The Right Approach: Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation'
Driving Innovation: Depth Routing Processes—Achieving Unparalleled Precision in Complex PCBs
Not All Plating Lines Are Created Equal
February 12, 2020 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 12 minutes
Großmann He was a technical electrician. He worked at Atotech, building plants. He became more and more specialized information about PCBs.
Matties: Where do you see the company headed?
Großmann We want to reach all those small facilities and PCB platers in the U.S. Ludy is often in the Silicon Valley area where there are galvanic plants or test tanks for copper cells and prototyping. To get the information flow for green fabrication and all the benefits, Mr. Ludy’s opinion is that there still lots of galvanic plants in the U.S. are, and from the technology side, they’re not very advanced. He has seen lots of people still lifting the flight bar up and letting it fall down to get rid of the air bubbles as well as walking with rubber boots through the copper cell doing work. This is something Mr. Ludy wants to change with information flow, and it will take some time, but we hope to get into the U.S. market with our technology. We doubled the company’s size and efforts to reach that.
Matties: It’s interesting that you mentioned the manual tanks. That’s something we see a lot in the U.S. with people using plating racks, etc. Happy was recommending that you sell the single cell.
Holden: When the customer only orders one or two panels, it’s not even on a flight bar.
Großmann The big thing in the past was building everything smaller and more compact, as well as the technology, such as a higher AC current on the area, to reach those small companies who don’t have that need to produce mass volume to get their amounts also fulfilled. Mr. Ludy’s recommendation is if they want to get higher technologies, it’s a huge benefit because you dry the panels in a much more environmentally friendly way. For drying the panels, we mostly use 1.6-kilowatt drainage. For one model, we need 2.3 kilowatts. We have an adjusted temperature of 21°C instead of 60°C of the hot air blower.
Matties: As you said, the old way is throwing money away.
Großmann: Right. We have a decent drying time, and with the drainage, some remain in the drilling holes. In this system, we get the complete moisture out of every corner of the panel.
Matties: How do you achieve that? What’s the significant difference?
Großmann Right now, we have a regenerator. We use the air and dry it completely. There’s nearly 0% moisture in the air. Then, inside of the tank, we have special inlets and outlets so that we don’t blow the dry air on the panel. We use different dynamic pressures to achieve and extract as well as blow. There’s blow and vacuum from two sides—the back and the front. Even the water that remains in the small areas can move because of the different directions. Compared to the old way, this is also very green. This is already patented by Ludy, and right now, we have 13 plants of PCBs using this technique.
Matties: It sounds like you are doing some good work. We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us today.
Großmann: Thank you for making the trip out here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
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.
How Good Design Enables Sustainable PCBs
08/21/2025 | Gerry Partida, Summit InterconnectSustainability has become a key focus for PCB companies seeking to reduce waste, conserve energy, and optimize resources. While many discussions on sustainability center around materials or energy-efficient processes, PCB design is an often overlooked factor that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Good design practices, especially those based on established IPC standards, play a central role in enabling sustainable PCB production. By ensuring designs are manufacturable and reliable, engineers can significantly reduce the environmental impact of their products.