Typical Certifications & Standards for Conformal Coatings

Printed circuit boards can be found in 1,000’s of products from navigation systems in vehicles to medical electronics. Since conformally coated PCBs are integrated into so many applications and must endure a wide range of changing environments, there are prominent industry standards that conformal coatings can be certified under or meet. These include MIL-I-46058, IPC-CC-830, UL 746, ASTM E595, and MIL-STD 883 Method 5011, as well as flame resistance.

MIL-I-46058: United States Department of Defense Qualified Products List (QPL-46058). Read about this qualification.

IPC-CC-830: Global standard originally intended to supersede and replace MIL-I-40658. The IPC standard is accepted by various military manufacturers and commercial entities around the world. MIL-I-46058 listed conformal coatings are grandfathered to have IPC-CC-830 compliance. Visit IPC.org for more information.

UL 746E: To verify a UL listing, classification, or recognition, a UL-listed product or UL-recognized component use, or verify a product safety standard, log onto UL Solutions: www.ul.com.

ASTM E595: This NASA low outgassing test is run at 125°C (257°F) under a 5 x 10-5 Torr vacuum for 24 hours. The total weight loss (TML) and condensable volatile material (CVCM) are measured. CVCM is of particular interest to avionics or optoelectronic applications. It might indicate that optical parts could become fogged, electrical continuity lost, or some other effect caused by material being deposited where it is not intended. See ASTM.org for additional details. See a snapshot of a conformal coating that meets ASTM E595 and other reliability tests by downloading this infographic.

MIL-STD 883 Method 5011: This is the requirement for military and aerospace electronic systems, including environmental tests to evaluate resistance to deleterious effects of natural elements and conditions surrounding military and space operations; mechanical and electrical tests to ensure a consistent level of quality and reliability for these critical components. 

Flame Resistance: UL classifies conformal coating flammability with 94 V ratings. The V test signifies a vertical burn over a specific amount of time. It is broken down into three ratings, V-0, V-1, and V-2, with the V-0 rating taking the shortest time to extinguish. For more information on UL 94 Flammability, please visit www.ul.com.