Standard of Excellence: Finding and Developing Future Leaders in Manufacturing
Global Sourcing Spotlight: Navigating the Variables of Holiday Schedules in Global Sourcing
Nolan’s Notes: Soldering Technologies
One Partial HDI Technique: mSAP
November 5, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Partial HDI has shown itself to be very useful, allowing designers to escape route tight-pitch BGAs without moving to full HDI and the required sequential lamination. It’s almost the best of both worlds.
Chris Hunrath, vice president of technology at Insulectro, believes that mSAP just might be the trick for designers considering partial HDI. As Chris explains, the materials and equipment required for the mSAP process are easily available, and the process is well established. This could be a great option for designers working with BGAs that have a pitch of 0.5 mm or less.
Andy Shaughnessy: Chris, why would somebody choose to move to partial HDI? When does that process make sense, and when is mSAP the answer?
Chris Hunrath: It’s all about BGA pitch, microvia location, and circuit routing. I've not heard anyone call it partial HDI, but I like that expression because that explains it just right: the rest of that layer or the board might be more, let's say, conventional. But you neck down the traces to be able to do your fan-out. One of the things I've learned in the past couple of years from designers is that it's okay to make the trace narrower—you won’t degrade the signal integrity as long as that neck-down area is a short length. You can get your routing and still have some registration budget where you won't risk having defects like shorts and whatnot.
First, there’s a lot of what we call “head trash” about exactly what mSAP is. It's also really important to remember that pattern plating, which is done in North American PCB shops every day, is a semi-additive process. We're just taking it to the next level with mSAP. A lot of things are converging right now. You have the finer-pitched BGA packages that are being developed for multiple markets. That's another thing. It's one thing to have lots of room, but if the component is made for multiple markets, you're stuck with that pitch. You just can't go to a bigger pitch.
Another point is that exposure units keep getting better and more capable. If your board shop has a direct imaging machine, you likely already have that 25-micron capability. Some of the materials have come together as well, and we supply those materials.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the October 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Happy’s Tech Talk #35: Yields March to Design Rules
12/12/2024 | Happy Holden -- Column: Happy’s Tech TalkUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) has many forms, structures, and alternatives, so capturing all the variations and reducing them to design rules has required some departures from traditional IPC design standards. In this column, I’ll be discussing the IPC UHDI design guidelines and standards. The fundamental question is: “Do you need HDI or microvias?”
The Shaughnessy Report: A Stack of Advanced Packaging Info
12/10/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy -- Column: The Shaughnessy ReportIt’s only fitting that this issue on advanced packaging and stackup features a “stackup” of “packages” on the cover. There’s certainly a lot to “unpack” in this issue. As advanced packaging moves further into the mainstream of PCB design, more PCB designers and design engineers are realizing this isn’t a plug-and-play technology. As we see in this issue, advanced packaging can have an impact on the entire design—the stackup in particular.
Real Time with... electronica 2024: NCAB—Shaping the Future of Electronics Manufacturing
12/05/2024 | Real Time with... electronicaMichael Larsson, Global Director of Sales at NCAB, shares insights into the company's focus on sourcing production outside of China as well as their commitment to sustainability through innovative materials for recyclable PCBs.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Bleeding-edge Manufacturing Applications, Part 1
11/14/2024 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsLast month, I talked about ultra high definition interconnect (UHDI) in relation to entertainment applications. This month, I will explain bleeding-edge UHDI applications in manufacturing, which are revolutionizing the industry by enabling ultra-precise visual data transmission, high-speed communication between devices, and real-time monitoring. These UHDI technologies help manufacturers achieve higher efficiency, better quality control, and greater automation. Following are some leading-edge manufacturing applications of UHDI in manufacturing.
Partial HDI: A Delicate Balance
10/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPartial HDI can be the perfect solution for designers faced with escape routing from tight-pitch BGAs. But there are a variety of material, signal integrity, and DFM trade-offs to understand before you get fully into partial HDI. We asked Stephen Chavez to explain the fundamentals, as well as the details, of this promising process. Are you using partial HDI?