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Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
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LPKF Presents New PCB Systems
January 28, 2016 | LPKF Laser and ElectronicsEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Breaking news from the development department of prototyping specialist LPKF Laser & Electronics: The company will present two new circuit board plotters and an optimized laboratory system for reliable galvanic through-hole plating at the embedded world trade fair.
Getting you from idea to printed circuit board in just one day – LPKF provides laboratory solutions for everything from board structuring to assembled single-sided, double-sided, and multilayer PCBs. The application specialists will present these processes as well as the latest devel-opments in the field at Booth 519 in Hall 1.
Circuit Board Structuring with ProtoMat E34 and ProtoMat E44
LPKF’s two circuit board plotters ProtoMat E34 and ProtoMat E44 are low-cost systems for the mechanical milling and drilling of circuit boards out of fully coated base substrates. Both systems have been designed for training purposes or occasional use. The ProtoMat E44 features an increased spindle speed and a camera for read-in of the material posi-tion. This enables production of double-sided PCBs with micron-level precision and exact control of the milling channel width. The two circuit board plotters require only a power outlet and a dust extraction unit for operation.
ProtoMat E34 and ProtoMat E44: LPKF quality at an entry-level price
Homogeneous Galvanic Through-hole Plating with the LPKF Contac S4
For double-sided and multilayer PCBs, through-hole plating is indispen-sable. LPKF offers a riveting system, paste-based through-hole plating with the use of a vacuum table, and a compact galvanic laboratory sys-tem.
The latter was adapted to meet continuously rising demands on PCBs and extended to include an additional bath. The LPKF Contac S4 also enables reliable through-hole plating on a laboratory scale, thanks to a cleaning step for microvias. The compact station, which can be equipped with up to six baths, generates through holes with aspect ratios of up to 1:10, even on multilayer boards with up to eight layers. The tolerance in layer buildup is a mere +/- 2 microns. An additional tin-plating step im-proves solderability. A new, highly intuitive operating concept improves the user-friendliness and guides the user safely through the process.
The LPKF Contac S4 combines six baths into a single compact sys-tem for reliable through-hole plating.
Expanded Process Window Through Green Laser Light Source
With the ProtoLaser S4, LPKF presents the state of the art in laboratory lasers for PCB processing. This laser system is equipped with a laser source in the green part of the light spectrum for improved control of the structuring process for fully coated base materials. With a camera sys-tem and new system software, these laser systems offer a wider range of applications as well as greater ease of operation and better perfor-mance. The ProtoLaser S4 can generate precise structures in the ul-trafine conductor range with a pitch of just 65 microns (trace/space of 50 microns/15 microns).
Thanks to the homogeneous galvanic through-hole plating provided by the LPKF Contact S4, processing of double-sided boards has become much easier.
The LPKF ProtoLaser S4 is designed for structuring PCB prototypes.
Visit LPKF at Hall 1, Booth 519, to get an overview of the latest and most powerful form of environmentally friendly PCB prototyping.
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