-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
The Institute of Circuit Technology Autumn Seminar
October 3, 2019 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Apart from the obvious advantages of bridging the supply-demand gap and reducing Europe’s dependence on global PGM supply chains, the PLATIRUS Project offered potential benefits in reducing energy costs and environmental impacts as well as providing solutions requiring lower capital investment than centralised refineries and maximising the exploitation of local waste sources. The work of the PLATIRUS Project was due to be completed and the final report published in October 2020.
Frank Ferdinandi, director of Azurion Technology described an environmentally friendly surface finish for PCBs, which was effectively an ultra-thin fluorochemical conformal nano-coating deposited and polymerised in-situ by a plasma process. Where the coating was deposited on copper, it offered long-term protection against oxidation, but the copper remained solderable by standard techniques. Elsewhere on the PCB, it provided a durable waterproof finish. Ferdinandi showed samples of boards coated more than 10 years previously, using an early version of the finish. The copper remained bright and tarnish-free, but still easily solderable. There had been a programme of continuous development, and the current finish represented the third iteration.
Ferdinandi explained that the new technology outperformed existing surface finishes in key areas and provided major advantages for PCB protection and post-processing. Its functional benefits included excellent long-term protection against oxidation together with a solder-through capability compatible with current reflow processes for lead-free and leaded solders. After soldering, its non-wetting properties across the complete surface gave circuits increased resistance to aggressive environments, resulting in longer product life with no rework issues. A major environmental benefit was that since no water was used, the effluent associated with traditional surface coating processes was eliminated and health and safety issues were significantly reduced. Plasma deposition was carried out in a single chamber, and in-situ cleaning was possible. The system could be semi-automated for high throughput.
Solderability, solder joint reliability, and electrical properties had been extensively studied and compared favourably with immersion silver, HASL, OSP, ENIG, electroplated nickel-gold, and immersion tin. Although previous commercialisation programmes had shown only limited success, there was currently renewed interest—particularly from China—where the opportunity to reduce water consumption was especially attractive.
The team behind Rainbow Technology Systems introduced a specialised surface-cleaning technology to the printed circuit manufacturing industry over 30 years ago. Their system of contact sheet-cleaning and web-cleaning solutions, based on rubber pick-up rollers lifting minute particles from surfaces and transferring them to an adhesive roll, became the industry standard. David Westwood, Rainbow’s sales and marketing manager, explained how this proven technology maintained its relevance and impact in the advancement and development of ultra-fine-line circuitry.
Aided by a series of animations, and frequently wielding a small hand-held pick-up roller and a pad of adhesive sheets for dramatic effect, Westwood demonstrated the potential effect of dust-related imaging defects on manufacturing yield. His illustration of typical dust and debris on a design of the 1980s with 300-micron track and gap included particles varying in size, including 75–100 microns, 50 microns, 25–30 microns, and down to 15 microns. At this level of design rule, even if the efficiency of cleaning was only 98%, any issues associated with the remaining 2% could be touched in by a skilled operator with a steady hand. It’s not so for current designs with track and gap trending towards 15–20 microns!
The KSM Superclean division of Rainbow Technology Systems had stayed ahead of the technology and was confident that contact cleaning remained the most effective method of removing debris from surfaces. Roller and adhesive technologies had been developed that enabled greater efficiency of cleaning to 99.9% at finer particle sizes down to the 0.5–3-micron critical levels. Harder rollers were available with precision surface finishes, silicone-free, and static-dissipating. And the adhesive rolls were based on clean-room film materials. Westwood believed that contact cleaning would continue to be the most effective means for the permanent removal of surface debris as design technology progressed from fine-line to ultra-fine line.
Cobley brought the seminar proceedings to a close, thanking the audience for their attention and the presenters for generously sharing their knowledge. A special thanks went to Bill Wilkie for another superbly organised learning and networking event.
Page 2 of 2Suggested Items
Taiyo Circuit Automation Installs New DP3500 into Fuba Printed Circuits, Tunisia
04/25/2024 | Taiyo Circuit AutomationTaiyo Circuit Automation is proud to be partnered with Fuba Printed Circuits, Tunisia part of the OneTech Group of companies, a leading printed circuit board manufacturer based out of Bizerte, Tunisia, on their first installation of Taiyo Circuit Automation DP3500 coater.
Vicor Power Orders Hentec Industries/RPS Automation Pulsar Solderability Testing System
04/24/2024 | Hentec Industries/RPS AutomationHentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, is pleased to announce that Vicor Power has finalized the purchase of a Pulsar solderability testing system.
AIM Solder’s Dillon Zhu to Present on Ultraminiature Soldering at SMTA China East
04/22/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce that Dillon Zhu will present on the topic: Ultraminiature Soldering: Techniques, Technologies, and Standards at SMTA China East. This event is being held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center from April 24-25.
AIM to Highlight NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste at SMTA Wisconsin Expo & Tech Forum
04/18/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming SMTA Wisconsin Expo & Tech Forum taking place on May 7 at the Four Points by Sheraton | Milwaukee Airport, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Hentec/RPS Publishes an Essential Guide to Selective Soldering Processing Tech Paper
04/17/2024 | Hentec Industries/RPS AutomationHentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, announces that it has published a technical paper describing the critical process parameters that need to be optimized to ensure optimal results and guarantee the utmost in end-product quality.