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We are shooting 9,000 boards a month in China, and want to remove the markings on several keys ICs so our competitors don't know what parts we are using.

I spoke with our IC manufacturers and for custom non-marked ICs, the MOQs are higher than we want, so for now we are looking at a hand process.

Our PCBA shop said they'll remove markings for "free" -- we'll be over in China, in 30 days to babysit the first production run, but we haven't discussed how they are going to remove the markings.

We have 27,000 ICs per monthly production to take off markings.

I've seen Chinese use some kind of electronic friendly glue to obscure IC markings (very thin and watery -- I forget the proper glue term, but like a potting RTV) and they just embed the ICs in glue. If you try to scrape away the glue, you are left with an IC with mangled markings.

I was thinking light grit sand paper to sand down markings, but I do worry about damaging solder joints on these ICs if you apply to much pressure.

Any recommendations on a good assembly line process to remove IC markings?

Leroy105
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    remove the markings on several keys ICs so our competitors don't know what parts we are using .... that is like removing the outside labels on a book – jsotola Mar 29 '18 at 18:10
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    I love it when the competitors do that, gives me a good excuse to get out the concentrated acids and have fun – PlasmaHH Mar 29 '18 at 18:45
  • @PlasmaHH *Pictures Mad Scientist in his Secret Lab* – StainlessSteelRat Mar 29 '18 at 18:52
  • Too bad this got closed for no reason. There are a few ways to do this on an assembly line that don't involve a dremel tool.... – Leroy105 Jun 04 '18 at 16:16

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