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Industrial solvent cleaners
Clarea® general purpose industrial solvent cleaners are safe for users and the environment
Clarea® non-chlorinated industrial solvent cleaners are compatible with all metals, composites and most plastics used to remove dirt, oil, grease, or other contaminants from surfaces without causing harm or leaving residue. They are used as immersion cleaners for component cleaning in manufacturing and engineering industries and as wipe cleaners for large surface areas prior to painting or powder coating. The environmental concerns and health hazards of the chlorinated solvents used as industrial degreasing agents has led to the formulation of this EnviroTech range of safer cleaning solvents.
What to consider when choosing suitable solvent cleaning products?
Solvents used for cleaning must be highly refined and leave no residues on drying. They need to be highly effective removing oils and soils without causing damage or corrosion of the parts or components being processed and leave minimal residues.
Cleaning specifications vary widely from very demanding automotive and aerospace applications to less demanding applications where critical cleaning is not needed such as pre-used parts or assemblies from the transportation, aerospace, or manufacturing equipment sectors. Heavily contaminated when removed from service these must be free of oils, soils, grease and dirt before disassembly prior to refurbishing and rebuilding. Much of this work will be manual and the considerations for the safety of operators, hand wiping or brush cleaning is paramount.
Clarea® products are aliphatic hydrocarbon based low odour degreasing solvents with specified flash points. They will remove oils, greases, hydraulic fluids cutting fluids and a wide variety of hydrocarbon based protective coatings. Clarea® solvents can be safely used with all metals and composites and most plastic and paint finishes.
Clarea® HC40 is low odour degreasing fast drying solvent with a flash point of 40°C. It is suitable for ultrasonic and dip systems and can be used with brush or in hand-wipe processes.
Clarea® HC462 is a degreasing solvent with a flash point over 60°C. It is suitable for hand-wipe applications when used externally.
EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL
- Versatile and cost-effective solutions for all your industrial cleaning
- Minimal odour and low toxicity for operators
- Multipurpose uses can reduce the inventory of cleaning fluids.
- Flexible uses – evaporation rates suitable for hand wipe, spray, or immersion tank cleaning
- Clarea HC40 for brush and hand wiping, air dries. Flash point 40°C
- Clarea HC62 for spray or immersion cleaning Flash point 62°C
- Contains no chlorine, other halogens or stabilisers
- Compatible with all metals and composites and most plastics
- Excellent pre-cleaner for paint or powder coatings
- Safe, reliable, environmentally friendly cleaning
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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Related Posts
Solvent Degreasing and Metal Cleaning
Solvent Degreasing and Metal Cleaning –
Future proof Vapour Degreasing from EnviroTech Europe
Innovation driven by legislation
Vapour degreasing, with or with-out ultrasonics, is the oldest, simplest and most effective solvent degreasing and metal cleaning process used today. It has, until recently, been subject to little change since it was first invented in the early part of the last century. In the UK, Europe, United States and other advanced industrialized economies increasingly stringent legislation to control emissions of VOCs, Global Warming Compounds, Ozone Depleting Compounds, and those compounds associated with human health concerns has led to new formulations for precision cleaning solvents.
Cleaning systems have had to change too. With increased legislation concerning the regulation of health and environmental safety, uses of solvents have been targeted and alternatives are encouraged by the relevant authorities and law makers, often without serious consideration of unintended consequences. For example, water-based cleaning is the obvious alternative but this has many disadvantages compared to vapour degreasing as although the machines are simple and relatively cheap the processes require multiple tanks for immersion or spray processing or long programmed cycles in batch machines for cleaning, rinsing and drying. Water based processes are slow, energy intensive and occupy more floor space than vapour degreasing equivalent where only one tank with small footprint is needed delivering shorter process times and most importantly using minimal energy. Then there is the disposal concern as the used water cannot just be disposed of by pouring it down a drain.
The ideal cleaning process would be vapour degreasing and cleaning with water, but due to the physical characteristics of the vapour/steam and the inability to carry surfactants to remove the oil, grease and soils and the difficulty of rinsing and especially drying this will only ever be a dream.
Halogenated hydrocarbons are the solvents of choice for vapour degreasing and cleaning. The process is essentially simple. A tank with a sump to contain the solvent, heaters at the base and condensation coils around the top section to control the height of the vapour is all that is needed. When heated in the sump halogenated solvents produce, in most cases, a saturated vapour between 3 and 4 times heavier than air at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature of the parts to be cleaned. This allows the solvent vapour to condense on the surface of the parts. The condensate dissolves the contaminants such as oil, greases, flux, and soils returning the used solvent into the sump of the machine for recycling into vapour which continuously condenses onto the parts until they have achieved vapour temperature when, with no further condensation, the process is complete. Parts removed from the cleaning machines are very clean, warm and dry.
The most common halogenated solvents, in use for commercial purposes, are non-flammable so present no risk in this process. Perchloroethylene, used mainly for dry cleaning, methylene chloride previously used widely in paint strippers, 1,1,1- trichloroethane and trichloroethylene used for vapour degreasing were the original materials used based on chlorine chemistry. However continuing concern about the environmental impact and danger to operators by exposure to chlorine-based solvents, especially trichloroethylene, has led to a continuing search for safer alternatives, such as ProSolv 5408e, a trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene based solvent mixture that is non-flammable.
As with all legislation for chemical use regulation and restrictions drive development of associated processes and equipment. The most important developments in vapour degreasing cleaning machines to use solvents for vapour degreasing use two different approaches and raise difficult questions as to which is the best most economical and simplest in use.
The single tank hermetically sealed machines favoured by mainly German manufacturers uses a process tank to contain the solvent and a separate storage tank/vapour generator. Baskets with parts to be cleaned are loaded from the top and lowered into the process tank. A lid then closes over the tank and is hermetically sealed. Solvent is pumped into the process tank. Baskets are immersed in the solvent where agitation, ultrasonics or pumped liquid is circulated through the parts. When the immersion process is complete solvent is pumped to the storage tank and vapour fed to the process tank from a vapour generator for rinsing and drying. Condensing coils/panels controlling the vapour height are linked to coils located within the vapour zone which, when the cycle is complete, collapse the vapour. The process tank is emptied. The saturated air/solvent from the process tank is then recycled through carbon absorption units to remove traces of solvent from the air until the concentration is below 2 grams per cubic meter when the lid opens automatically for the basket of parts, clean and dry, to be removed and replaced with a further basket.
Variations within the hermetically sealed tank are possible using sprays of cold or hot condensed solvent, immersion with or without ultrasonics and revolving baskets to cover most of the problems experienced when processing machined and fabricated parts. Continuous external distillation of the contents of the vapour generator is also an option depending on contamination.
The alternative technology is much simpler and cheaper and less time consuming using well trained techniques. This is favoured by UK based manufacturers. The multilevel system shown in the diagram uses a standard vapour degreasing tank design with a sealed loading section above the process tank.
Work baskets are fed to the load section from a hoist or conveyor. The loading door is then pneumatically sealed to hermetically isolate the process. The sealing lid on the process tank is opened and the basket lowered into the cleaning tank which can be simple vapour degreasing with vapour generator below or an offset generator can be used with the lower section being filled with clean solvent for immersion cleaning with or without ultrasonics or power sprays. Revolving baskets can also be added to improve cleaning in blind or through holes or oil ways in castings and fabrications.
When the process is complete the basket rises to the freeboard area where the condensation coils are located, and parts are allowed to drain and dry. The tank seal opens to allow the basket into the load section while the lid closes again across the process tank. A fan is then activated which produces a negative vacuum in the load area. The loading door is then partially opened to allow a flow of air through the loading section which is exhausted to atmosphere or can be recycled through carbon absorption systems if no external exhaust is preferred. As baskets entering the loading space contain parts drained and dried only very small amounts of solvent are carried in the exhausted air which is monitored to ensure compliance with local legislation. When this is achieved the door opens fully for removal of basket. The loading section can be fitted with top or side sealed doors allowing baskets to flow through on conveyor systems or be loaded from hoists. No solvent enters the work area. Both processes will produce parts cleaned to the highest standards but the choice of which offers the best solution needs a little more consideration.
The single tank process is complicated with the need to move liquids in the machine. It is relatively slow as the carbon adsorption process needs to remove high levels of solvent from the recirculated airstream from the process tank. This is inefficient as adsorption rates for carbon fall rapidly with increasing saturation. Final levels of solvent in the tank when the lid opens will be dragged into the workshop and the area in which the operator is working. Long process cycles reduce throughput.
The simpler multilevel systems where movement of liquids is not required are more efficient and offer much faster process times. Cost of manufacture is also cheaper as no liquid movement is involved. The extracted loading section ensures no leakage of solvent into the work area which offers complete safety for operators and factory staff. The disadvantage of the multilevel machine is the height of the equipment compared to the single tank machine. This will often require the equipment be installed in a pit for easy access.
Both designs of process machines fully comply with the emission regulations of the UK, EU and U.S authorities. Which to choose will depend on many factors which should be discussed with both the equipment and solvent suppliers who have the experience to advise on which offers the best process for the application. Equipment and solvent must work together and it is advisable to ensure that the suppliers work closely together to offer a package with high levels of responsible care and product stewardship to ensure the best and safest installation.
The vapour cleaning process still gives the highest levels of economical cleaning with minimum energy usage, low footprint on the factory floor, safety for the operator, and high production rates with low solvent usage or environmental impact. With the new generation of sealed cleaning machines its future as the process of choice is assured.
Envirotech Europe supplies three distinct products that use this process and we are happy to advise you on the best solution to suit your needs. Please visit our website to find out more about ProSolv 5408e, ProSolv and EnSolv® CC-A.
Image of Solvac hermetically sealed equipment by kind permission of CC Hydrosonics Ltd.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Please visit our website www.envirotech-europe.com for information about other uses and applications for our vapour degreasing and cleaning products.
Visit www.envirotech-europe.com/applications-and-case-studies for information about uses and applications for all EnviroTech Europe products.
For more advice, please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form. All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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Electrical corrosion protection
Electrical corrosion protection – Prevent hydrogen sulphide corrosion in electrical and electronic equipment
Super CORR A is a proven and cost-effective way to prevent or inhibit corrosion from destroying electronics and electrical components. Adverse work environments where corrosive gases such as hydrogen sulphide are found, can cause severe corrosion and rapid deterioration of electronic components and equipment, including connectors and switches.
Lost productivity and revenue caused by plant and equipment downtime
Corrosion, in its many forms, costs both private and public sectors hundreds of billions of Euros a year to repair or replace electrical, electronics, or avionic components because of failures caused by corrosion. While all metals corrode, due to a number of different factors, there is no simple or single solution to the overall corrosion problem. However there are some very cost effective and proven ways to prevent corrosion and failures caused by corrosion and thereby reducing or eliminating associated costs and increasing safety which should be foremost in the mind set of any preventative maintenance programme manager.
Super CORR Awas specifically designed to lubricate and prevent corrosion in electrical fittings and connectors; electrical and avionic harness assemblies and connectors; electrical and electronic switches; close tolerance and dissimilar metal components; lighting connectors and sockets. A unique non-flammable “self-healing” ultra-thin film lubricant with a proprietary corrosion preventive compound that will not harden or crack, is not a wax or oil-based product and is formulated without sulphates, chlorides or halogens.
Super CORR A inhibits corrosion caused by exposure to both fresh and salt water moisture as well as the corrosive vapours from Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S), Ammonia (NH3), and Chlorine (CL12) based gases found in waste water and sewer treatment plants, pulp and paper mills and plants, chemical and petroleum plants, maritime industry, aircraft/airline industry, military equipment including ships, aircraft, and rolling stock, auto industry, farming and agriculture industry, and the list goes on.
Super CORR A extends the working life of electrical components and systems and other critical items by preventing the deterioration and/or failure caused by corrosion and can significantly reduce downtime, operating and maintenance costs as well as enhance safety. An ultra-thin film, water displacing lubricant and corrosion inhibiting compound Super CORR A has undergone extensive testing by Battelle Labs as well as the U.S. Air Force and meets MIL-DTL-87177B (revised MIL-L-87177A) specification. SuperCORR-A is used by NATO (NATO NSN 8030-99-226-6966) to protect avionic, electrical, electronics, electrical switches and connectors and components from corrosion in both the military and civilian aircraft. Savings for the U.S. government alone is estimated to be in excess of $50 million per year.
Super CORR Aprovides a superior lubrication coefficient and protects components against moisture, wear, general and fretting corrosion, surface static electricity, corona, and other electromigration problems. The super thin non-flammable lubricant film is only 7 microns (0.00028 inch) thick and is formulated to meet the RoHS directive. It is unexcelled in preventing deterioration and contamination on all surfaces of electronic equipment.
The question for you is: What is the cost of NOT using Super CORR A in your preventative maintenance programme?
FURTHER INFORMATION
Please visit our website https://www.envirotech-europe.com/supercorr-a for for information about other uses and applications for Super CORR A.
Visit www.envirotech-europe.com/applications-and-case-studies for information about uses and applications for all EnviroTech Europe products.
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Latest News
Samuel Banners Ltd appointed EnSolv distributors for UK
CONTENT ON THIS PAGE IS RETAINED FOR INFORMATION ONLY
DUE TO n-Propyl bromide now being included in Annex 14 of REACH
EnviroTech Europe Ltd (ETE) continue to publish it as historical information and to record changes occurring in legislation which have affected decisions on formulations and equipment used in vapour degreasing - the most effective, quickest, flexible and cheapest cleaning system used in industry.
EnSolv® invented and patented by EnviroTech has been a market leader all over the world for vapour degreasing. It is based on n-bromopropane (nPB) which now cannot be used as a vapour degreaser within the UK or EU without authorisation.
Archived information about EnSolv® can be found using the Discontinued Products & Resources navigation menu on this page.
Using experience accumulated over 40 years supplying and supporting users of the vapour degreasing process ETE specialists have developed “drop in” alternatives:
ProSolv®, ProSolv5408e® and EnSolv CC-A® give the same or improved level of performance and economy as the original EnSolv® products.
Please contact our advisers who are available to discuss your needs and propose the best replacement product.
Or please click here to return to our vapour degreasing products homepage for information about our current products.
EnSolv is the only realistic safe, economical alternative to the carcinogen trichloroethylene for vapour degreasing.
Responding to the increasingly stringent legislation on solvent usage EnviroTech have over the years reacted to the changes and introduced and developed the solvent minimisation programme which gives help and guidance to users in ways to reduce the amount of solvents used in vapour degreasing to comply with the EU Solvents Emission directive. This is achieved by a combination of working with partners to improve equipment, better solvent handling and more efficient use of the vapour degreasing process. Training staff in proper loading of work baskets, correct timing procedures and many more detailed improvements which when combined not just reduce solvent usage but make it safer for the operator and the environment while considerably reducing costs for users. After discussion with many potential distributors to find a partner with the same ethical standards, passion for customer service and training and with the high level of knowledge to service and support our customers we are very pleased to announce Samuel Banner Ltd will be the distributors for EnSolv in the UK from November 2013.
Established 150 years ago Samuel BANNERS Ltd were granted the patent for White Spirit and from that time they have continued to be involved with solvents manufacturing and distribution. Their extensive storage and distribution depots will offer a fast and efficient delivery for EnSolv throughout the U.K. The respected technical sales team at BANNERS are active in precision engineering, aerospace, medical, electronics and optical industries where critical cleaning is required and have an in-depth knowledge of vapour degreasing to give advice and support to all EnSolv customers. EnviroTech Europe Ltd and Banner Chemicals are both committed to Responsible Care and will continue to advise on legislative or other changes and research for our products to meet the highest quality standards.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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A Real Fire Suppression System Problem and Your Electronics and Computer Systems
HFC-227ea is replacing Halon 1301 as the gaseous fire suppression agent for data processing and electronic equipment.
However when activated in a fire situation HFC-227ea will decompose to produce Hydrogen Fluoride. This is a real and ongoing concern. Why? Because Hydrogen Fluoride causes major corrosion problems for electronics and connectors. You may save your equipment but for how long?
In 2004 the Institute of Research and Construction in Canada published a study on HFC-227ea (C3F7H) paper, Thermal decomposition products from fire suppression with HFC-227ea in an electronic facility 1. That study was followed by Corrosion of Electronic Components by Hydrogen Fluoride (HF)2 in 2008 by the Fire Research Program of the National Research Council of Canada. Both studies were published in the Journal of Fire Protection Engineering. These two in depth studies address and prove the very definite concern of Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) corrosion after a gaseous HFC-227ea fire suppression system is used in computer and other electronic environments.
The first published study by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in 2004 showed that HFC-227ea, a gaseous fire suppressant, a replacement for Halon 1301, produced at least 5 to 10 times more HF than Halon 1301 under similar fire conditions, however, there was no information available on the amount of thermal decomposition products generated during fire suppression with halocarbon agents in an electronic facility.
The Corrosion of Electronic Components by Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) paper published in 2008 describes in detail the HF corrosion and provides the test results showing the corrosion damage due to HF. While HFC-227ea is a very good fire suppression system, the HFC-227ea thermal decomposition byproduct, Hydrogen Fluoride, would cause serious and expensive short and long term extensive corrosion damage by the condensed Hydrofluoric acid. Hydrogen Fluoride corrosion severely affects computers, servers, switching circuits, and other electronics, connectors and electromechanical devices.
To prevent corrosion caused by Hydrogen Fluoride, as well as other chemicals, acids, salts, and water which can be deposited during the activation of fire suppression systems or rapid humidity changes, all the electrical and electronic hardware, boards and connectors should be sprayed or coated with SuperCORR A, an ultra-thin film lubricant and corrosion preventive compound that is non-hardening and will not crack. SuperCORR A is a water displacing non-flammable compound that will not interfere with any type of electronics or avionics and prevents corrosion.
While a fire suppression system utilizing HFE-227ea will put out the fire, SuperCORR A will protect and prevent damage to the electronics or avionics caused by exposure to the Hydrogen Fluoride produced as a byproduct during the fire. SuperCORR A Mil-L-87177, is also effective in preventing damaging corrosion by atmospheric gases such as Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), Ammonia (NH3), and Chlorine based gases (CL2) in Class III mixed gas tests and fresh or salt water systems.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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Maintenance engineers please help us to improve our product for you.
Corrosion Protection
SuperCORR A is the best lubricant with corrosion protective additives on the market and is widely used by the military and for industrial maintenance.
The website gives technical information and extensive user experiences in many areas. Currently SuperCORR A is supplied for maintenance purposes in large 16oz aerosols which are very convenient and economical for use in factories, offices or maintenance areas but are bulky for use by mobile service engineers where the cans need to be carried in tool kits.
SuperCORR A is such a useful tool for service engineers, displacing water and leaving a dry lubricating film which protects surfaces from corrosion under even the most extreme conditions that we are considering a smaller 3 or 5 oz pack which will be easier to carry and allow access in tight locations.
Tell us how you use SuperCORR A and let us have your views on whether a smaller can will make your job easier. We welcome your comments.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Benjamin Franklin said that in 1736 and it is as true today as it was then.
One of the most important opportunities for savings today is the prevention of failures caused by corrosion. Corrosion leading to the repair of or the complete re-placement of failed parts or components, a pound of cure, which is preventable, equates to increased production costs and a decrease in the bottom line profits.
SuperCORR A is the ounce of prevention that will save your company money; man hour costs and parts in the re-pair or replacement of equipment that failed because of corrosion issues that are easily preventable. Whether it’s an electrical connection that failed because of corrosion which caused a cooling pump to shut down that caused a bearing to overheat and burn out that brought an entire production line to a halt or it’s the floor of an airliner that was so corroded that the aircraft was grounded for extensive repairs, corrosion is a serious and a very expensive problem. A problem that is preventable.
An ultra thin-film lubricant with corrosion preventative compounds that displaces water, SuperCORR A has been extensively tested on metals and electronics and has shown extremely good results in preventing corrosion.
The question to ask yourself is: What is the cost of NOT using SuperCORR A to prevent corrosion?
If you were able to say we are saving £100 a day by using SuperCORR A by not having a failure caused by corrosion would that be a good thing? How about saving a £1000 a day? A saving that would directly influence the bottom line.
You have essentially two choices:
1). Being proactive about corrosion and doing something simple and very cost effective to prevent it,
2). Do nothing and take your chances that the cause and the associated costs of the next lost production time are not directly related to a preventable corrosion problem.
Being proactive about corrosion and doing something that is cost effective and protects the bottom line is nothing but a positive. Remember the cost of lost productivity is directly related to lost profits.
CORR-EX corrosion control solutions have the answer to corrosion prevention for all industries and utilities.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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SuperCORR A Fully compliant with RoHS Directive
SuperCORR A is fully compliant with the requirements of the RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC – Restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
The restricted chemical substances are:
Lead
Cadmium
Mercury
ChromiumVI
Polybrominated biphenyls
Polybrominated diphenyl ether
For compliance equipment must contain no more than 1000ppm (100ppm for Cadmium) of these substances
SuperCORR A has been tested and confirmed to be compliant so can safely be used on already compliant electrical and electronic equipment which will remain compliant.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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See how SuperCORR A can save money and time changing light bulbs
Question – How many engineers does it take to change a lightbulb?
Answer – One,
but they’ll spend three hours checking it for alignment and leaks.
There are thousands of jokes on this theme but anywhere, factories, offices, warehouses, supermarkets, sports stadiums, railway stations, ocean liners, road lighting and other applications where thousands of light fittings are installed it can be a major maintenance expense rather than a joke.
SuperCORR A is a corrosion preventative dry lubricant aerosol which rejects water and protects the bulb socket and fitting and prevents sticking. This makes bulb changing easy and quick.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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SuperCorr A defeats increasing gold prices for connector manufacture
Thinner plating caused problems with increased corrosion on USB connectors as gold coating thickness decreased with escalating gold prices.
A major company in the U.S. found that by using SuperCORR A it was able to prevent galling corrosion due to vibration on printed circuit leads and connectors.
They found that because of the advances in gold plating technology the plating thickness was being reduced over the base substrate metal of the connectors. The thickness of the gold plating became thinner and thinner over time. This thinner coating saved a lot of money as gold was and is becoming increasingly expensive. However the resulting reduced thickness of gold plating also resulted in failures caused by corrosion. Minute irregularities in the surface of the connectors base metal caused irregular or uneven wear of the connector causing the “high spots” on the connector to wear through the gold plating.
Using SuperCORR A prevented or delayed the corrosion and subsequent failures. However it must be recognized that
SuperCORR A is a lubricant with corrosion preventive compounds, and as is the case with all “lubricants” they will be worn off over time. Having said that, the Company also had SuperCORR A tested to see what the “life” of the lubricant was in a “rub test”. The typical test is 20,000 cycles, i.e. unplug, plug in is one cycle. The test results demonstrated that after 20,000 cycles there were no failures. It was decided to take it one more step and run the same tests for 200,000 cycles. The results again showed no indications of galling or scoring on the USB connectors at all. In fact they commented that the USB connector looked as good as new.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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Corrosion Control
Corrosion is a serious problem for industry and governments worldwide. Most people associate corrosion with rust, which only happens in things made of ferrous metals such as steel girders, ships, iron pipes, steel reinforcement rods, and steel tanks and is the reason metals deteriorate and fail.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metals corrode on contact with both fresh and salt water as well as water vapor. They will also corrode when they come in contact with chemicals, liquid acids as well as acidic vapors, salts and bases, and bacteria.
Read our article “Corrosion Control Solutions – A Solution To A Costly Problem” for more information about the enormity of the costs involved in failing to prevent corrosion.
We can provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheets, independent laboratory reports, product samples and technical assistance.
For more information or advice please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our contact form.
All products are supplied and supported by EnviroTech Europe Ltd. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.
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