Fleet-Wide PCB Ultrasonic Decontamination Services

Cost depends on board size, contamination severity, and whether cleaning is a standalone service or part of a larger repair job. Standalone cleaning is modestly priced compared to the value it provides removing contaminants that would otherwise cause misdiagnosis or premature failure. We quote after evaluating the assembly.

The ultrasonic cycle itself is relatively quick, but the full process pre-wash, cavitation cleaning, rinse, and controlled drying typically completes within 1-2 business days. Batch cleaning of multiple identical boards can often be processed the same day.

We inspect the board for sensitive components MEMS microphones, unsealed potentiometers, certain crystal oscillators, and some types of relays can be damaged by cavitation energy. If we identify at-risk components, we either mask them, use an alternative cleaning method, or advise against ultrasonic cleaning.

Labels and stickers may delaminate or dissolve during ultrasonic cleaning. We recommend removing or photographing critical labels before sending the board. If a label must be preserved, we mask it or avoid that area during cleaning.

Yes. Heavy dust accumulation can create thermal insulation, trap moisture, and cause parasitic leakage between closely-spaced pins. Ultrasonic cleaning removes this contamination down to the board surface, restoring the PCB to a state where it can be properly diagnosed and tested.

Yes. Electrolyte leakage from failed capacitors is corrosive and conductive it must be fully removed before the board can be reliably repaired. Ultrasonic cleaning neutralizes and removes electrolyte residue from the PCB surface and under SMD components, preparing the board for capacitor replacement.

Mid-sized mechanical assemblies like printer chassis or scanner mechanisms can be cleaned if they fit within our tank dimensions and do not contain materials incompatible with the cleaning chemistry. Contact us with dimensions and photos for a suitability check.

If you can safely remove the PCB from the chassis, this reduces shipping weight and simplifies the cleaning process. If disassembly is not practical, we can receive the complete assembly and handle disassembly as part of the service.

Yes. Flux residue, dust, and electrolyte film can be nearly invisible but still create micro-leakage paths between adjacent pins or traces. These parasitic paths cause erratic behavior that is impossible to diagnose until the board is clean. Cleaning reveals the true condition of the board.

You do not need to decide upfront. During intake inspection, if we find contamination that interferes with diagnosis, we will recommend cleaning as a first step and get your approval before proceeding.

Conductive dust particles can absorb moisture from humidity, creating temporary conductive bridges between pins. In dry conditions the board works; when humidity rises, the leakage path forms and the board misbehaves. This is why "it works fine on sunny days but fails when it rains" is a real symptom and ultrasonic cleaning resolves it.

Yes, this is a common outcome. Boards with unexplained erratic behavior phantom keypresses, random reboots, intermittent sensor readings often have contamination-induced leakage that disappears after a thorough ultrasonic cleaning. It is one of the highest-value steps in the diagnostic process.

Flux residue usually looks like a clear or amber sticky film, especially around solder joints. Corrosion appears as green, white, or blue powdery deposits, often around connector pins or component legs. General grime is dull brown/gray. Send us photos and we can often identify the contaminant type before intake.

Yes, this is very helpful. Coffee, soda, salt water, and cleaning chemicals each require different cleaning approaches. Knowing the contaminant type lets us choose the most effective chemistry and avoid reactions that could worsen the damage.

Cleaning removes contamination but does not fix components that were already damaged by it. If the board still fails after cleaning, the contamination likely caused permanent component damage blown ICs, corroded traces that are now open circuits, or shorted capacitors. At that point, component-level diagnosis and repair begins.

Yes. Standalone ultrasonic cleaning is available if you plan to handle repair elsewhere or if the board is being cleaned for inspection or refurbishment purposes. We return the clean, dry board with a condition report.

We use a multi-stage drying process: compressed air to blow out moisture from under components, followed by controlled-temperature oven drying to evaporate any remaining moisture from tight spaces (under BGAs, inside connectors). Boards are not considered complete until they are fully dry and safe to power on.

This is a known risk and we manage it with extended low-temperature drying cycles specifically designed to evacuate moisture from under BGA packages. Powering a board with trapped moisture under a BGA can cause popcorning (steam explosion damaging the chip). Our drying protocol prevents this.

Clean first, then repair. Contamination hides damage and makes soldering unreliable. A clean board lets us see all faults clearly, solder with confidence, and produce a repair that matches factory quality. Post-repair cleaning then removes the flux from the repair work itself.

Yes. Post-repair flux removal and final cleaning are standard parts of every OHMz board repair not an optional extra. We do not return boards with soldering flux residue.

Advanced corrosion appears as missing metal pads that have dissolved completely, traces that are gone or reduced to a thin, brittle line, or vias that have turned to green/blue powder. At this stage, even if the board looks clean after washing, the electrical connections are physically gone and must be reconstructed (trace/pad repair) or the board is rejected.

No. Corrosion damage is already done before cleaning the metal has already been eaten away. Cleaning simply removes the corrosion byproducts and reveals the true extent of the damage. What looks like a "dirty but intact" pad may reveal itself as a missing pad after cleaning, but the damage was already there.

For standalone cleaning jobs, we do not power on the board unless specifically requested. Our cleaning service returns a visually clean, dry board. If you need functional testing as well, we can add that just specify it when you submit the board.

Occasionally, yes. If the fault was caused entirely by conductive contamination a dust bridge shorting two pins, or corrosion creating a leakage path thorough cleaning can restore normal operation without any component replacement. This is not guaranteed, but it happens often enough that cleaning is always worth considering as a first step.

Batch capacity depends on board size and our tank dimensions. Small boards (e.g., POS terminal PCBs) can be processed in larger quantities in a single run. We can typically handle 10-50 boards per batch depending on size. Contact us with your board dimensions for a throughput estimate.

Yes. Batch cleaning benefits from process efficiency identical chemistry, consistent cycles, and streamlined handling. Volume-adjusted pricing is available for larger batches. Provide your board type and estimated quantity for a program quote.

The typical refurbishment sequence is: intake → ultrasonic cleaning → inspection → sort (reuse/repair/reject) → repair → post-repair cleaning → testing → packaging. Cleaning at the start improves inspection accuracy; cleaning at the end ensures the refurbished unit looks and performs like new.

Not reliably. Dirt and grime hide cracked solder joints, corroded traces, and component damage. Attempting to grade boards without cleaning leads to misclassification rejecting repairable boards or passing boards with hidden damage. Cleaning is the essential first step in any professional refurbishment pipeline.

Components containing unsealed mechanical parts (some relays, potentiometers), certain MEMS devices (microphones, accelerometers), some types of optical sensors, and certain adhesives or coatings can be damaged. We review every assembly before cleaning and flag any incompatible components.

We can sometimes mask or isolate sensitive areas, processing the rest of the board with full ultrasonic cleaning and hand-cleaning the masked area with targeted solvents. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Cleaned boards are sealed in fresh anti-static bags immediately after drying and inspection. They are handled with gloves to avoid skin-oil contamination. The goal is for the board to arrive at your facility in the same clean condition it left ours.

We warrant that the board will be delivered free of the contaminants specified in the work order. If residual contamination is found upon receipt, we will re-clean at no charge. Note that cleaning does not prevent future contamination proper equipment enclosures and environmental controls are the customer's responsibility.