-
- 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
Catching Up with Artnet Pro
January 18, 2019 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupEstimated reading time: 11 minutes
Polack: This is a good question that depends on each customer’s products and specifications. If a product requires a 1-mil line, it is for the customer’s benefit that the cleanroom is fitted to achieve good line quality without dust particles that will affect this goal. Thus, the machine needs a basic cleanroom with temperature and humidity control to achieve good registration and stability. The Adix DI has a self-contained chamber with a controlled environment, HEPA filters, and a trap door on the operating side. However, if the panels will be dusted and dirty, you are going to see it on the results after imaging if the dust particles are too big.
Beaulieu: Your literature mentions photo heads upgradeable on site. What does that mean?
Polack: The Adix SA comes with one to six printing photo heads, which affects the machine price and productivity. So, a customer can order the machine with two heads and start working with the machine on-site. If the customer’s needs change over time and they need more capacity, we can offer to upgrade on-site by adding more heads to increase the machine’s capacity.
Beaulieu: I know that many DI machines claim to work with solder mask, but they do not seem to do it very well. How does this machine handle solder mask?
Polack: As I mentioned previously, this machine is the best in its class for handling any type of solder mask materials available on the market. It can achieve higher quality and smaller dams due to the unique four-wavelength LED light source on each printing head—365, 380, 395, and 405 nm—by its unique table design.
Beaulieu: Can it handle all solder mask colors?
Polack: Yes, it can handle any available color offered in the market.
Beaulieu: Is this machine as fast or faster than other machines?
Polack: This machine is as fast and if not faster than Orbotech LDI on the market. The big difference between the Orbotech and Altix machines is the fact that Orbotech is using high-power lasers to expose the solder mask materials to compensate for using a 355-nm laser on the 16-W product or the two-wavelength laser on their newest product. This is causing inefficient material exposure and wasting expensive, high electricity consumption lasers. The Altix product, due to the four-wavelength LED light source, can expose solder mask material with the highest efficiency possible without heating and burning the material, and the results are much better.
Beaulieu: Will Artnet be providing the servicing and preventive maintenance for this machine?
Polack: Yes, Artnet will support customers in North America, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. People at Artnet will be trained by Altix and Altix North America for the Adix. Artnet will also sell spare parts to customers and provide all maintenance services for this machine—basic yearly service agreements one or two times a year, time and material, PMs, and calibration. With both Artnet’s experience in maintaining direct imaging and Altix providing high-quality direct imaging, customers will benefit from the best value proposition direct imaging in the market. We are very excited!
Beaulieu: Why should a company buy this machine?
Polack: Altix Adix SA is a very good product that can compete and do better than the competitors currently on the market. Orbotech created a prestigious image of the best product in the market, which was a true statement for many years, but I do not agree that it is true currently. The Altix DI is a very good alternative to the Orbotech LDI offering the same or better characteristics and is built to last for years. There has never been a better time for customers to advance to new technology from a young and dynamic company that has created a great product.
Beaulieu: How does someone learn more about this equipment?
Polack: Customers can contact Artnet Pro Inc. in North America to request more information regarding the Altix DI product. We would be glad to arrange demos and testing for customers that want to evaluate this product. Artnet will soon add more information and technical details regarding the Altix DI product to our website as well.
Beaulieu: Will you be displaying at IPC APEX EXPO this year?
Polack: We will! Artnet will join the Altix North American team at the 2019 show in San Diego. We will invite some of our customers to join us at the Altix booth for presentations and discussions regarding Altix DI. We are running a promotion for IPC APEX EXPO 2019, offering a machine at an incredibly deep discount. The company that buys the machine at the show will also receive two air tickets to Paris with a two-night’s stay and an opportunity to visit Altix corporation headquarters in France. For more information, email me at mpolack@artnetpro.com.
Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group. To read past columns or contact Beaulieu, click here.
Page 2 of 2
Suggested Items
Indium Corporation Expert to Present on Pb-Free Solder for Die-Attach in Discrete Power Applications
04/30/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation Product Manager – Semiconductor Dean Payne will present at the Advanced Packaging for Power Electronics conference, hosted by IMAPS, held May 8-9 in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA.
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.