Applying parylene conformal coating is a job that has a lot of moving parts--both literally and figuratively. One of the most important details is the thickness of the coating itself. Parylene is generally applied as a thin coating, but different mediums demand different coatings of thickness. Today, we'll take a look at the specifics.
Determining Parylene Thickness
Parylene is applied at .1 to 50 microns, so there is a variety of application thicknesses available.
There are a lot of considerations when it comes to deciding the perfect thickness for parylene coating. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What does the parylene coating need to protect against?
- What environment will the finished product will be placed on or around?
- Will there be any possibility of abrasion on the coating surface?
Remember to review clearance
Clearance is one of the most important things to consider when it comes to parylene thickness. In most cases, conformal coatings have to be placed very accurately so that they don't interrupt mechanical functions--and this means that thickness will rely on how much space there is for the coating.
Find a balance between clearance and dielectric strength
Thicker conformal coatings have more dielectric strength. This means that in an application demanding high dielectric strength but offering little clearance, it's crucial to find a balance. Usually, that means performing a few tests to see which thickness meets both sets of needs.
Ask the experts
It's important to remember that there are always conformal coating experts who can help you review your job and your parylene thickness requirements to help you decide if you're on the right track.
