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Suggested Items

The Chemical Connection: Managing Cumulative Process Variations for Fun and Profit

03/23/2026 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical Connection
Tolerances have become increasingly tight as PCBs have grown more complex and reduced in size, weight, and power consumption. Even if we maintain a traditional ±10% variation in etched line width, the tolerance in a 50 µm (0.002" or 2 mils) wide etched line is only 5 µm (0.0002” or 0.2 mils). That’s not very much, and it gets even worse as the line and space requirements drop to 25 µm lines and spaces.

Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure

07/01/2025 | Simon Khesin -- Column: Driving Innovation
My first camera used Kodak film. I even experimented with developing photos in the bathroom, though I usually dropped the film off at a Kodak center and received the prints two weeks later, only to discover that some images were out of focus or poorly framed. Today, every smartphone contains a high-quality camera capable of producing stunning images instantly.

The Chemical Connection: Reducing Defects in Circuit Board Production

06/04/2025 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical Connection
We all agree that in any manufacturing process, reducing defects in your product induced during manufacture (aka increasing yields) is a good thing. Doing so, however, can be a source of contention and frustration. I don’t pretend to be an expert in this field, because most of my work involves feasibility studies for new concepts or testing improvements made to existing equipment. High yields were usually not a factor; it’s simply about having enough data to prove or disprove a concept or seeing whether improvements to equipment design actually work. However, here are some observations I made visiting quality shops where high production at high yields was important.

The Chemical Connection: Troubleshooting PCB Process Problems

10/29/2024 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical Connection
As a supplier of PCB wet processing equipment, we inevitably find ourselves involved in helping customers solve sudden process problems that may or may not be caused by equipment malfunctions. For the most part, equipment problems are relatively easy to identify and repair: sensors for chemistry and equipment control, clogged nozzles and filters, leaks in the plumbing, etc. But what happens when the equipment checks out and the problem is still there?

The Chemical Connection: Don’t Just Blame the Etcher

09/25/2023 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical Connection
If your HDI or UHDI production process is quality challenged, don’t assume your etcher is to blame. Many factors impact the quality of the final product, so assess broadly, and you may find that the “the devil is in the details.” Generally, the first place most people can get good product specification measurement is at the end of the etching process, It’s natural and easy to blame quality shortcomings on the etcher. By all means, look at your etcher and invest some time trying to improve its performance but don’t stop there. Other factors may be affecting the etch uniformity.
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