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If you’re manufacturing electronic devices of any kind, protecting your components is likely a key consideration in your design process. Sensitive components must be guarded as much as is possible against adverse conditions. Conformal coating is a common technique used to protect circuit boards, and it’s a standard best practice for electronics manufacturing. However, for truly reliable protection, an IP66 enclosure is the gold standard.
What is conformal coating and how much protection can it provide? Moreover, why is it necessary to back it up with an IP66 waterproof enclosure? Finally, what does Polycase do to provide industry-leading solutions for waterproofing your electronic enclosures? We’ll explore all of these questions.
A conformal coating is an extremely thin film layer applied to a printed circuit board (PCB) that clings to the topology of the circuit board. These coatings provide two major benefits:
Conformal coatings are known for their lightweight, generally simple application and ease of removal and repair. They’re well-regarded as an effective solution for protecting electrical components and particularly prized for being generally easier to deal with than potting. Numerous options are available for adding conformal coatings to your electronic components.
However, conformal coatings have their limits. They are explicitly not designed to be a true watertight sealant. In fact, most conformal coating manufacturers will tell you that their coatings are not designed as a primary source of protection, but as a back-up failsafe for the primary protective mechanism.
That means that your best bet is still to choose the most durable waterproof box you can find. Polycase offers an exceptional range of IP66 waterproof enclosures manufactured to the highest standards of durability.
The IP66 standard is a benchmark set by the International Electrotechnical Commission for high-level dust and water protection for sensitive electronic equipment. Waterproof electrical boxes manufactured to the IP66 standard offer some of the best possible protection for your electronics, whether your concern is water spray or foreign particulate matter.
Environmental hazard protection for electronic devices is relevant in almost any industry. It can be especially important in:
Polycase provides the industrial world’s most flexible, powerful and complete enclosure solutions. We offer a best-in-class range of IP66-rated enclosures in a wide variety of materials, for whatever specs your application demands:
No matter what rating you need, remember that Polycase offers extensive customized enclosure services on our polycarbonate enclosures, including:
All of our customized enclosure services are competitively priced and do not require a minimum order. With over 25 years of experience in creating custom enclosures, we’re confident that we can create exactly what you need!
Conformal coating is a great step toward ensuring total protection for your most valuable electronics. However, it’s not enough by itself. To get the protection you really need, double up with an IP66 waterproof enclosure from Polycase. Call us at 1-800-248-1233 to talk to one of our electronics enclosure experts or contact us online!