Learning With Leo: UHDI—The Next Leap in PCB Manufacturing
Nolan’s Notes: Is Mexico the Pulse of Electronics in the Americas?
Standard of Excellence: Speed vs. Quality in Customer Service
Universal Instruments' APL Presents Technical Session at IDTechEx Show
November 1, 2017 | Universal InstrumentsEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Innovative processes empowering the future of flexible substrates in electronics products.
Universal Instruments’ Advanced Process Lab (APL) will present a technical session entitled Joining to Temperature Sensitive Substrates with Asymmetric Heating at the IDTechEx Show at the Santa Clara Convention Center, California, on November 15 - 16, 2017. Peter McClure, APL Process Research Engineer, will deliver the session as one of the Cornerstone Presentations in the Exhibition Theater on Thursday, November 16 at 1:20 p.m. Universal will also exhibit on BoothT18 at the IDTechEx Show, with experts from the APL on-hand to discuss next-generation technologies and provide insight to help attendees maximize competitive advantage.
McClure’s presentation is derived from ongoing research of the APL’s Advanced Research in Electronics Assembly (AREA) Consortium in cooperation with the industry’s leaders. It will discuss the challenges associated with attaching components to temperature-sensitive substrates such as PET and TPU. It will reveal that conventional solder reflow oven processes cannot be used because they damage these high-tech flexible substrates. Instead, asymmetric heating processes in which the solder is heated independently of the substrate are being actively explored. One such process, Laser Selective Reflow (LSR), is being used to bond WLCSPs to these substrates. The presentation will investigate the use of LSR with a variety of low-temperature substrate materials and bond pad metallizations.
“The flexible electronics market is expected to roughly triple by 2022,” said Jeff Knight, APL General Manager. “Trends such as this drive the research of the AREA Consortium, putting the APL at the forefront of the technology landscape. It’s our pleasure to discuss these topics with our peers at events like the IDTechEx Show, giving us the opportunity to share knowledge on the next generation of materials and processes.”
The IDTechEx Show presents the latest emerging technologies at one event, with nine concurrent technologies and a single exhibition covering 3D Printing, Electric Vehicles, Energy Harvesting, Energy Storage, Graphene, Internet of Things, Printed Electronics, Sensors, and Wearable Technology. Due to the strong overlap across these topics, over 3500 attendees and 245 exhibitors are exposed to the full relevant supply chains and customer and supplier bases.
Universal’s APL offers comprehensive research, analytical and advanced assembly services which enable manufacturers to realize rapid product introduction, maximize yield and optimize reliability.
About Universal Instruments
Universal Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced automation and assembly equipment solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry. Universal Instruments delivers comprehensive solutions to a global customer base by leveraging exclusive process expertise combined with its innovative portfolio of flexible platforms for surface mount, insertion mount, advanced semiconductor packaging, and end-of-line automation. Universal Instruments is headquartered in Binghamton, N.Y., USA, with offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Your magazines are a great platform for people to exchange knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do."
Simon Khesin - Schmoll MaschinenSuggested Items
Learning With Leo: UHDI—The Next Leap in PCB Manufacturing
11/05/2025 | Leo Lambert -- Column: Learning With LeoHigh density interconnect (HDI) technology has been a cornerstone of miniaturized electronics since Hewlett-Packard introduced the first chip-scale implementation in 1982. Over time, HDI processes became central to organic flip-chip packaging in the semiconductor industry. Today, the convergence of IC substrates and system-level PCBs has accelerated the adoption of UHDI.
BTU International Earns 2025 Step-by-Step Excellence Award for Its Aqua Scrub™ Flux Management System
10/29/2025 | BTU International, Inc.BTU International, Inc., a leading supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for the electronics manufacturing market, has been recognized with a 2025 Step-by-Step Excellence Award (SbSEA) for its Aqua Scrub™ Flux Management Technology, featured on the company’s Pyramax™ and Aurora™ reflow ovens.
On the Line With… Ultra HDI Podcast—Episode 7: “Solder Mask: Beyond the Traces,” Now Available
10/31/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 is excited to announce the release of the seventh episode of its 12-part podcast series, On the Line With… American Standard Circuits: Ultra HDI. In this episode, “Solder Mask: Beyond the Traces,” host Nolan Johnson sits down with John Johnson, Director of Quality and Advanced Technology at American Standard Circuits, to explore the essential role that solder mask plays in the Ultra HDI (UHDI) manufacturing process.
Rehm Wins Mexico Technology Award for CondensoXLine with Formic Acid
10/17/2025 | Rehm Thermal SystemsModern electronics manufacturing requires technologies with high reliability. By using formic acid in convection, condensation, and contact soldering, Rehm Thermal Systems’ equipment ensures reliable, void-free solder joints — even when using flux-free solder pastes.
Indium Experts to Deliver Technical Presentations at SMTA International
10/14/2025 | Indium CorporationAs one of the leading materials providers to the power electronics assembly industry, Indium Corporation experts will share their technical insight on a wide range of innovative solder solutions at SMTA International (SMTAI), to be held October 19-23 in Rosemont, Illinois.