FEATURES

Cover Story
BGA Land Pattern and Assembly Issues
BGA packages are shrinking from 1.27 mm to 0.4 mm, saving plenty in board real estate, but raising a host of new considerations from coplanarity to rework to reliability.
by Chris Achong and Alex Chen

PCB Negotiating
Built for Speed
The good quickturn fabricator acts as an extension of the designer's company. A PCD&M special report on why cost isn't necessarily king.
by Mike Buetow

Surface Finishes
The Search for the Universal Surface Finish
Over a dozen surface finishes are on the market but none really fits the category of "universal surface finish." An evaluation of the advantages and shortcomings of each.
by Mike Barbetta

Balance Sheets
The Roller Coaster of Cyclicality
So-called "12/12" curves - year-on-year analyses of growth rates, rather than hard sales data - highlight turning points and are sophisticated and powerful forecasting tools.
by Roger Tyler

Registration
Scaling Artwork Basics
The two main causes of registration errors, shift and size, can be overcome by having precise, targeted, real-time data.
by Tom R. Paur

One Source Group
'One Source' Fits All
Calling itself a "mini Flextronics," this Dallas conglomerate offers everything from design to fabrication to assembly and electrical test.
by Andy Shaughnessy and Pete Waddell

Horizontal Plating
Milestones in Horizontal Plating
The origins of horizontal plating were modest: the installation of a permanganate desmear line at a PCB maker in Germany. Today, there are more than 130 horizontal systems in PCB plants around the world. Plus: An overview of procurement considerations.
by Reinhard Schneider and Andy Huang

Show Business
A look at products debuting at IPC Printed Circuits Expo.
Compiled by PCD&M Staff

POINT OF VIEW

Power Selling
Smart planning for your trade show presence.
Dan Beaulieu

ROI
Remember the three C's - customers, capability and capacity.
Peter Bigelow

No Myths Allowed
Tips for reducing EMI.
Dr. Eric Bogatin

Interconnect Strategies
Routing high-speed differential pairs.
Dr. Abe Riazi

Getting Embedded
Does your design need embedded parts?
Richard Snogren

The Plating Rack
The effects of desmearing and deposition on HWPA.
Michael Carano

Career Care
We're never short on labor scams.
Ted Daywalt

Our Line
It's time to reconnect with the world.
Mike Buetow

The Flex Market
Contrary to popular belief, flex circuits increase use of FFC and pair connectors.
Dominique Numakura

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