Which Cleaner Is Best to Use in Automated Stencil Printers?

MicroCare offers a number of excellent hydrocarbon-based choices for cleaning stencils and wetting stencil roll wipes in automated stencil printers from DEK, MPM, Speedline, Ekra, Panasonic and other companies. These cleaners need to be slow-drying and have a high degree of plastic compatibility, and most of them are hydrocarbon-based. The most popular choices include:

• The Uncured Epoxy Cleaner – ExPoxy™ (#MCC-EPX) is the most powerful of the hydrocarbon cleaners. Based on a unique blend of aliphatic hydrocarbons, this cleaner delivers great results removing uncured chip bonder, plus leaded- and lead-free solder pastes, plus oils, grease, grime, fingerprints and other debris. The most versatile fluid in its class, it offers sufficient cleaning power to replace alcohol, acetone, tolulene and other old-style solvents. In the bulk (liquid) packaging, this probably is the best choice for wetting understencil rolls when cleaning solder paste in automatic stencil printers and cleaning misprinted boards.
• Next, the Stencil, Squeegee and Misprint Cleaner – ScreenClean™ (#MCC-CDI) is a powerful stencil cleaner and ink remover. It is ideal for use solder pastes, inks, thick-film pastes and partially-cured epoxies. It is safe on all types of stencils, and is strong enough to do the job. ScreenClean™ reacts quickly with the contamination, breaking molecular bonds, speeding cleaning and improving quality. With a modest, inoffensive aroma, this hydrocarbon-based cleaner is dries relatively slowly for optimum tack-time.
• MicroCare General Purpose Degreaser which is a medium-strength degreaser suitable for stencil printers. It is a tried-and-true, slow-drying, flammable, medium-strength fluid engineered for manual cleaning. Removes organics like oil, grease, fingerprints and grime. Mild aroma. No residues.

As a final suggestion, MicroCare offers high-purity isopropyl alcohol, which is widely used in stencil printers.