Cleaning Applications for Fine Line Screen Printing

Fine line screen printing is highly susceptible to misprints related to improper wiping of the screen printing masks. UltraSORB foam wipers are widely employed in fine line, high volume screen printing processes used to produce solar cells, MLCC, LTCC, and HDI PCB because they are production proven to reduce ghost, haze streak and pinhole defects.

Traditional fabric and non-woven "lint-free" wipers, constructed from small fibers which during the wiping process, shed fiber based particulates onto the work surface.

UltraSORB maintains lint-free integrity due to the inherit abrasion resistance of polyurethane combined with the dodecahedron shaped pore which more evenly dampens the mechanical load from typical normal wiping motion.

Fine line screen printing requires the screen printing mask to be free of contamination and excess ink. Traditional fabric-based “lint-free” clean room wipers, in the normal course of wiping, shed fibers which become entangled in the mesh leading to misprints. UltraSORB wipers are constructed of abrasion resistant polyurethane foam, eliminating wiper contributed foreign contamination. Moreover, the high absorbency, the conformable texture of the foam enables excellent contact with the warp/weft knuckle enabling superior removal and entrapment of paste and debris that lead to ghost, haze, streak and pinhole misprints.

For off-printer cleaning, UltraSORB's sponge-like properties enable complete removal of paste eliminating the risk of ghost and haze misprints. UltraSORB is designed to hold and “pump” solvent so that excess ink can be efficiently and thoroughly removes from screen printing masks.

For cleaning clogged screens without solvent, the capabilities of UltraSORB wipers to capture and entrap excess paste and debris significantly reduces void and pinhole defects and associated losses of productivity changing screen masks. The ability to dry wipe clogged screens is especially useful in high volume screen printing of high viscosity solar cell pastes and liquid solder masks.

UltraSORB wipers are production proven to improve screen printing productivity in Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic(LTCC), print and fire, passive components, touchscreen, membrane switch, SOFC, in mold electronics and high aspect screen printing employed for solar cells. UltraSORB foam wipers are optimized for screen printing processes that have line widths below 100µm.

Both UltraSORB wipers are compatible with IPA, xylene, toluene and Axarel.

UltraSORB is recommended for cleaning tasks in emulsion mask production clean rooms.

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