Potting

If it's really epoxy, it's heavily crosslinked and won't soften with heat--in fact for temperatures your board will survive, it just gets harder. You can boil for a long time it in a vat of very nasty stuff (trichloroethylene or something like that) and sometimes that'll make it soft enough to cut, but I for one value my liver more than that. What are you trying to reverse-engineer?

Cheers,

Phil Hobbs

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Why not x-ray it?

X-raying is useful if only to tell you where to attack with a Dremel - try a local vet.

There are solvents that will soften and swell epoxies - nasty stuff and can take a few days, and will also dissolve some components. In the UK, Nitro-Mors paint stripper will do the job - not sure if similar stuff is available elsewhere.

Has

Hello,

I was about to suggest Methylene Chloride (the active ingredient in the paint stripper suggested by Mike Harrison) when this turned up in my email:

The NSC PS-101: Sulfuric, Fuming Nitric and Mixed Acid Temperature up to 270 0C BGA, QFP, PLCC, DIP, COB etc. Safe, Clean and Reliable Other Models Available Also Solutions for Copper Wire

I've extracted some text from the pretty pictures so you should be able to find it.

If you use Methylene Chloride (not VERY posionous) look out for the swelling that takes place as the epoxy softens - it may rip tracks and parts off pcbs.

Have fun.

Michael Kellett

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Has

Since my post, we have been able to come to an agreement with the original vendor to purchase replacement modules.

Many thanks to all that replied!