Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine - Current

Products

CONCORD, CA – March Plasma Systems has released an improved PCB panel pre-etch conditioning technology. With it, the company's PCB series products can reportedly increase the throughput in applications such as desmear and etchback. It is said that productivity improvements of more than 30% can be achieved with this new system enhancement. The new product feature will be implemented on all new PCB series shipments, and is also available for retrofit on existing systems.

The typical three plasma process steps required for high uniformity treatment in desmear and etchback applications include a pre-etch segment, a desmear or etchback segment, and a residual reactant removal segment. The PCB panel pre-etch segment is required to ensure controlled etch across each panel within an individual processing cell as well as from processing cell to processing cell. The new pre-etch conditioning technology reportedly reduces this segment's time by more than 65%, resulting in improved PCB system throughput.

“March has always been a technology-driven company and this latest innovation adds to our list of continuous improvement to our PCB product platform,” said James Getty, director of Applications Engineering at March Plasma Systems. “Our technology gives us a competitive edge in the marketplace with our advanced plasma processing equipment. We are confident that this new technology addition will find rapid acceptance with our customers.”

WILSONVILLE, OR – LPKF’s MicroLine UV 3000 is a compact laser system designed to cut precise openings in polyimide coverlayer foils and to cut flex circuits. It reportedly reduces product changeover time.

The MicroLine UV 3000 contains a new high speed linear drive for flexible circuits, featuring greater positioning accuracy, higher speed and faster acceleration resulting in reduced processing times. It is said to encompass tools with the ability to perform precision cutting, routing, skiving, drilling, cutting pockets, structuring of etch/solder resist, micromachining of ceramic substrates and more.

Vice President of Sales Jim Greene said, “These capabilities noticeably reduce changeover time, making it an efficient component of any fabrication process, especially where physical space is a premium.”

CARSON CITY, NV – Taiyo America has released PSR-9000FXT, a liquid photoimageable covercoat or soldermask for flexible printed circuit boards. It is said to have excellent flexibility and low warpage throughout the fabrication process for high yields, as well as flexibility after cure.

PSR-9000 FXT is available in amber and green colors, and is RoHS compliant. A laser direct imaging version of this product is available called PSR-9000FXT LDI that has the same properties as the standard product.

KEMPEN, Germany – Lackwerke Peters GmbH has released Elpeguard conformal coatings for the SL 1400 ECO-FLZ series. The one-pack conformal coatings are said to exhibit optimum climatic protection at high temperatures and high humidity (85 °C/85 % relative humidity), making them suited to meet the highest requirements of electrical properties.

Application is effected in standard layer thicknesses of approx. 30 µm. After application, the conformal coatings initially cure physically and then finally cure by reacting with humidity. They are colorless transparent conformal coatings based on chemically reacting polyurethane resins.

The coatings are also ecologically advantageous products. They have a high solids content, are free of aromatic solvents and heavy metals, and fulfill the requirements of the RoHS directive 2002/95/EC and the WEEE directive 2002/96/EC.

SAN JOSE – Sanmina-SCI Corp. has launched MTS-Via to improve the signal integrity of high-speed data links in printed circuit boards.

MTS stands for match terminated stub, which uses resistors embedded in the internal PCB layers to eliminate parasitic reflections that can interfere with data signals. The approach is said to be less expensive and complex than other effective methods, such as backdrilling, particularly as the number of high-speed signals increases.

The company reported the patent-pending MTS-Via will work in tandem with Opti-Via, another new technology. Opti-Via is designed to improve signal integrity by optimizing internal layer features.

SANTA ROSA, CA – Schurter’s new series DD21 and DD22 power entry modules were designed for PCB mounting. The DD21 is equipped with multiple functions including inlet connector, switching and fusing. In addition, the DD22 series offers standard or medical filter versions. The compact design of this series is said to make them ideally suited for use in low profile designs, especially 1RU enclosures for 19” racks, and IT and telecom infrastructures where equipment is continually downsized.

The DD series can be equipped with 1- or 2-pole fuse holders for 5 x 20 mm fuse-links. The 2-pole switch, which is designed for inrush current peaks of 100 A capacitive for 3 ms, is available in both illuminated and non-illuminated versions. The DD21 is rated for currents at 8 and 10 A, while DD22 series is rated for currents at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 A. The power entry modules fulfill IEC/EN 60950 requirements and are ENEC and UL/CSA approved up to 10 A 250 VAC 50 Hz and 8 A 125/250 VAC 60 Hz respectively. Special configurations such as protection class II (IEC 61140) arrangements or filters with special X1 capacitors for increased dielectric strength are available.

The DD series uses M3 or self-tapping screws for mounting onto a PCB or M3 screws for mounting from the rear of the housing. The compact series requires minimal space having a board footprint of 65 mm wide x 34.6 mm deep, and panel cutout of 28.1 mm x 47.1 mm. Applications for this product include industrial PCs, digital audio applications, network routers, analog televisions and battery charging equipment.