Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
MKS Instruments Sells Newest ESI Laser Processing System to Cicor
August 27, 2019 | Globe NewswireEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
MKS Instruments has sold a recently introduced ESI CapStone printed circuit board (PCB) laser processing systems to Cicor. Cicor, a leading European manufacturer of highly-complex PCB and hybrid circuits, is the first European PCB company to invest in MKS’ latest-generation ESI UV laser drilling technology. The new CapStone system, placed in Cicor’s facility in Boudry, Switzerland, leverages CapStone’s new beam positioning technology to help Cicor serve the increasing customer demand for processing blind and through hole vias in flexible printed circuits (FPC).
The CapStone system’s patented technology enables copper opening and dielectric cleaning in a single pass, rather than the multiple passes required by other systems. The ESI AcceleDrill™, MKS’ newest generation beam positioning technology, enables CapStone systems to take advantage of the high power and high repetition rate of the system’s new laser to deliver unprecedented processing efficiency.
“We’re excited to be the first to have the CapStone system in Europe,” said Christophe Sipp, Process Engineering Manager of the Cicor site in Boudry. In order for us to stay ahead, we need to deliver quality and quick turnaround times. Being the first to leverage CapStone’s precision and throughput will give us an advantage in a competitive market.”
“We’re seeing strong market acceptance for CapStone globally,” said John Williams, vice president of marketing, ESI Products. “Our customers are pressed to increase processing efficiency while controlling costs. The new technology deployed in CapStone not only enables them to gain those efficiencies, but also provides the flexibility to deal with new materials in production.”
The ESI brand represents an innovator in laser-based manufacturing solutions for the micro-machining and micro-electronic industries, and the CapStone system is optimized for the flexible printed circuits widely used in consumer electronics, such as smartphones and other handheld devices. The system delivers the highest productivity available, while maintaining high levels of accuracy and precision in critical parameters such as via diameter and placement.
About MKS Instruments
MKS Instruments, Inc. is a global provider of instruments, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power and control critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes to improve process performance and productivity for our customers. Our products are derived from our core competencies in pressure measurement and control, flow measurement and control, gas and vapor delivery, gas composition analysis, residual gas analysis, leak detection, control technology, ozone generation and delivery, power, reactive gas generation, vacuum technology, lasers, photonics, sub-micron positioning, vibration control and optics. We also provide services related to the maintenance and repair of our products, installation services and training. Our primary served markets include semiconductor, industrial technologies, life and health sciences, research and defense. Additional information can be found at www.mksinst.com.
About ESI
ESI is a brand within the MKS Instruments Equipment & Solutions Division. The ESI portfolio consists of laser-based micro manufacturing systems and component test systems that are used worldwide by manufacturers in the electronics industry to process the materials and components that are an integral part of the electronic devices and systems in use today. Leveraging over 40 years of laser-material interaction expertise and applied laser technology, ESI solutions enable customers to optimize production by providing more control, greater application flexibility and more precise processing of a wide range of materials. The result is higher production quality, increased throughput and higher back-end yields at a lower total cost-of-ownership. Additional information can be found at www.esi.com.
About Cicor
The Cicor Group is a globally active development and manufacturing partner with innovative technology solutions for the electronics industry. With about 2,000 employees at ten production sites, Cicor offers highly complex printed circuit boards and hybrid circuits as well as comprehensive electronic manufacturing services (EMS) including microelectronic assembly and plastic injection molding. Cicor supplies customized products and services—from design to the finished product—from one source.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.
Trouble in Your Tank: Organic Addition Agents in Electrolytic Copper Plating
04/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere are numerous factors at play in the science of electroplating or, as most often called, electrolytic plating. One critical element is the use of organic addition agents and their role in copper plating. The function and use of these chemical compounds will be explored in more detail.
IDTechEx Highlights Recyclable Materials for PCBs
04/10/2025 | IDTechExConventional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is wasteful, harmful to the environment and energy intensive. This can be mitigated by the implementation of new recyclable materials and technologies, which have the potential to revolutionize electronics manufacturing.
Connect the Dots: Stop Killing Your Yield—The Hidden Cost of Design Oversights
04/03/2025 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsI’ve been in this industry long enough to recognize red flags in PCB designs. When designers send over PCBs that look great on the computer screen but have hidden flaws, it can lead to manufacturing problems. I have seen this happen too often: manufacturing delays, yield losses, and designers asking, “Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?” Here’s the thing: Minor design improvements can greatly impact manufacturing yield, and design oversights can lead to expensive bottlenecks. Here’s how to find the hidden flaws in a design and avoid disaster.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Tariffs and Supply Chains in U.S. Electronics Manufacturing
04/01/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOChris Mitchell, VP of Global Government Relations for IPC, discusses IPC's concerns about tariffs on copper and their impact on U.S. electronics manufacturing. He emphasizes the complexity of supply chains and the need for policymakers to understand their effects.