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Ready to elevate the reliability and performance of your printed circuit boards?

Start with Specialized Coating Services. Our expert team is here to guide you through our range of conformal coating, potting and advanced PCB treatment solutions.

Leverage our engineering expertise
Experience our commitment to quality
Rely on our durable coating solutions

Specialized Coating has been a great partner

They always complete jobs on time, and coating quality is consistent from job to job. We’ve rejected zero product in 13 years, and had zero field returns attributable to a coating problem.

The attention to detail provided on every job no matter the size is not only appreciated but is critical

Specialized Coating Services is very helpful in answering process questions, and in making recommendations to improve the overall product quality.

Great communication, quick turnarounds and their attention to details is exceptional.

Specialized Coating Services is great to work with! We really appreciate their quick responses, understanding of coating requirements and commitments to delivery schedules.

I can always count on SpecCoat for our business needs.

They communicate quickly, deliver consistently, and perform at a high level.

Excellent customer service, quick to respond to any issues that I’ve encountered.

They always deliver on their commitments and it is so appreciated since that means we can deliver on our commitments as well.

Frequently asked questions

Explore answers to common questions about SpecCoat's advanced coating solutions and how we can meet your specific project requirements.

What are the primary functions of conformal coating?

The primary function of conformal coating is to prevent the electronic circuit boards from long-term corrosion due to moisture condensation. Other desirable features include a better prevention of electrical shorts in high humidity days.

If I have protected my electronics in a sealed plastic or metal box but the electronics are used outdoors, do I still need to conformal coat my circuit boards inside the sealed box?

Having a sealed electrical box is good for rain. Moisture can still pass through the plastic boxes and rubber gasket.

Sealed boxes do not “breathe” and thus trap moisture that cannot escape and will condense to become sitting water inside the box at night or in colder weather. Condensed with potentially contaminating ionics from the air is one of the most potent corrosive ingredients.

How thick should the conformal coatings be for optimum protection?

Per IPC-A-610 Traditional conformal coatings such as polyurethane, acrylic, and silicone should be:

Type AR	Acrylic	25.4 – 127.0um (0.001– 0.005 in)
Type ER	Epoxy	25.4 – 127.0um (0.001-0.005 in)
Type UR	Urethane	25.4 – 127.0um (0.001-0.005 in)
Type SR	Silicone	50.8 – 203.2um (0.002 – 0.008in)
Type XY	Para-xylylene	10.2 – 50.8um (0.0004 – 0.002in)

Are there advantages offered by conformal coating that are physically stronger and harder?

Conformal coating is not designed as physical protection media.

General mechanical strength is not required. As long as the conformal coating remains intact at low and high temperatures, low and high humidity, and resists water and common chemicals and solvents, they will be effective conformal coating.

What are dielectric strength and its relevance in conformal coating?

Dielectric strength is a measurement of the insulation strength of the coating. Generally higher the better.

However, the circuit boards are supposedly designed to have adequate protection against normal operation. As long as the conformal coating does not negatively affect the dielectric strength in air, they generally will be adequate.

What are the different methods of applying conformal coatings and their relative advantages and disadvantages?

Brush coating is used for smaller-volume production. It has the advantage of applying conformal coating only on those needed areas. Labor with such a method is higher.

Spray coating is used for larger volume production and is generally faster. However, areas that must not be coated must be properly masked before coating.

Dip coating is used for those requirements that need complete coverage. Extensive masking is required because the boards will be fully submerged. This method is costly.

How do I mask the areas of circuit boards that cannot be coated over with conformal coating?

The typical masking method is taping with dots, high temperature tapes, boots and various peelable masks. The reason I put this in is because liquid latex masks are only one of many peelable mask that we use.