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New Henkel Conformal Coating Shields High-Power PCBs

Henkel has brought to market the Loctite Stycast CC 8555, a conformal coating designed to protect electronics in extreme environments. Mainly, conformal coating delivers printed circuit board (PCB) and sensitive component protection in challenging, high-power applications. Among them are motor drives, PLCs, EV charging infrastructure, AC/DC power supplies, and other high-voltage electronics.

Conformal coating material applied on a printed circuit board

High-power electronics are integral to industrial manufacturing, human mobility and comfort, and global energy production. This is according to Henkel Director of Market Strategy for Power and Industrial Automation, Justin Kolbe. “These systems must adhere to the highest reliability and safety standards; protecting electronics is vital to their dependable function and longevity. Conformal coatings are the go-to protective material for nearly all PCBs used in power electronics. Mainly, Henkel’s latest formulation rises above. It delivers on the reliability requirements foremost, but is also easy to use, cost-effective, and lower-impact material. Loctite Stycast CC 8555 covers all the bases and then some.”

Also, Loctite Stycast CC 8555 meets the most stringent requirements for rugged safeguarding against corrosive conditions. These include moisture, mixed gases, and various chemicals. Additionally, it has a relative temperature index rating of 130°C per the UL 746E standard. Moreover, it has a UL 94 V0 flammability rating, and meets IPC-CC-830 requirements. Defending electronics from potentially damaging environmental impacts is essential for 24/7/365 industrial equipment, power conversion systems, and alternative energy infrastructure where reliability and longevity are expected.

In addition to its safety and reliability credentials, Loctite Stycast CC 8555 enables robust electrical performance, offers process simplicity, and is more cost-competitive than those with solvent formulations. Specifically, it has an excellent dielectric strength of 27.5 kV/mm and good surface insulation resistance (SIR) to protect electrical functionality. When it comes to processability, Loctite Stycast CC 8555 also stands out. The material has a wide process window and good wetting, flow, and leveling performance, ensuring fast, thorough coverage of PCBs and sensitive components with no voiding or visible defects.

Also, curing is achieved quickly, with primary UV cure occurring in seconds, followed by moisture cure for shadowed areas. High processing speed and the elimination of heat-induced curing also contribute to Loctite Stycast CC 8555’s low total cost of ownership.

Conformal coating material under UV light

“Loctite Stycast CC 8555’s VOC- and solvent-free formulation answers the call for environmental concerns and provides significantly lower cost from a surface area perspective,” Kolbe explains. “With solvent-borne conformal coatings, three to four times the weight must be deposited to achieve the same thickness as non-solvent-based materials. This means Loctite Stycast CC 8555 can provide exceptional protection with one-third to one-half of the sprayed volume of a solvent-based system. Users get lower total cost, environmental volatiles reduction, energy-saving curing, and superior performance. That’s a hard combination to beat!”