Conformal coatings are generally thin, nonconductive, dielectric layers that are used to protect devices and components from damage due to contamination, salt spray, moisture, fungus, dust and corrosion. While conformal coatings were first used to protect military and aerospace applications, their use has expanded over the last 5 decades to include medical devices, consumer electronics, transportation electronics, and more. In recent years, the development of new materials and coating processes has enabled an even larger variety of items to be coated in production facilities around the world.
There are several types of conformal coatings; each coating family provides its own set of unique properties and characteristics.