Air Knife Applications For
The Printed Circuit Board /
Electronics Industry

In the electronics industry, printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways that are etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. The manufacturing process typically starts with drilling holes on individual boards, or boards that will be sandwiched together to comprise a single unit. After drilling, each circuit board is washed and dried to remove traces of dust and debris from this step in the manufacturing process. Every board must be dry, and each hole on every PCB must be hole clean. Failure to do so results in plugged and partially plugged holes that will not accommodate the desired component, faulty circuits, and costly part rejections in a high volume industry that demands 100% defect free parts shipments.

Air Knives or Compressed Air?

As volumes in the electronics industry increased, manufacturers sought new ways to produce clean, dry boards. One solution is the use of compressed air, which is readily available in most manufacturing plants. PCB board manufacturers quickly learned that compressed air, which contains trace amounts of oil and water, was not an effective blow-off and drying solution to their production problems. Other PCB manufacturers turned to air knives to supply clean, dry, air for blow-off applications. The use of an air-knife is clearly a superior solution, but plant engineers must still select the right air knife manufacturer.

Why Turbotech Air Knives
Blow The Competition Away

Plant engineers in the electronics industry specify Turbotech air knife systems thanks to design and performance features that differentiate our product from the competition. Turbotech air knives feature a unique, proprietary tear-drop design that is capable of producing air velocities up to 50,000 feet per minute, with efficiencies exceeding 95%. A better product by design translates to longer reach, better penetration, and improved laminar air flow. This insures that boards with hundreds or even thousands of tiny holes are free of 100% free of dust, debris, and moisture. Better throughput and fewer rejections will improve both your plant efficiency and your company’s return on investment. Ask an applications engineer how an air-knife from Turbotech will improve the quality of your electronics components.