COVID-19 Uncertainty May Disrupt
Materials Supply Chain
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To: Insulectro Customers
With the COVID-19 Virus, we continue to work to keep the supply chain supported, but there is much uncertainty. As more areas shut down, there may be risks in our ability for us and our suppliers to support demand. With schools across the nation abruptly closing, some employees (both with us and our suppliers) may be forced to stay home to care for their families. This could impact our ability to respond as quickly as we historically have.
In order to keep you supplied with inventory, we are asking you to provide us blanket orders as soon as possible.
Insulectro continues to be focused on providing consistent inventory availability for our customers. Because we only have very limited forward looking visibility, we rely on predictive analysis to ensure we are stocking the correct inventory. Because at times there is unexpected demand, we have quick turn programs with many of our suppliers to fill in the gaps.
With that in mind, we strongly suggest that if possible you place firm orders for the items you know you will need--especially items tied to important programs you support. We will work with you to get the material into your facility as fast as we are able to mitigate any potential disruptions.
Please work with our Sales team to place the blanket orders you need.
WE ARE OPEN!
Insulectro to Remain Open This Week Thanks to Dedication of
Distribution Centers' Teammates.
It's times like these when it becomes really clear, we are blessed with extraordinary people. I want to thank everyone in our company who has truly risen to the challenge we all face in these unpredictable times.
Patrick Redfern
President & CEO
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- COVID-19 Increases Fear & Uncertainty
- Virtual Meetings Help Our Industry to Function
- Choosing Glass Can Make a Big Difference in Signal Loss
- Our Design & Education Resources Can Minimize Your Revs
- TADCO Delivers 4-Pin Indexing Layup Stations
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Technology Allows Communication to Continue During Pandemic Crisis
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As all of us attempt to
balance fear with fact
over the expected increase in the spread of the coronavirus,
technology is helping to minimize the disruption to our businesses
.
This week, Insulectro conducted
two Quarterly Business Reviews with our major suppliers via teleconferencing complete with presentation sharing on computer screens
. All concerned appreciated the risks associated with travel and the evolving concept of social distancing. Both meetings were considered very successful.
In Silicon Valley,
customer visits have continued with some common sense approaches
- no handshaking, maintaining safe interpersonal distances, and minimizing contact with high touch surfaces. Frequent handwashing, too, is a must.
To be overcautious, Insulectro has offered its teammates the
opportunity to work from home thus minimizing person-to-person contact
. Early indications suggest this will be an effective modification in a world
where individuals are already super-connected.
Further, Insulectro has
extensive experience with webinars, Zoom conferencing, Microsoft Teams, and Skype
. These communication tools will
enable Insulectro's sales, quality assurance, and operations teams to continue to service our industry's needs
.
While no one knows the extent of this pandemic or its consequences,
we operate our businesses using the continually updated guidance of the Center for Disease Control
<
www.cdc.gov
>.
We encourage you to stay informed and know that Insulectro is here to assist you and your business in any way we can.
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“
I just would like to reach out to you and the entire team at Insulectro to let you know that
we sincerely appreciate all the extra efforts
that you all have made over the past years to support Eastprint in our endeavors to expand our business
surrounding printed electronics.
Whether it has been a special hydrophilic substrate or electrochemically active ink system for a microfluidic sensor, conductive silver and silver / silver chloride for wearable electronic devices, electrically conductive adhesives for attaching surface mount devices for in-molded electronics, the
staff at Insulectro has been instrumental in getting and keeping us on the track to success
!
”
Kevin S. Davis
Director of Engineering
Eastprint Incorporated
North Andover, MA
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Ken Parent Speaks Out!
“The PCB Business will suck you in and not let you go!”
March 2020
Have you said this before in one way or another?
I am one who has said this and have heard this from many.
My theme this month is the
importance of the people who have come into the PCB business and continue to make it a great business
- a business that
enables some of the worlds greatest medical miracles, technological social impacts, safe and smart automobiles and the strongest military defense systems in the world
to name a few.
The people I get to work with are the reason I stay very interested in the PCB Business.
Insulectro continues to search for and surround itself with the people who make a difference
in our
Making Future Circuits
world. I am fortunate to work with Teammates, Suppliers, Customers, OEMs and others who
make my job and the market interesting and challenging
.
In this fast paced world of making PCBs, I see great jobs open around every corner.
Finding great people to fill “seats on the bus” seems to be one of the biggest challenges
that many I work with are challenged today. There are also people who are making the moves to fill these seats, people that will
continue to make the PCB business a great business for decades to come
.
At Insulectro we have been fortunate to attract some of our best hires from other industries into our business. Recently I have had the privilege of
working with people coming into the business from College/University and other industries
, people who have retired from the business who are coming back to the business.
In closing, I
encourage you to attract new talent to our PCB business
. Remove the “Head Trash” that the PCB business is a dead-end business. I am a believer that
we have not yet seen the greatest innovations from the PCB
. Why? Because
we will attract even more capable and successful people to make it so.
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Ken Parent
VP of Sales & Product Management
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Choosing the Best Glass
Low Dk Glass versus Standard E Glass
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During IPC / APEX, Isola’s Director High Speed Digital Products, Steve Sekanina initiated
a discussion on Low Dk glass versus Standard E glass
. His presentation pointed to the
balance of cost and availability of E Glass versus the Db/inch performance of Low Dk Glass
. We understand that there are designs that require the insertion loss performance that requires the use of low Dk glass cloth but this also poses a question:
Are some designs over-engineered
?
In reviewing the Dk and Df of standard E Glass versus Low Dk Glass below,
we recognize the improved Df of Low Dk Glass
however when standard E Glass is married with VLP2 copper foils we
can substantially improve the Df due to skin effect of the signal trace.
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Steve presented a comparison of the glass cloths but
took into effect the insertion loss change by changing the copper foil employed thereby improving the skin effect of the signal trace
. The following Delta L summary calculates the loss of PCB interconnects by measuring insertion loss on two coupons with different lengths. The
ratio of the losses in relationship to the length difference produces a value in Db/inch that minimizes the loss through the launch structure.
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Of note is the
substantial improvement in DB/inch by employing Low profile VLP2 copper on standard E Glass that is employed in I-Tera® MT40
.
In closing, Steve stressed that we understand when Low Dk glass provides the performance required when balanced against the higher cost and
longer lead times of the current global supply chain for Low Dk glass cloths
. This was a very relevant discussion and well received by all.
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It's a pleasure to work with Isola.
Norm Berry
Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
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Oak-Mitsui Acquisition Formalized - Welcome Denkai America
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It is official, on first of April the
only North American ED copper foil manufacturer will become Denkai America
. The sale of Oak-Mitsui from Mitsui Kinzoku to Nippon Denkai has cleared all regulatory hurdles.
They may be changing the company name, but there will be
no change to the product offerings or product names
. The current team in Camden, SC is remaining in place after the close to
ensure continuity to customers and employees.
The team from Nippon Denkai is looking forward to expanding their global reach, and future engagement with the US PCB market.
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, Nippon Denkai
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Michael Creeden
Insulectro's Design Expert, Your Resource
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We can support you, even when we are not face-to-face. Let technology bring us together.
Something that Insulectro has always placed great value on is our effort to interface with our customers!
To us this has meant
being flexible and adaptive to your needs
. I’m sure if I asked each one of our TAMs to provide a story of some of the adventures they have had in
their commitment to go out of the way to, ”Wow the Customer” and go the extra mile
, they would love that effort.
This has taken place in many ways, shapes and forms. Typically,
our sales and technical teams love visiting, being active and present in front of their customers
. From deliveries, technical presentations, and process coaching, our goal will never change.
Your continued success is our mission in business, and we are determined to be of value to your firm
.
Historically, this
has been achieved by being present and in your shop
when you need us. We have traveled great distances and pulled multiple resources as best we can. Being face to face often provides some sensory perception that might be lost in an email, text of phone call.
We can sometimes follow you into the shop and view an issue live and firsthand
.
However, many business locations are spread-out across this vast country of ours and have faced the challenges of being remote for some time. Insulectro has multiple facilities across the country and sales representation across the land.
Make no mistake, our continued commitment to your success drives us to always be far reaching
.
Considering the recent health concerns across our country,
many companies are taking some steps to safeguard their facilities and ultimately the health of their employees
. Yet, at the same time
the need for technical assistance and interaction is still very real and must occur
. We at Insulectro are eager to work with your firm and interact as best as we can, always being reactive to your preferred choices and policies.
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At Insulectro, we are
extending our continued commitment to be ready, available and present by way of remote meeting
whenever you have the need.
Please contact your representative or Insulectro staff member to learn how we virtually still have your back.
Let’s
keep the forward momentum, team-up, and solve the challenges in front of us satisfying your needs
and that of your end customers. If face to face meetings are temporarily not possible by your corporate directives, reach out and let us serve you in any of the other remote methods.
It’s our hope that you, your coworkers, friends and family all stay healthy. We hope these concerns pass soon! Again, please know, we prefer to see you face to face and extend the handshake of integrity!
Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
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Insulectro Throws a Birthday Lunch
for Lenthor Project Engineer
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Insulectro throws a birthday lunch for
Maria Rios, Project Engineer at Lenthor
. She was celebrating an undisclosed birthday, and over 20 years at Lenthor.
Also attending was
David Moody, Sales Manager, Cliff Fujii, Purchasing Manager, Teresa Laspada, Planning Engineer, Mark Kinder, Process Engineer, and Insulectro Technical Account Manager Steve Piatt.
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TADCO Delivers 4-Pin Indexing Layup Stations
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Hello Everyone – we have some exciting news to share. TADCO is delivering
four pin indexing layup stations in California during April 2020
.
These machines give the
ability for the operator to lift and move the top plate for stacking and then replace when finished
. For enhanced registration the machine allows the operator to “index” the lamination pins in increments as the stack is completed.
This is a
great feature when stacking flex or thin cores as the pin remains low
(close to the plate) so the operator does not have to “stretch” the core over the pin during layup.
This
keeps the integrity of the tooling hole for better registration
.
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Give me a call to discuss this great piece of equipment – we are all about better registration!
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, TADCO Products
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The Key to Flex Circuitry is…Flexibility
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Seems obvious, but to have a dielectric material that has “bendability”, enough x-y stability to make complex circuity, and withstand assembly reflow is a challenge.
The last four decades, polyimide film, and more specifically Kapton® has made flex circuitry a reality.
Kapton® is different
than other polyimide resins in
how it’s crosslinked and how it retains its flexibility
. For flex, it does in a sense replace the function of fiberglass in rigid pcb’s (x-y stability, z-axis stop, etc.).
One of the best advancements in flex materials was the development of
Pyralux® AP
. Similar in structure to Kapton®, it allows direct bonding of the copper foil to the polyimide film without the use of sputtering or an adhesive of some sort. Pyralux® AP is now entering it’s 25
th
year and has been
used in everything from spacecraft to surgical instruments
.
Pyralux® AP is a sheet laminated product, allowing for a
huge variety of thicknesses and copper foil types
. It is however limited in size by the lamination systems.
Enter roll clad products
. They have for all practical purposes unlimited length. This makes them
well suited for very long circuits or “reel to reel” high volume manufacturing
.
DuPont has introduced
a new roll clad product in the US, Pyralux® AG
. Like AP, it is an
all polyimide construction
and
comes standard with rolled annealed copper foil
. This is ideal for prototypes that will eventually move to
high volume production
and has the added benefit of applications
where very long circuit lengths are required
.
Insulectro has stock with varying constructions
. Constructions are 1 mil polyimides with 9, 12, 18, and 36 micron copper (1 oz); 2 mil polyimide constructions are available with 18 micron copper. Rolls are also available as well for longer circuits and volume production.
Let us know your interest in Pyralux® AG and how we can help.
Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
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Ormet® Sintering Paste
6 Laminations in 1
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Ever build or buy a 72 layer multilayer PCB?
What if building that PCB was no more difficult than an 18 layer. That’s one of the benefits Ormet® technology brings to us.
Paste interconnects are not new. There have been several ways/products to produce them. When I first learned about the science unique to Ormet® paste, and how it joins to the copper foil layers, I knew it was a technology we should be connected to (
no pun intended
).
The
huge demand in mobile electronics over the last decade plus has put a lot of stress on PCB plating capacity
. Some have used paste interconnects because it’s it a
great way to achieve “any layer” interconnects with fewer laminations
and less trips though plating.
The demand for Ormet® technology has ebbed and flowed. We are seeing a spike in interest, and I think there is a reason for that.
With the ever-increasing demand for circuit density comes blind vias or in more general terms,
copper plated connections that link layers without taking up all the space in the z-axis
. This frees up real estate for other discrete circuits with their own traces and vias. It also allows for the elimination of vias stubs, which would otherwise be removed by back drilling. The downside is much of the PCB fabrication process needs to be repeated for each “build-up” layer, increasing cost and time.
One of my largest customers has gone from an average of less than 4 build-up layers to over 6. That’s 6 plus trips though lamination, laser drilling and plating. This is a
huge reduction in capacity on finished PCBs
. One answer is to add lamination, drilling and plating equipment. The other is Ormet®.
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ABOVE: Copper plated blind via on left, Ormet via on right.
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Gorilla Circuits has just built SI test coupons with Ormet z-axis connections
for advanced profiling. Producing a 8 layer PCB is no big deal these days. Making 8 layers of “any layer” vias in one lamination cycle with one trip though electroless and electrolytic plating is another matter.
Widespread use of Ormet® could have a huge impact on a fab's capability with no substantial capital investment.
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Use of this technology, combined with a low loss laminate
greatly increases design flexibility and signal performance
without putting the fabricator through the trials of multiple trips through the shop.
We are looking forward to the SI test results, which we should have soon. If you would like to learn more about this technology, let you Insulectro representative know. You can also see this YouTube video with the following link:
https://youtu.be/Z4yTD40CXBU
Chris Hunrath
Vice President of Technology
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Paste Don't Plate!
Ormet® Pastes Form Irreversible Metallurgical Bond When Sintered
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Ormet® TLPS sintering pastes are
formulated for filling microvias within printed circuit boards
. Ormet® TLPS pastes allow PCB’s
to be manufactured at common lamination temperatures in a parallel, rather than a sequential process flow
, resulting in complex assemblies in high yield while minimizing the number of lamination cycles required to manufacture high layer count PCBs.
After sintering, the Ormet® TLPS pastes can
withstand temperatures above 400°C without re-melting
, allowing for subsequent component assembly with outstanding reliability.
Since 2015, Ormet Circuits, Inc. has been a fully owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany). We are known as Merck internationally except for the United States and Canada, where we operate as EMD Serono in the biopharmaceutical business, Millipore Sigma in the life science business, and
EMD Performance Materials in the high-tech materials business
.
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I'd like to introduce a new teammember at EMD you will be getting to know better -
Matthew Wrosch, Senior Account Manager - Packaging, for EMD Performance Materials
<
Matthew Wrosch
.wrosch@emdgroup.com>.
Matt and I will be your
PASTE DON'T PLATE
advocates.
Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dry Film/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
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In-Mold Electronics for Present Day Applications
There has been a great deal of anticipation and expectation about
in-mold electronics, (IME)
. The intense interest lies in the benefits that can be obtained with IME parts. They could essentially
replace a complex array of electromechanical switches and dials with an effective three-dimensional part having all of the existing capabilities
and far more built into the part itself. The IME part can incorporate
force sensing and capacitive controls with audible or haptic feedback
. Clear displays, using a much smaller footprint than dedicated controls, that change based on user input can significantly
reduce the space needed for numerous switches and controls
by grouping controls on various control screens such as a climate control screen or comfort controls for seating and lighting.
With the Integration of the switching and function controls into a circuit that is formed into a three-dimensional shape then over molded to provide an
aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional control panel
, the process provides a very desirable alternative for designers. With reductions in weight, complexity, volume and the
ease of assembly and shortened manufacturing time and costs are also part of the mix, this technology becomes highly desirable!
Adoption of this technology is straightforward and has been simplified
. Prototypes can be made using designs and print layouts provided by DuPont. There is a completed form for thermo-forming parts and molds that are available for molding parts. Prints can be made, using specific films, and processed using conventional equipment used for printing today’s membrane switches. Arrangements can be made for forming and molding to be completed at a specific facility in the southwest. The process conditions are available and will be shared with customers for each step needed for the successful fabrication of prototypes.
There is a proven system in place from start to finish.
The resulting parts will have many practical design elements incorporated into the functioning component. These include buttons with
capacitive functions that have various draw depths and forms as well as printed traces and crossovers with variable widths and spacing, attached leds, and pin connectors for attaching chipsets and controllers.
Parts can be formed at Hytech and molded at IMS, ( InMold Solutions), in Arizona. Operations and testing can be performed with an Atmel MCU interface which will allow complete operation of the controls for testing and demonstration. Test data is available. There is a
proven system in place to make working parts from start to finish
. This is a clear example of many companies combining efforts to foster “Success Through Collaboration”.
Jeffrey Parker
Product Specialist, Insulectro Printed Electronics
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When Getting Everything Right the First Time is Important
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Paul St. John
LCOA - Director of Sales & Distribution
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GliCap GC- 750AP:
A Non-etching Oxide Replacement
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The standard alternative oxide products on the market today are not suitable for the next generation of high speed digital products. Signal integrity is heavily impacted by the copper surface roughness. Using a non-etching process allows designers to achieve high speeds.
Maintaining the incoming copper surface at the oxide step is critical to signal performance.
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The GliCap process has very little effect on the surface of the copper.
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This is amazing stuff! Give me a call to discuss!
Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dry Film/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
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The People Behind the Puma
Meet Scott Klingbeil
Supply Manager, Insulectro Lake Forest CA
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BIO:
I started working at Insulectro nine months ago. Before that I led the supply chain group for Makita Power Tools in the US working closely with The Home Depot and Amazon.
After getting connected with Insulectro, I was quickly excited about the opportunity to join a supply chain team focused on delivering fast service, improving our capabilities, and continuing to grow into a best in class supply chain organization.
Since joining I have been focused on DuPont product lines including Dryfilm and Flex, but also help support other product lines with analysis, analytical tools or other special projects.
Scott is Supply Manager in the Supply Chain department.
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Scott
supplies
answers when it's
demanded
of him.
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How would you describe yourself as a kid growing up?
I was quiet growing up, spent a lot of time building Legos, practicing trombone, playing baseball and watching college basketball (Go Duke!).
Did you have a nickname that you liked or hated?
Only one that stuck growing up. “Kling Guy” – because no one could pronounce my last name. It grew on me.
What subjects interested you the most through high school?
Math and music. I would take as many classes as I could fit in my schedule.
What three things were first impressions for you when you started at Insulectro?
I was immediately impressed by how fast Insulectro services our customers, how our people really know the materials, and how long people stay at the company.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
Solving problems. I enjoy finding solutions in data that no one else can see.
What keeps you awake at night?
My one-year old son, not every night, but a few times a week.
Do you have any hobbies or activities that would surprise us?
This may only surprise people who haven’t seen my desk, but I’m a big
Star Wars
fan. Also, I run audio at my Church on Sundays.
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What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
Make waffles from scratch, read a book while enjoying a cup of coffee and go to Disneyland with my wife and son.
Any type of food you can’t get enough of?
Pulled pork barbeque, and homemade mac and cheese.
What do you do to relax?
What does “relax” mean? Didn’t I mention I have a one-year old son?
If a movie was made about YOU, who would play Scott Klingbeil?
Matt Damon. Some combination of math whiz in
Good Will Hunting
, and the sarcastic humor in
The Martian
.
What would your dream car be if there were no limits?
Not a big car guy, but I’ve always liked the look of the classic Range Rover.
What are the top three things you’ve learned about people since you came to work at Insulectro?
1.
You don’t have go alone, everyone is willing to help.
2.
Everyone has different strengths. Understanding those strengths can help you work with people.
3.
People appreciate when you can own mistakes and learn from the experience.
How have you changed since your first professional job?
When I started my first job, I had no idea what career I wanted. I thought I would work for a year in supply chain and move on. Little did I know I would come to love the work.
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What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
As a high-schooler, I was playing trombone in an orchestra concert. During a quiet part of the concert, I was on stage but not playing. I was bored, so I started playing around with my digital tuner. I quickly realized there was a button that I had no idea what it did, so I pressed it. And then this tuner starts playing a perfect pitch A really loudly … in front of 700 people.
Last book and movie you have experienced?
Book –
Dune
Movie –
The Martian
What advice would give your successor?
Focus on learning one thing at a time. There is a lot to know in this job, but you can only learn it one step at a time.
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If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
Teleportation, with the ability to teleport others as well. There is probably a “Beam me up, Scotty” joke in there, too, but I’ll let you figure it out.
When was the last time you laughed uncontrollably, and at what?
My wife and I have done a lot of silly things to make our son laugh.
How do you describe Insulectro to friends outside of our industry?
Typically, the conversation starts with me explaining circuit boards… But ultimately, I describe Insulectro as having the best people in the industry, working to provide the best materials as fast as possible to customers.
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Pacothane Launches New Product Sample Guide in Print
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PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES
is the world's leading manufacturer of
products
to enhance and assist the production and quality assurance process for the lamination and manufacture of printed circuit boards [PCB]
.
Recently, in time for our industry's premier trade show - IPC APEX EXPO,
Pacothane published a 40-page catalog containing actual samples
of the lamination assist materials they manufacture.
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Featured are
HT1500, HT1500 Smooth, Pacolon™, Paco•Via™, Paco•Clutch™, Pacothane® Plus, PacoFlex™ Ultra, and PacoFlex™ 10000.
Other products include
PacoPads™, PacoTherm™, ThermoPads™,ThermoFilm™, Paco Quick Press™, and PacoGard™.
To learn more about Pacothane's exceptional line of lamination assist products, contact me!
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Let's talk pads and films!
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, Pacothane Products
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Everyday Materials You Need, On Our Shelves Every Day
Insulectro recognizes the importance of maintaining adequate inventory to begin work.
Designers know when you need it, you need it.
Using the link
getpumafast.com
, you can see what PumaFast™ and standard materials we stock to get you up and running.
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We are taking our ACT!
to another level!
Insulectro and our partners are moving the chains to
help our customers exceed performance goals
. Our team of professional and technical resources are now offering our customers access to design and education services.
This is a Game Changer!
Our ACT! Initiatives combined with our design and education services provide our customers a
total solutions package with a one-stop-shop option
.
Our
customers now have total access
to not only our Insulectro foot print, best in class products, materials on the shelf when you need them; but also the expertise to
deliver solutions from design to delivery…FAST!
Come ACT! With us!
There's a reason I'm smiling.
Ron Murdock
ACT! Manager & Technical Account Manager
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To be the easiest company to do business with. . .
Insulectro has a program for
continual improvement
, all designed to make ourselves as
user-friendly as possible to our customers, their customers, and our suppliers
. Speed Matters, so we focus a lot of attention on getting you the materials you need as quickly as possible.
Our
PumaFast™ Program
lists current inventory of everyday materials you need every day.
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Best-in-Class Materials
from our Premier Suppliers
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