Has anyone had any problems with developer antifoams harming panels run through the Black Hole process?

I've heard some antifoams have a detrimental effect, either on the surface itself, or on subsequent plating
operations. Obviously, poor rinsing would be one cause of this.

If anyone has experienced this problem, I'd like to hear about it. Have you found an antifoam that is safe? Or,
have you eliminated antifoam in you developer? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

Mark Dowding
Regional Technical Specialist
Insulectro
909-943-5758
Dryfilm@aol.com
HYPERLINK mailto:mdowding@insulectro.com mdowding@insulectro.com

Mark:

Antifoams cover a multitude of sins, as they are variously formulated with all sorts of insoluble ingredients
that can coat panels and cause severe problems done the line. The type of antifoam that you are looking for is
a pure polyglycol, that is 100% completely soluble in your rinse water, yet becomes insoluble in the increased
temperature and concentration of your developer.

Did I mention that a defoamer must be insoluble to defoam, but that polyglycols become insoluble with increasing
temperature and increasing salt content, and thus can function nicely in a developer, yet rinse completely cleanly
in a cold rinse system?

How can you tell if you have such a defoamer already? Simple, merely take your defoamer, and dilute it to 5 or 10% in
cold tap water. I should dissolve COMPLETELY, leaving no cloudiness or layer of anything. If not, it is time to look
to another source of defoamer.

Further questions, or for the name of a good vendor of "pure polyglycol" type defoamers,
Call or write

Rudy Sedlak
RD Chemical Company
Phone 415-962-8004
fax 415-962-0370

Has anyone had any problems with developer antifoams harming panels run
through the Black Hole process?

I've heard some antifoams have a detrimental effect, either on the surface itself, or on subsequent
plating operations. Obviously, poor rinsing would be one cause of this.

If anyone has experienced this problem, I'd like to hear about it. Have you found an antifoam that is
safe? Or, have you eliminated antifoam in your developer? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark Dowding
Regional Technical Specialist
Insulectro
909-943-5758
Dryfilm@aol.com
mdowding@insulectro.com