What is Conformal Coating, and How do Antaira’s Products Protect Against Corrosion?
Industrial environments can expose electronics to hazardous materials including highly corrosive gases, moisture, and debris. These vulnerabilities create a considerable risk of failure for critical networking components. Corrosion is the greatest enemy and threat against electronic components. It causes deterioration of materials due to interactions with the environment that leads to unforeseeable and irreparable damage. In today’s market, most industrial networking equipment is not designed with this hazard in mind. Antaira Technologies is proud to announce a new and advanced process of creating products with conformal coatings for electronics applications. This process supports many of the sought-after certifications required in toxic environments.
Corrosive Environments
Corrosion of materials is a chemical reaction caused primarily by an attack of gaseous
contaminants and is accelerated by heat and moisture. Environments like this are found in
industries such as water wastewater plants, mines, and chemical and power plants; but can
also
be found in many common outdoor applications. When field equipment has been operating in
ambient
air, moisture, and oxygen trigger corrosion on metal surfaces of electronic components. In
these
industrial environments, gases such as sulfur dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels and
chloride found in water treatment plants will accelerate the corrosive process.
To determine the level of corrosiveness, the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the International Society of
Automation (ISA) have established a classification system. Antaira’s process for conformal
coating meets or exceeds some of the highest classifications for corrosive environments.
ISA CONFORMAL COATING STANDARD 71.04
Corrosivity Level
Typical Environment
G1 Mild
Corrosion is not a factor in determining equipment reliability.
G2 Moderate
Effects of corrosion are measurable and may be a factor in determining equipment
reliability.
G3 Harsh
High probability that corrosive attacks will occur. This harsh level should prompt further
evaluation and result in environmental controls or specially designed and packaged equipment.
GX Severe
ONLY specially designed and packaged equipment would be expected to survive.
Corrosion severity level of the environment is classified by four different types of airborne
contaminants: liquids, solids, gases, and biological influences.
ISO 9223
Corrosivity Level
Typical Environment
C1 Very Low
Dry Indoor
C2 Low
Arid / Urban Inland
C3 Medium
Coastal / Industrial
C4 High
Calm Sea-Shore
C5 Very High
Surf Seas-Shore
CX Extreme
Ocean / Off-Shore
The corrosivity of an atmosphere is classified based on measurements of pollution categories
(i.e. sulfur dioxide and airborne chlorides) and time of wetness.
Using the charts above, manufacturers and users can determine what kind of environments are
categorized as corrosive. In marine environments, for example, airborne salt crystals can
aggravate corrosion on the surface of electronics found near sea water.
Approvals
Antaira's Conformal Coating Process
Antaira meets or exceeds the Ingress Protection (IP) and conformal coating standards that
defends
against corrosive environments. The conformally coated products have passed salt spray and
gas
corrosion tests to make them compliant with the industry standards listed below.
Salt Spray Test: IEC 60068-2-11, IEC 60068-2-52
Gas Corrosion Test: IEC 60068-2-60
Conformal Coating: MIL‐I‐46058C, IPC-CC-830B, IEC61086-2 (Class 2), UL
94(V-0), UL746E
Corrosive Environments: ANSI/ISA-71.04 (G3-Harsh, GX-Severe), ISO 9223
(C5-Very High, CX-Extreme)
Antaira's Currently Stocked Conformally Coated Products
If you don't see a conformally coated product on Antaira’s website you are interested in, please contact us today! Antaira has the capability of customizing products specifically for customers’ rugged applications. At Antaira we strive to exceed our customers’ expectations!
