http://www.pcb007.com/ PCB fabricator news from around the world: PCB007 - articles We live in a service-driven society. It's a big market out there, and we can accept or reject products or services as we see fit. So, it's really darn important for a company selling a product or service to provide customer service at a standard that meets (or exceeds) the consumer's expectations. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70983 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:14:00 GMT This week, Dan Beaulieu asks: "Are you spending enough time thinking about your business?" Listen to his newest column and find out what needs to be done to keep your business booming. After all, thinking may be the most important element of your job. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70906 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:06:00 GMT Designing differential pairs is challenging enough, and the "alphabet soup" of high-speed serial links such as SATA, SAS and XAUI create more problems as you move from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps and beyond. Eric Bogatin discusses some of the cutting-edge design techniques he'll be teaching at his "Differential Pair Boot Camp" in Santa Clara on October 4. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70671 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:49:00 GMT Is North America falling behind the rest of the world in HDI technology development? Not if Dan Smith can help it. "The New Mr. HDI" is putting together the first IPC HDI certification course and exam. We caught up with him and discussed the HDI course, what it takes to be an instructor and Happy Holden's 400-gig "data dump." http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70801 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:42:00 GMT Authors from Sandia National Laboratories investigate the solderability of current immersion Ag technology after exposure to conditions that simulate long-term storage followed by bake out environments prior to actual reflow assembly. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=55937 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:20:00 GMT What is "rheology" and why does "everything flow?" Chet Guiles examines the science of rheology and how understanding the rheology of the prepregs you use, during the time they melt and flow, can help a process engineer manage and control the lamination process. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70535 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:20:00 GMT "Life would be so good without those damn customers!" How many times have you heard that sentiment before? This week, Dan Beaulieu explains how to give your customer what they want to ensure your success. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70747 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:59:00 GMT Flexible circuit cables offer some significant advantages for facilitating the movement of data between elements of a system that must also be moved or flexed. However, there is a balancing act involved and there is more than one master to be served to create a system that is robust, reliable and easily manufacturable. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70261 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:29:00 GMT In "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," Robert M. Prisig contrasts his regular and ongoing daily approach to motorcycle maintenance with his friend's alternate view of leaving well enough alone between service center-based maintenance. What has this got to do with accurate impedance measurement, you may ask? Read on! http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69966 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:38:00 GMT If a customer asks you to build a PCB that can withstand 20,000 volts, would you know how to build such a board? First things first: You cannot just say, "Well, I think FR-4 will work." It won't, and the board will fail. Boom! Here's how to avoid arc-overs, coronas and, most importantly, any booms. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70699 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:33:00 GMT Interconnect separation is usually expressed as a crack that propagates at the internal interconnection. This failure mode produces a crack that is wedge-shaped, with the large end on the side of the foil closest to the middle of the PWB. An interconnect failure frequently develops slowly over time, accumulating damage at a constant rate after onset. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70391 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:42:00 GMT In Part III of a series, we'll take a look at loop or mounted inductance. Loop inductance is important, for instance, when we need a reasonably accurate estimate for the Series Resonance Frequency (SRF), or for the anti-resonance peaking between two different-valued capacitors or between the capacitor's inductance and the static capacitance of the power/ground planes it connects to. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70672 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:44:00 GMT Traditionally, we've understood that a good, quiet power delivery system is one with lots of bypass capacitors. And it was easy to extend the understanding to the concept that more (bypass capacitors) is better. But there is another, better way to look at this whole issue. The concept of an "ideal" PDS impedance curve can be useful to keep in mind. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70670 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:03:00 GMT Developers of mil/aero and other high-rel applications depend on solid failure analysis. Paul Reid discusses how thermal cycling will cause a robust plated through-hole to crack slowly over time. Plotting a resistance graph of damage accumulation allows technologists to determine onset, rate of accumulation and whether the damage is accelerating linearly or exponentially. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=58530 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:39:00 GMT This week, Dan Beaulieu gives you the cold, hard facts: Success in sales is entirely up to you. That's right, success or failure all depends on only one person--you. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70565 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:23:00 GMT In this paper, authors from Endicott Interconnect show various organic optical waveguide samples using various fabrication methods. A detailed discussion of all the processes, materials and equipment sets that are employed in the fabrication of the organic optical waveguides are presented. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70436 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:39:00 GMT This paper examines the thermal properties of various halogen-free laminates used in handheld electronic products and correlates these properties with manufacturing requirements. Thermal properties investigated include z-axis CTE, time to delamination at 260°C and 288°C and temperature to decomposition. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70439 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:06:00 GMT This week, Dan Beaulieu wants to fill you in on a little secret. Interested? Take a listen to the column and find out the big pay-off for such a small investment. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70392 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:00:00 GMT Guest Editors Mark Thompson and Kelly Dack discuss techniques and materials for improving heat dissipation on PCBs, as well as the challenges designers face in trying to accurately calculate heat dissipation. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70310 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:54:00 GMT Lou De Rose asks: With so many notions of value, how do we avoid the danger of oversimplifying its attributes, even its reality? How do we reduce the risk of acting on the assumption that decisions will have desired outcomes, when in fact they're invitations to disaster? http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70106 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:12:00 GMT Most of us have gotten a valuable electronics device wet. In the latest "Fein-Lines" Dan Feinberg discusses ways to rescue the device that can, most of the time, help you avoid replacement. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70331 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:55:00 GMT We all know the buzz words: impedance, 50 ohms, 10%, balanced lines, CTE, dielectric constant and loss and countless more. In this new series, PCB 101, I will break down some of these buzz words in layman's terms in the hopes that more people will understand what's happening inside the circuit. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70133 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:26:00 GMT The second in a three part series based on the book SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Customers by Jill Konrath. This week, Dan Beaulieu addresses how to make yourself valuable to your customers. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70216 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:10:00 GMT The industry has been reluctant to use embedded capacitance materials due to a lack of understanding of its design benefits. J. Lee Parker of JLP Consultants explains the advantages of buried capacitance, including EMI suppression, decoupling and the chance to move capacitors from the top of the board into the less expensive inner layers. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=58877 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:23:00 GMT Company culture is very important. In her latest audio column, Marissa Oskarsen tells the story of "Milky Joe" who once offered wise words of wisdom that any company can follow to ensure success. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70105 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:02:00 GMT In this paper, the authors report novel printable materials with the potential to surpass conventional materials to produce fine structures compatible with organic substrates. Specifically, the electronic applications of printable materials are discussed, such as adhesives, inter-layer dielectrics, embedded passives and circuits. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70058 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:09:00 GMT American and Japanese companies have fewer choices to solve labor issues when compared to their Taiwanese counterparts and cannot rule out shutting down operations in China. The situation in China is viral and decision makers must move quickly. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70053 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:54:00 GMT Today's sales people need to be hunters. Listen to this week's new column from Dan Beaulieu, the first in a new series on hard-core selling the "new" way. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70048 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:10:00 GMT Solder-free and 3-D assembly will help bridge the performance and density gaps needed to extend Moore's Law, as lithography on silicon runs out of steam. It will offer America the chance to restore her electronic manufacturing mojo and provide for her security. Please, America, don't miss this chance to leap-frog the rest of the world! http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69967 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:46:00 GMT Cimnet Systems Product Manager Iain Wilson sits down with Editor Steve Gold and offers his perspective on why North American fabricators need to obtain better panelization and material utilization results. He also discusses the coming age of cloud computing, and what it means to our industry. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70021 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:48:00 GMT I recently converted a pair of 75-year-old headphones into some absolutely mega-cool retro iPod headphones. I'll show you how you can create these amazing headphones yourself, at very little cost, and be the envy of everyone you meet. Or at least you'll be the envy of anyone interested in old electronics, and who isn't? http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69963 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:06:00 GMT According to Mark Thompson, timing can make or break your controlled impedance board. With many jobs going through turnkey environments, late communication about impedance issues takes valuable time out of the fabrication process and can delay delivery of product, leaving the end-user and the turnkey assembler unhappy. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69913 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:51:00 GMT With proper planning, stiffeners can be designed to aid assembly through the designed manufacture of a flex circuit that can be handled as if it were a rigid circuit board. Such constructions can be accomplished by using any one of several methods. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69814 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:37:00 GMT Materials are the most purchased items in the PCB industry for both business and technology customers. Material suppliers occupied the majority of the space at the show; however, many suppliers considered to be large players in the industry were absent. Why did they pass on this year's show? http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69842 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:07:00 GMT The world has changed, so we all--the entire industry--need to get with it! Are you ready to innovate, ready to change the industry? Some companies are. Listen to this week's It's Only Common Sense and find out what Dan says is going on. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69841 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:02:00 GMT Many Internet sources provide education and training in our respective fields. You just have to know where to look. It's not quite like attending a live training event, but you can improve your skill set through the Internet, and you can often do so free of charge. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69780 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:20:00 GMT Polar Instruments CEO Martyn Gaudion will be exploring a number of themes. A major SI topic that is set to grow is the emergence of new silicon families designed to push traditional materials into the multi-gigahertz arena. These new chipsets lift transmission speeds up to a point where signal losses rather than reflections become the predominant concern from an SI perspective. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69779 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:26:00 GMT John Ritchie, Product Manager for Rogers Corporation, reviews his company's new high-frequency laminate product, RO4360, which features a Dk of 6.15. The new product can address issues concerning what Ritchie sees as three mega-trends in the industry: The drive toward mass transit, sustainable energy and Internet growth. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=59079 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:26:00 GMT Good is not good enough! Listen to this week's all new column from Dan Beaulieu to learn what the industry will have to do to survive in a new world order. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69654 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:34:00 GMT Demands for higher performance, multifunctionality and size reduction require package substrates to offer improved high-speed signal transmission, higher wiring density and high system reliability. An SAP is widely used with build-up dielectric materials to form the circuit features. Features of such metallization processes are detailed here. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=59445 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:56:00 GMT JPCA exhibitors that featured printable electronics fell into three categories: Material suppliers, manufacturing equipment and tool vendors, and electronics circuit/device manufacturers. Most executives affiliated with JPCA agreed that printable electronics must be included in business plans going forward. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69655 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:48:00 GMT Corner cracks are observed less often than barrel cracks, but with high-rel boards, we can't be too careful. Unlike barrel cracks, which can fail catastrophically, knee cracks tend to propagate over time. The damaged pad actually resembles a funnel and the warp and weft of the glass give the funnel an uneven, puckered shape. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69569 Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:07:00 GMT Bare Board Group's Greg Papandrew sits down with Editor Ray Rasmussen to discuss the PCB market here in the U.S., Taiwan and China, as material shortages push out lead-times and drive up prices. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69631 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:37:00 GMT In this paper, the authors report results from a study on incorporating pre-formed toughening materials into high-crosslink density phenolic cured resin formulations and the effect of the toughener on thermomechanical properties, toughness and drillability of the electrical laminates. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69496 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:35:00 GMT Revisions contain a new coupon strip consisting of a Conductive Anodic Filament coupon (through vias only) with four incremental edge-of via spacings; modified via reliability coupons with two different grid spacings in each via net; along with via and conductor cross-section coupons. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69560 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:02:00 GMT If nothing else, IPC APEX Expo was "Exhibit A" in the case for a recovering industry. Nowhere was that more evident than in an interview with Prototron senior executives. Guest Editor Kelly Dack interviewed the printed circuit manufacturers as they discussed sales and expectations for the future. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69554 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:10:00 GMT With the marriage of I-Connect007 and SMT Magazine, the group of industry experts on hand to guide our readers through news, events, controversies, solutions and more--in every aspect of the electronics industry--has grown to an impressive list. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=59988 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:22:00 GMT The effect of post-reflow cleaning processes on creep corrosion are discussed in this paper from Alcatel-Lucent.The authors examine a laboratory MFG test that replicates field creep corrosion. Comparisons of creep corrosion susceptibility between OSP and ImAg PWB surface finishes are also made. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=59954 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:44:00 GMT Marissa Oskarsen of E-Tec Sales, also known as the Printed Circuit Girl, discusses her latest initiative: Printed Circuit Girls and Geeks. She also explains new Web technologies that her company will be rolling out in the near future. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69438 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:55:00 GMT Fine-line generation could be considered the main dish of a multi-course meal offered by the printed circuit industry. Japanese PCB manufacturers, especially flexible circuit manufacturers, are continuously competing internally with their fine-line generation capabilities. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69471 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:36:00 GMT If you want your customers to respect you as a high-tech company you've got to look the part. Listen to this week's all new column from Dan Beaulieu to learn why. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69487 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:59:00 GMT Every now and then, a true technological breakthrough comes along. The paper circuit is just such a breakthrough. These new circuits--printed on standard photocopier paper--can be as complicated as fine-line 6-layer circuits, and they cost far less than traditional PCBs to build. But printing companies will have the jump on traditional PCB fabricators when it comes to paper circuits. http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=69421 Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:20:00 GMT