![]() ![]() Once you have isolated as much data about the problem as possible, you will probably want to bring the discolored board to your PCB supplier or PCB fabricator for a definitive answer as to why you’re getting solder mask discoloration. Possible Explanations for Discoloration on a Circuit Board For example - are there white spots all over the board, on the solder mask only or on specific components only? What color are they? Are they white, yellow, black or gray? What do they look like? Milky, granular or smooth? Are they the result of some kind of residue on the board or has the substrate actually changed color? At what point during the process is the PCB discoloration most evident? Other questions to ask include where the discoloration is located. If one shows solder mask discoloration and the other does not, determining the difference in process between the two might provide your answer.ĭid you use a different flux for the discolored board? Was one flux type water-based and the other alcohol-based? Was it manufactured at a higher temperature or with a longer dwell time? Was the discolored board run twice in the pallet? If the discolored board has a different finish or different type of solder alloy, or if it was manufactured with a different thickness or cure cycles, these could all be the culprit. The best way to figure out what the reason might be for your PCB solder mask discoloration is to take two boards that have gone through essentially the same manufacturing process. Investigating Solder Mask Discoloration on a Circuit Board While it may be difficult to isolate the exact cause on your own, answering some basic questions about the discolored board may help you narrow down the problem and resolve it more quickly. ![]() ![]() However, it is possible that whatever caused the discoloration defect may in itself be a faulty component or process that could cause problems to the board independent of the discoloration, so it’s a good idea to identify just why the solder mask discoloration is happening. The reality is that in most cases, any kind of PCB solder mask discoloration is probably cosmetic and does not represent any damage to the board that will affect its functioning. Here is a quick guide to solder mask discoloration.ĭangers of Solder Mask Discoloration on a Circuit Board Whether you observed white patches on a PCB, dark stripe PCB solder mask discoloration or some other type of solder mask discoloration, it’s natural to immediately want to know if the PCB is still good, if the discoloration will cause some kind of problem, what caused it and how to prevent it from happening again. Careful inspection of your printed circuit boards (PCB) may be second nature in your industry, and the first time you saw solder mask discoloration on a circuit board, you may well have been alarmed. ![]()
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