| New Products |
8 layer rigid-flex PCB with blind and buried vias
Specifications:
8 layer rigid flexible PCB, flexible layer: layer 4-5, blind via: 2-7, burid vias: layer 1-2, layer 7-8
minimum drill: 0.1mm, minimum trace width space: 4mil, with impedance control, immersion gold finish.
24 layer will blind via and back drill |
|
| TUC to see strong sales of halogen-free CCLs in 3Q09 |
Copper-clad laminate (CCL) maker Taiwan Union Technology (TUC) is expected to see an over 40% growth in its third-quarter consolidated revenues amid increased shipments of halogen-free CCLs, low dielectric constant (DK) substrates and low dissipation factor (DF) substrates, according to market watchers.
First-tier companies, including Samsung Electronics, Apple, Dell, and LG Electronics (LGE), are likely to adopt more energy-saving substrates in their handsets, consumer electronics devices and notebooks, which will drive sales of halogen-free CCLs, the sources noted.
TUC will significantly expand production of its halogen-free, low DK and low DF substrates in the third quarter, and it will add a new laminating production line at its China plant to meet growing demand, according to the company.
|
|
| Victrex Enhances Film Lamination Capability |
To further enhance its position as the leading manufacturer of PEEK-based films, Victrex has installed a new high-temperature vacuum laminating press system at its manufacturing facility in the Lancashire, United Kingdom. With this addition, Victrex now has the capability of bonding its APTIV™ film, produced from VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, to a wide range of other substrates without the use of adhesives.
"The press enables us to take advantage of APTIV film's unique thermoplastic nature which allows it to be heat-laminated to other substrates," explained John Getz, Global Commercial Leader - APTIV Film. "In effect, we are melting the APTIV film in a very controlled manner to allow it to intimately bond to other substrates including metals, fabrics, itself and other polymer films."
The press system operates at temperatures up to 400°C (752°F), which allows the APTIV film to be joined to other substrates in the melt phase. "The system is unique in that it has the high temperature capability to work with the film," said Getz. "It can also operate under vacuum preventing any entrapment of air bubbles and voids in the laminates."
The system features sophisticated controls including programmable cycles of temperature, press force and vacuum by time or other parameters, as well as highly accurate platen pressure control--allowing a wide range of low to high pressure profiles as demanded by the application. Laminate sizes up to 500 mm x 600 mm are possible.
This new capability will allow customers to develop applications combining the inherent properties of APTIV film with other materials, such as metal foils or non-woven fabrics and meshes, to produce laminate materials with exceptional combinations of properties.
"The addition of lamination capability will allow us to support the validation and development process more quickly and efficiently as opposed to having the customer find an outside laminator who may not have the capability or capacity to support the development effort," said Getz. "We can help develop and optimize the laminate structure and lamination process by combining APTIV film with other materials. After this development work is complete the customer can then pass this information along to his production laminator. Victrex also expects to directly support production laminators who are looking to develop new APTIV film-based laminate structures. We encourage customers to contact us if they have interest in our lamination resources so we can mutually assess these opportunities."
APTIV film is produced from VICTREX PEEK polymer, which is widely regarded as one of the highest performing thermoplastics in the world, and provides all of the polymer's properties including: high temperature performance, excellent chemical, wear and hydrolysis resistance, superior mechanical properties, excellent barrier (permeation) and electrical properties, exceptional radiation resistance, high purity, low toxicity of combustion gases, etc., in a flexible, thin format.
|
|
| AMT Florida Appointed as APS Novastar's Rep in Florida |
APS Novastar LLC has appointed AMT Florida to represent, support and service its full product line of SMT and Thru-hole turnkey solutions. AMT Florida possesses over three decades of PCB design to manufacturer (D2M) assembly and lean process consultancy experience representing 15 unique manufacturer lines.
John Stimadorakis, President of AMT Florida, personally brings over twenty five years of micro-electronics production and general management know how developed during successful stints at EMS and ODM manufacturers. AMT Florida's array of services includes lean process implementation, quantitative process control software and PCB assembly capital equipment.
AMT Florida's product arsenal coupled with years of hard earned SMT production experience complements APS Novastar's state-of-the-art, economical short-run turnkey offering," stated John Malboeuf, APS Novastar's Vice President, Global Sales. "What makes this relationship great for our customers is they can now get advice from a guy who walked their walk.
About APS Novastar
APS Novastar LLC, established in 1982 is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of OEM equipment for the short to medium run SMT and PCB markets. APS Novastar's products include stencil printers, automated pick and place robots, reflow ovens, batch ovens, hot plates, wave and selective solder equipment, component counters and lead forming equipment. APS Novastar has installed over 20,000 product solutions in the telecom, defense and aerospace, security, transportation, automotive, medical device and diagnostics, personal computer, display and academic markets. For more information, visit www.apsgold.com or call +1.215.938.1000.
|
|
| Ucamco Releases UCAM Version 8.4. |
Ucamco (formerly Barco ETS) announces the release of the latest version of its flagship UCAM PCB CAM software v8.4.1. Now securely established as an independent supplier of high-technology PCB front-end engineering systems and laser photoplotters, Ucamco is pushing ahead with new software releases to boost the productivity of their customers.
The new software version further automates routine operations on both rigid and flexible PCBs. Menu-driven automation gives the user complete control and single-click operation without the need for special programming. New one-click functions include removing unused inner-layer pads, setting special clearances for fiducial pads or optimising track runs on flexible circuits.
System integration is critical to increased productivity. UCAM v8.4 includes a faster and more intuitive link to Ucamco's powerful sales tool, Integr8tor. Support for ODB++ v7 links UCAM seamlessly to other CAM and assembly programs.
UCAM v8.4 now supports multitasking 64-bit Windows software. To improve throughput CAM engineers can run several programs simultaneously on the same workstation.
Karel Tavernier, Ucamco's Managing Director, comments, "At Ucamco, we are fully committed to increasing our users' productivity to enhance their competitive edge in today's global PCB market. We listen carefully to our users' feedback. The new features in v8.4 have been introduced in response to specific user requests."
The upgrade to UCAM v8.4.1 is free of charge to all UCAM users with systems covered by warranty or Maintenance Contract.
|
|
| IPC Announces Schedule of Upcoming Activities |
IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) has announced the dates of its upcoming workshops and symposium. The Flexible Circuitry Workshop, to be held in Crane, Indiana August 18-20, 2009, will focus on the increasingly important member of the electronics interconnection family--flexible circuits--as they evolve and change to solve an increasing number of interconnection problems. The workshop will include reviews and discussions on applications, materials and processes as well as specific testing concerns. It will also cover the special design needs associated with flexible circuits, as they are true electromechanical devices that require special knowledge to avoid costly errors.
The Designer Certification (CID/CID+) Workshop & Exam will be held August 30-September 1, 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
IPC is also announcing its High Density Interconnect Webcast Series--a series of five two-hour Webcasts addressing key technologies for fabricators who want to get into advanced HDI fabrication.The schedule is as follows:
September 14, 2009 - Process Control and Reliability
Process control coupons, DOE, Reliability and testing-in-process coupons for HDI and reliability coupons;
HDI Exercises at NSWC-Crane Laboratory;
HDI process control coupons to monitor the HDI fab process; and
IST coupons to test the reliability of the finished HDI board.
September 15, 2009 - Fine-Line and Via-Formation
Imaging and etching--achieving fine lines and spaces, controlled copper etch;
Lamination and via formation--mechanical and laser drilling and lamination of new materials;
Fine line direct imaging/etching--25 um traces/25 um spaces (~1 mil lines/spaces) using new sacrificial super-foil "DFF;"
Semi-additive processing (SAP) using new molecular interface technology to achieve 25 micron traces and spaces; and
Etching and laser drilling ceramic BC materials for buried capacitors and distributed capacitance.
September 16, 2009 - Material Control and Lamination
Lamination of new thin Laser Drillable Prepreg, like 1086LD or 1067LD for power integrity and impedance control.
September 17, 2009 - Via-Fill
Drilled via filling with epoxy to plug buried vias; and
Copper "super-fill" plating to plate up microvias from 75~150 um in diameter.
September 18, 2009 - Overview and Design
Metallization & Electrodeposition--desmear, electroless copper, direct metalization and semi-additive processing: improved throwing power copper fill, enhancing through hole and microvia reliability, copper thickness requirements for thermal reliability and process controls.
|
|
| Flexible Circuits Still Shipping Despite Fire Incident |
Fire is one of the most feared natural occurrences known to mankind. FCI wishes to thank all the fire companies that responded along with our local officials. We had at least 8 fire companies respond and we wish to recognize them individually our gratitude to Warminster Fire Department, Warrington Township Fire Company #1, Horsham Fire Company, Enterprise Fire Company of Hatboro, Ivyland Volunteer Fire Company, Newtown Fire Association, Warwick Township Fire Company and Southampton Fire Company #1. Their dedication and skill mitigated what could have been absolutely devastating to our company.
Due to the emergency response our losses were minimized. Our facility, which is 55,000 square feet, is arranged in a cellular fashion. Machinery, which in some companies would be arranged by departments, is arranged to serve a process. An example would be drills are not all in one spot; they are in or near the image area, test area, plating area where they serve the needs of the specific process map. That lean concept allowed us to be shipping products three days after the event.
We at FCI are confident that our operations will be fully running as quickly as possible. When we measure what is most valuable to our company it is our people, our customers and our suppliers. FCI's typical term of employment surpassing 15 years on the average is testament to how we value our people and our confidence has been reinforced. Customers like Raytheon, Textron and Telephonics make us smile. And talk about suppliers, Belfor our site clean up company is just excellent along with our prize suppliers Attotech and Chemcut where we are just amazed. We will keep every one updated directly or at this site. We are open for business and will be expanding our base of product offerings in the near future. Till then thanks for working with us.
|
|
