should expect in terms of flexibility, flammability, thermal shock, hydrostatic stability and dielectric insulation. As these materials get more and more complex, design and manufacturing engineers can be confident that the IPC-CC-830 verified products will perform as expected.
NR: So you have 4 UV Dual Cure products that are IPC-CC-830 Verified?

MK: That’s right, we have verified products from 500cps to 2,000cps. Any the newest FastCure products that I mentioned earlier are going through that process right now, so by the time we can travel freely again, I expect us to have a total of 8 IPC-CC-830 verified products.
NR: It’s another year until Silicone Expo, are there more UV/Dual Cure products on the horizon for Novagard?

MK: Absolutely! This is a major product focus for us. Not only do we have the conformal coatings, we have some flowable and paste products as well (there are a total of 22 in our lineup right now). I know we are working on some screen-printable technologies, so I expect that we will have those products in production before next year.

NR: Great MK. Thank you so much for explaining and good luck with the developments.
If you wish to learn more about this you can view Novagards recent press release in the link below.