Beyond the Board: What Companies Need to Know Before Entering the MilAero PCB Market
Defense Speak Interpreted: If CHIPS Cuts Back, What Happens to Electronics Packaging Funds?
American Made Advocacy: Where’s the Budget for a Modern Military Run on Microelectronics?
Arlon EMD and US Air Force Academy Establish CRADA
October 4, 2019 | Arlon EMDEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Arlon EMD, a privately held, veteran owned, specialty laminate manufacturer has entered into an agreement with the United States Air Force Academy to collaborate efforts in researching and developing technology platforms for electronic materials, resin systems and copper-clad laminate products.
The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Arlon and the USAFA is a five-year program designed to offer cadets research opportunities in electronic materials science for practical applications in the electronics industry. Under this agreement the USAFA will provide Arlon additional resources for research in material science and resin technologies.
“We are excited to enter into this new relationship with the USAFA. As the only veteran owned, military and aerospace supplier of specialty copper clad laminates in N. America, working with our US Air Force Academy is a good fit. It is an honor to interact with such talented, academically-driven and skilled men and women of our United States Air Force,” stated Brad Foster, President of Arlon.
In this agreement, USAFA cadets will have academic opportunities to conduct research on various resin technologies under the direction of internationally recognized polymer expert Dr. Scott Iacono, Director of the Chemistry Research Center for the USAFA, Colorado Springs, Colorado. “Collaborating with an industrial partner such as Arlon to develop materials will give our cadets exposure to industrial applications of technologies through their independent study courses. We will research resin chemistries and technologies at our USAFA campus and then assist in developing these with Arlon,” commented Dr. Iacono.
About Arlon
Arlon EMD is veteran owned and privately held by CriticalPoint Capital (info@criticalpointcapital.com). Arlon EMD is a US manufacturer and distributor of specialty materials and has supplied specialty materials into the military, avionic, space, semiconductor and petroleum exploration markets for more than 25 years from their manufacturing location in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
For additional information, please visit our website at www.arlonemd.com or contact Deanna Bustamante, Marketing Manager, Deanna.Bustamante@ArlonEMD.com.
About USAFA
With a history of excellence and a focus on the future, the United States Air Force Academy instills cadets with pride and integrity while preparing them to serve their country and succeed in 21st-century careers. As a public university and a military service academy, the USAFA is leading the way into an increasingly complex future, driving advancement and innovation in air, space and cyberspace, among countless other fields. The USAFA has 24 research centers and institutes with emphasis in areas from warfighter effectiveness to high-performance computing. Research at the USAFA reflects the evolving needs of the Air Force in a technology-driven world. Specifically, the Chemistry Research Center (CRC) within the Department of Chemistry at the USAFA focuses on new chemical discoveries to meet operational AF and Department of Defense mission partner needs as well as private partnerships with academia and industry in order to leverage an expanding technology base.
For additional information, please visit our website at www.usafa.edu/research/research-centers/chemistry-research-center
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Trouble in Your Tank: Implementing Direct Metallization in Advanced Substrate Packaging
09/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankDirect metallization systems based on conductive graphite are gaining popularity throughout the world. The environmental and productivity gains achievable with this process are outstanding. Direct metallization reduces the costs of compliance, waste treatment, and legal issues related to chemical exposure. A graphite-based direct plate system has been devised to address these needs.
Closing the Loop on PCB Etching Waste
09/09/2025 | Shawn Stone, IECAs the PCB industry continues its push toward greener, more cost-efficient operations, Sigma Engineering’s Mecer System offers a comprehensive solution to two of the industry’s most persistent pain points: etchant consumption and rinse water waste. Designed as a modular, fully automated platform, the Mecer System regenerates spent copper etchants—both alkaline and acidic—and simultaneously recycles rinse water, transforming a traditionally linear chemical process into a closed-loop system.
Driving Innovation: Depth Routing Processes—Achieving Unparalleled Precision in Complex PCBs
09/08/2025 | Kurt Palmer -- Column: Driving InnovationIn PCB manufacturing, the demand for increasingly complex and miniaturized designs continually pushes the boundaries of traditional fabrication methods, including depth routing. Success in these applications demands not only on robust machinery but also sophisticated control functions. PCB manufacturers rely on advanced machine features and process methodologies to meet their precise depth routing goals. Here, I’ll explore some crucial functions that empower manufacturers to master complex depth routing challenges.
Trouble in Your Tank: Minimizing Small-via Defects for High-reliability PCBs
08/27/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankTo quote the comedian Stephen Wright, “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you.” That can be the battle cry when you find that only small-diameter vias are exhibiting voids. Why are small holes more prone to voids than larger vias when processed through electroless copper? There are several reasons.
The Government Circuit: Navigating New Trade Headwinds and New Partnerships
08/25/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitAs global trade winds continue to howl, the electronics manufacturing industry finds itself at a critical juncture. After months of warnings, the U.S. Government has implemented a broad array of tariff increases, with fresh duties hitting copper-based products, semiconductors, and imports from many nations. On the positive side, tentative trade agreements with Europe, China, Japan, and other nations are providing at least some clarity and counterbalance.