Technical Bulletin Jan 09

Common failure mechanisms in conformal coating: Orange Peel

In conformal coating, there are several mechanisms that cause failure of printed circuit boards
(PCBs). In a series of technical bulletins SCH will examine the common failure mechanisms in
conformal coating including capillary flow, delamination, cracking, loss of adhesion, de-
wetting, corrosion, orange peel, pin holes, bubbles and foam.

Conformal Coating Failure Mechanism:

Orange Peel

Definition

An uneven textured surface, often appearing

dull, which looks like the skin of the orange.

Causes of Orange Peel in Conformal Coating

Factors that can cause orange peel effect

include:

1. The improper application of the

conformal coating. This manifests in
aerosol or spray gun application where
the coating is applied too far away
from the PCB and the coating is too
“dry” on the surface to level out.
2. The incorrect thickness of the coating
where not enough coating is deposited
so that there is insufficient conformal
coating to self level.
3. The incorrect cure profile when using
an accelerated curing mechanism. This
could be that the flash off zone before
heat curing is inadequate or the oven
profile is incorrect.
 

Examples of Conformal Coating orange peel effect.

SCH Technologies is a Trading Name of SCH Services Limited 
Newburgh Building, McLintock Way, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. S70 6BF 
 
Tel: +44 (0)1226 297711 Fax: +44 (0)1226 297733 
www.conformalcoating.co.uk  SCH Technologies are ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified
  
 

 
Ex
xamples of
o Orange
e Peel Effect
 
Th
he main issue with ora
ange peel effect is
th
hat the con
nformal cooating may y be too thin
to
o offer ade
equate prootection to the PCB.

Ho
ow to stop
p Orange Peel Effec
cts in
Conformal Coating

1. Redu
uce the visc cosity of th
he
confo
ormal coatting to allo ow the
coatiing to leve
el.
2. Reduuce the air pressure to
o the spray
y
gun to
t reduce the
t evapo orate effec
cts
Exampless of Orange Pe
eel courtesy off Humiseal Euro
ope
on the conform
mal coating g.
mise the disstance for spray
3. Optim
application to the
t manufa acturer
speciification when applyying the
confo
ormal coatting. SCH Te
echnologie
es offer
4. Ensure enough layers of coating
c are
e
applied to formm a levelled d coating. • Conforma
al coating SSubcontract Servicess
This is especially
y true for aerosols • Global sup
pply of Conformal Co
oating
which h are susceeptible to this
t issue. Applicatio
on Equipmeent
5. Increase the fla
ash off time
e for the
• Humiseal Conformal
C l Coatings
solvents to evapporate beffore
rampping up thee temperatture for • Conforma
al Coating Training co
ourses
eleva
ated curingg of the coonformal
coatiing. • Conforma al Coating Consultation &
troublesho
ooting
6. Re-prrofile the curing oven
n using the
confo
ormal coatting materrial supplierrs PLEASE CH
HECK OUR WEBSITE FO
OR DETAILSS
recom
mmended profile.
ww
ww.conform
malcoating
g.co.uk

Future Bu
ulletins

• Co
ommon Co onformal Coating
C Fa
ailure Mech
hanisms coovering de--lamination
n, loss of
ad
dhesion, de
e-wetting, corrosion, orange pe
eel, pin ho
oles, bubble
es and foa
am.
• Co
onformal coating
c CTTI (Comparrative Tracking Index).
• Co
onformal coating
c inspection: in
nspect con
nformal coatings corrrectly using
g the
co
orrect crite
eria to imprrove long term
t reliab
bility.

SCH Techhnologies is a TTrading Name o of SCH Services Limited 
Newburggh Building, MccLintock Way, B Barnsley, South Yorkshire. S70 6BF 
 
Tel: +44 (0)1226 29771 1 Fax: +44 (0)12
226 297733 
www.con nformalcoatingg.co.uk  SCH Technolo
ogies are ISO9001
1 and ISO14001 certified