THE THIRD EDITION OF PUMANEWS |
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As I see it. . .
The COVID pandemic has been with us for nearly a year. Its impact to personal lives and to businesses has been unforeseeable and profound. Twelve months ago, we rallied behind the phrase “We’re all in this together.” Today, variant strains of the virus add to the uncertainty in spite of decreasing positive cases and hospitalizations and increasing vaccinations. It is still apparent we continue to be “all in this together.”
Insulectro stands ready to help our customers in time of need. If one of your departments is down due to COVID, we will do our best to tap our resources and potentially find another willing fabricator to assist you temporarily. Reach out to one of us and we will do our best to be a conduit to help you maintain your business flow.
Patrick Redfern
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- Insulectro Distributes InduBond® Lamination Presses
- DoD Awards Contract to Launch Defense Electronics Consortium
- Isola IS550H - A Great Thermally Robust Laminate
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Thursday's OEM FORUM - Unwrinkling Copper Foil Profiles
- Introducing DuPont DI5100 Dryfilm
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SALES & PRODUCT MANAGEMENT |
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Ken Parent Speaks Out!
Investments, Optimism and Growth 2021
FEBRUARY 2021
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Insulectro is fortunate to be surrounded by and is engaged in significant investment projects for the benefit of the continued strength of the North American electronics business. The investment in growth is throughout the supply chain and OEM community in North America.
I would like to bring your attention to a few of our suppliers that are in the news recently:
Our responsibility at Insulectro remains focused on bringing high performance electronic materials from our trusted manufacturing partners to our customers. Insulectro has stepped up the investments in multiple areas. We have invested in our teammates, automation in our operations and warehouse facilities, our information systems, and our desire to educate the design community on what is possible.
Insulectro will continue to invest and commit our resources to:
- Delivering material to your door faster than we have previously with more automation to keep costs controlled.
- New process capabilities through collaboration and education. Our OEM Virtual meetings are helping educate us as to what the OEM’s need from the materials. These meetings are creating more collaboration with our suppliers on next generation materials and processes.
- Higher technology with materials and processes of tomorrow. I am excited to share more about these new materials and equipment we are bringing to the market here today and in the next few weeks.
- Education of those people who are making these investments work in the various markets of our industry to make our electronic world succeed.
The investment in Insulectro’s future that makes my headline news this month is our new relationship with Chemplate Materials. The addition of the Indubond® product line https://www.indubond.com/ of Lamination, Registration and Automation systems that operate as a complete process in an economical and environmentally friendly manor will strengthen our offering and benefit our customers, suppliers, and the OEM with improved capabilities. Please see the introduction below to Victor Lazaro Gallego the inventor of Indubond and Technical Director at Chemplate. Insulectro steps back into the capital equipment world because of our optimism and commitment to the future.
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In the spirit of always be learning, please join us for our next two Virtual OEM Forums:
1. Copper Foil webinar – Unwrinkling Copper Foil Profiles
2. Introducing Isola’s newest material IS550H - The Heat is On! Finding PCB Materials that Like It Hot!
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Thank you for engaging with Insulectro to help guide us to what is needed and what is possible. |
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Ken Parent
VP of Sales & Product Management
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NEWS FROM INSULECTRO - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Insulectro to Distribute INDUBOND® Lamination Presses from CHEMPLATE MATERIALS SL |
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Insulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in manufacture of printed circuit board and printed electronics, has announced it will distribute InduBond® lamination presses and supplies manufactured by Chemplate Materials SL of Barcelona, Spain.
“Today we are announcing Insulectro will begin distributing the complete InduBond® equipment product line in North America beginning today,” Insulectro Vice President of Sales and Product Management Ken Parent commented, “This is an exciting opportunity for us to bring these world-class presses to our customers – in particular the X-PRESS 360 lamination press which is Chemplate’s flagship offering. It is one more example of Insulectro’s laser focus on supplying our customers with the best product offerings – materials and equipment - available.”
InduBond® (www.indubond.com) has long been respected for tight accuracy in registration, its lamination presses, automation (automatic loading/unloading), and its eco-friendly best practices.
InduBond® X-PRESS lamination presses utilize a different way of producing the heat required for lamination using standard pressing methods. The innovation of this technology is that it produces heat on the laminated material, and only the laminated material, of each layer of the press pack at the same time, at the same temperature level, without any thermal conduction.
That feature means the press pack heating is perfectly uniform in all directions. Consequently, all the layers of the laminates inside the press have the same temperature profile at the same time. With our induction technology, heating speed is increased, and high temperatures can be reached. Insulectro will also stock replacement parts and consumables for InduBond® equipment.
“Chemplate Materials SL looks forward to this new association with Insulectro in North America,” stated Victor Lazaro Gallego, Technical Director and InduBond® inventor at Chemplate Materials, S.L. “We find Insulectro’s innovative approach to sales and service to be a perfect match for our company’s values and products. The goal of our current strategy is the global market as a key element in the company's growth. And that is why we want to keep innovating and providing the industry with new technologies that set us apart from our competitors and increase the knowledge and acceptance of the InduBond® commercial brand internationally.”
Chemplate Materials SL was established in 1986 in the electroplating business. Nowadays is a company focused on manufacturing equipment for registering PCB multilayers with an innovative process, covering the registry and the press process. They have developed a technology with a big growth potential and continuously upgrade it. They also sell chemical processes for electroplating and PCB manufacturing.
In 2020, IPC EXPO conferred an INNOVATION AWARD to the InduBond® X-PRESS line in the category of PCB FABRICATION for the concept in multilayer press technology of utilizing electromagnetic energy to heat stainless steel separator plates.
“Expect to hear more from us about this exciting new market opportunity for Insulectro and its customers” Ken Parent concluded, “World-class products from world-class suppliers, delivered at breakneck speed from regional distribution centers, coupled with ‘always there’ customer service - it's all about enabling customers to build better circuits faster.”
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Meet Our Supplier
Greetings from Barcelona
by Victor Lazaro Gallego, Technical Director and InduBond® Inventor at Chemplate Materials, S.L.
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Greetings from Barcelona! Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Victor Lazaro Gallego and I’m Technical Director and InduBond® inventor at Chemplate Materials, S.L.
Today Insulectro is announcing an agreement which will allow it to distribute our InduBond equipment line in North America. All of us at Chemplate and myself in particular are pleased to be joining the Insulectro family of world-class suppliers.
Our Product Line provides equipment for many processes in the PCB industry including high precision Pin Registration Bonding Machines for Pin-less Lamination Process, high precision Pin-Less Registration Bonding Machines for Pin-less lamination Process, automatic storage and dispensing machines for the organization and handling of cores in the multilayer layup room. Plus, we provide automation with Robots for loading and unloading in the layup room.
Our flagship product is the InduBond® Lamination Inductive Press (our X-PRESS series). We have several different machine models in this line, but the model X-PRESS 360 is our most popular.
I’ve always had a natural curiosity for how things work, which started at the youthful age of 6 with the dismantling of any new toy, to the development of innovative technology and advanced automatic machines used nowadays.
I’m the author of two technical papers published in PCB007 Magazine and hold a couple of international patents related with induction heating in the manufacture of the printed circuit boards.
I look forward to meeting you during visits to the States and Provinces and offering over 20 years of electric, electronic and automatic control to assist you with multilayer Printed Circuit Boards registration and fabrication.
Cordially,
Victor Lazaro Gallego
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Department of Defense Awards Contract to Launch Defense Electronics Consortium
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Jan. 26, 2021 (WASHINGTON) – The U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (www.USPAE.org) has received a $3.9 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to establish and manage the Defense Electronics Consortium (DEC). The mission of this consortium is to strengthen the economic and force posture of the U.S. defense electronics industrial base, and its first project will be to advance the adoption of lead-free electronics in defense systems.
“This consortium will give DoD deeper insights into the electronics industry, including how the industry supports defense missions,” said retired Rear Admiral Kevin M. Sweeney, former Pentagon Chief of Staff and USPAE board member. “The DEC will facilitate interactions between DoD and the electronics industry, providing a stronger voice and greater opportunities for companies that are often buried several layers deep in the supply chain.”
The new consortium is designed to address the defense risks created by the contraction of the U.S. electronics manufacturing sector over the last 20 years. The U.S. share of global production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) shrank from about 30 percent in the 1990s to less than 5 percent today. U.S. government reports in 2005 and 2018 warned that the trend could imperil the nation's ability to quickly field reliable, cutting-edge defense electronics.
More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the extent to which the U.S. had outsourced the manufacturing of vitally needed medical equipment with electronic components. As noted in the DoD’s 2021 Industrial Capabilities report to Congress, defense weapons systems and critical infrastructure could face similar supply chain challenges if nothing is done to change course.
The new consortium provides a vehicle for DoD to contract with trusted partners in industry and academia, including small and medium-sized innovators that typically do not do business with DoD. Through a variety of programs such as conferences, networking events, white papers, and collaboration projects, the DEC will tackle numerous defense electronics challenges and innovations. Participants may include companies that make printed circuit boards, microelectronics, cable harnesses, and connectors, and other components, along with companies that assemble electronic systems and those that provide materials and equipment for manufacture and assembly.
The first project to flow through the DEC will be the Lead-Free Defense Electronics Project, which will be led by Purdue University, the University of Maryland, and Auburn University. The project will foster research and action to accelerate the transition to lead-free electronics in aerospace, defense, and other high-performance electronics.
The DEC will be created and managed by USPAE, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit industry association dedicated to ensuring the U.S. government has access to resilient and trusted electronics supply chains. USPAE was created with significant input from IPC, the leading standards and trade association for the electronic industry. “Our relationship with IPC gives us immediate access to about 2,000 U.S. companies and academic institutions,” said Christopher Peters, USPAE Executive Director. “An added benefit is the work IPC has already done with the DoD's Executive Agent for Printed Circuit Boards and Interconnect Technologies in establishing standards for trusted supply chain partners.”
USPAE has selected Advanced Technology International (ATI), the leader in R&D collaboration management, to handle DEC member engagement, financial controls, and administrative services. USPAE’s board of directors and executive director will be responsible for overall DEC strategy, governance, and member recruitment.
Insulectro is a member of U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics. For further information, visit www.USPAE.org.
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A Great Thermally Robust Resin System!
I-Speed® - 15% Improvement in Z-axis CTE
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Isola’s I-Speed® is a thermally robust, low loss epoxy resin system that delivers an improved value proposition; 30% better insertion loss than typical mid Dk, mid loss materials. I-Speed is manufactured using very low profile (VLP2) 2 µm Rz roughness foil that delivers significant reduction in conductor losses to improve overall loss performance.
I-Speed® delivers the Df needed for many of today’s high frequency requirements. Designers satisfied with the current mid Dk materials available today, but are looking for better insertion loss performance will find I-Speed® to be the best choice with negligible cost impact.
This thermally robust resin system is applied to mechanically spread glass reinforcement which reduces skew and micro Dk effects while enhancing laser drilling for sequentially laminated HDI structures. The use of spread glass reinforcement also improves glass fiber encapsulation which results in proven, tight pitch CAF resistance performance.
Thermal reliability is a must have in today’s new applications. I-Speed® addresses this need with a 15% improvement in Z axis CTE when compared to first generation lead free process capable materials which enables multiple high temperature assembly cycles.
Contact your Insulectro Technical Account Manager for a full data review.
Norm Berry
Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
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PRINTED ELECTRONICS INKS & PASTES,
SUBSTRATES & FILMS
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Exploring Adjacent Markets
Indestructable? Tedlar® Protective Surfaces Stand the Test of Wear
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Like many of our associates at INSULECTRO and within the PCB community, when we think of Tedlar® we think of a release film that was prevalent in our market years ago. Tedlar® today has many applications and supports many markers, Aerospace, Solar, Gas Bag, Decorative Interiors, Graphics and the list goes on.
We are currently looking to expand these markets by offering and working with ceiling and acoustical panel manufacturers in applying and encapsulating them with a product especially designed to support this application.
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DuPont™ Tedlar® provides superior surface protection for a variety of materials and industries. Whether it’s protecting people from the elements or surfaces from scuffs and stains, DuPont™ Tedlar® PVF protective film provides durable, long-lasting protection from the inside out. From buildings and transportation to aerospace and graphics, Tedlar® delivers enduring value for you and your customers.
The PVF films, which are available in a variety of colors and gloss levels, including transparent film, can be applied to the surface of other materials strengthening their durability and making them easier to clean and resistant to chemicals.
The Printed Electronics team is committed to provide a high level of the customer service, quick response and technical help to support and service all your needs. Please call us at 1-855-955-0200 to test the commitment or visit Printed Electronics E-commerce site insulectro-pe.com to place an order!
Kevin Miller
Vice President of Sales, Printed Electronics
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MANAGING THE SUPPLY CHAIN |
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Staying Ahead of Demand
Navigating Through Global
Logistics Challenges
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There’s no doubt, in the last several months, your company has been impacted in some way by logistics challenges from offshore-sourced materials. The unanticipated surge in global demand mostly related to impacts of the pandemic has caused significant delivery delays and extended lead times since the onset of Q4 2020.
Though Insulectro hasn’t totally avoided the impacts of these challenges, through our long-range supply planning processes and collaborative engagement with our suppliers we’ve maintained consistent inventory to service our customers.
We continue to leverage our maturing demand management process to effectively stay ahead of extended lead times. Our focused effort in 2020 to grow our inventory on HSD laminates and prepregs also is proving to be effective in supporting our customers’ needs.
For our CAC and LCOA product lines we’ve continued to ensure we have ample stock of key input materials to keep the Insulectro shelves fully stocked. In all areas of our business, our proactive and mid-long range SIOP (Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning) process is paying off.
These are indeed unprecedented and challenging times for global planning execution. I’m happy to report that Insulectro’s supply chain teammates, strategic planning processes, and maturing toolset have put us in a great position to continue to service our customers uninterrupted in this tough global sourcing environment.
We’re staying laser-focused to navigate around these ongoing challenges, continuing to do our best to anticipate shifts in demand and capacity to hold “FAST” to supporting our corporate purpose: Enabling Our Customers to Build Better Circuits, Faster!
Jason Shuppert
Head of Supply Chain
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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Insulectro PumaNews™ will write, curate, and publish provocative articles on innovation, vision, and thought leadership in our industry spotlighting people who make a difference. |
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Current & Challenged
An Interview with Jackie Mattox, Founder of Women in Electronics
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Jackie Mattox, Founder & President of Women in Electronics stated, "The goals of Women in Electronics are to empower women through rare networking opportunities, develop them through our virtual leadership development program, advocate for them in a formal mentorship program, and celebrate their successes along the way."
Jackie was recently interviewed by Octopart, a search engine platform for electronic parts and sponsor for Women in Electronics. To read the complete interview, click below.
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New Kapton® Polyimide Film
Impact of Higher Switching Frequency & Faster Voltage Rise on Motor Insulation
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A recently completed research study conducted by a key customer shows that a new Kapton® polyimide film—when used to insulate the conductors found in high-performance traction motors for the e-mobility market—provides an eight-fold improvement over standard polyimide films for insulating the conductors.
This new product, Kapton® ECRC, is part of the new corona-resistant wire insulation offerings from the Interconnect Solutions (ICS) business, part of Electronics & Imaging.
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Join us February 18 & March 4
Our Next 2 OEM FORUMS:
Unwrinkling Copper Foil Profiles &
Finding PCB Materials that Like It Hot!
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Don't miss March 4!
Our March OEM Forum will focus on
Materials for Thermally Demanding PCB Applications!
Register below!
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It's Not Too Late!
Past OEM FORUMS Available for Viewing
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You probably know by now our one-hour OEM FORUMS have garnered rave reviews and great attendance. Have you missed one and want to catch up?
All five OEM FORUMs from our library are available by clicking on the box to view our complete library on VIMEO.
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Pacotherm™ TRIPAK
Pressure Equalization Press Pads
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Single-ply handling - TRIPAK is a 3-ply construction with a custom-engineered Press Pad sandwiched between two layers of PACOTHANE® Release Film. This guarantees quick and clean release from Separator and Tooling Plate surfaces.
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Static-free, clean and essentially fiber-free - (cellulose fibers are "sealed" in between the two layers of PACOTHANE® Release Film).
- Optimized surfaces for automated handling Equipment.
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Operating temperature - of 425°F (218° C).
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Control of Heat Rise - TRIPAK is specifically engineered with extremely exacting and tight Weight, Thickness, and Moisture parameters to guarantee repeatable Heat Rise through multiple press cycles.
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Low Operating Cost - TRIPAK saves costs by reducing lay-up time and inventory cost. TRIPAK can be re-used as a heat lagging material for up to three total uses. This can be an advantage when multiple pads are being used in each stack or when other lagging is being added on top and bottom of the stack such as Kraft or commodity pads.
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Excellent Pressure Equalization- TRIPAK is designed to be soft and Compressible to accommodate and equalize macro-pressure imbalance across the panel surface. Paco TRIPAK does not have any additives that affect the heat rise; therefore Paco TRIPAK offers a more consistent heat rise than the competitive pad.
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PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES® and INSULECTRO – don’t work with those who follow – join those who lead!
PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES® Proudly Produced in the USA with American Labor and American Materials!
And, don't forget, recently published Pacothane® Product Sample Guide available. Contact me for details.
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, Pacothane
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Adhesiveless Copper Clad
DuPont Pyralux® AG
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With large amounts of Pyralux® AG in our warehouses this flexible copper clad is the right fit for you next project.
Certified to IPC 4204/11, Pyralux® AG exceeds many of the IPC specifications. Pyralux® AG has superior cyclical bending capabilities and is a great choice for cost conscious products. Available as a roll clad or sheeted good this flexible clad will surely meet your next design needs.
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Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
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@Mike Creeden
Find What’s Lost with RF Loss
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Over the years of performing engineering layout, I have seen a consistent evolution or progress concerning the types of circuitry that make it on to a PCB/PCA.
I will spare readers my dinosaur stories, as I enter my 45th year. At first circuity types were each on their own board i.e., the analog board, digital or the RF board.
There has been a steady movement to combine all of these circuit types onto one board and manage the circuitry in one environment. Each of these circuit types have their own set of nuanced requirements that need to be addressed under one umbrella.
Let us take a brief look how we can help these circuitries coexist.
High Speed Digital Circuitry – Its goal, although very critical is simple, in creating a square wave as shown on the left image. If done incorrectly the wave will reflect, or create signal integrity issues, as shown on the right image below.
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Digital Square Wave - Shown Theoretical vs. Actual |
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RF Circuitry – Its goal is to manage a variable wave form and it is subject to more disturbances along the way. Many variables can affect the performance of the RF signal such as laminates, copper profile, and conductor definitions. Isola’s Astra® MT77 outperforms PTFE products in many ways such as availability with low profile copper, low insertion loss dielectric, and increased reliability by using similar laminates throughout a stackup as opposed to mixing PTFE and other laminates.
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You might think of these as two wave forms by comparing them to two light switches: A toggle switch is either on or off. This is like a digital square wave which is a binary 1 or 0. And an adjustable dimmer switch which is partially on or off. This is like an RF sine wave tracking insertion loss or gain.
Engineers know that the design parameters and material selections with all the appropriate nuance for each of these circuit types must be addressed and Insulectro’s product line is geared for these challenges. Below is a theoretical example of a mixed High Speed trace and an RF trace on the same layer of a board. Two implementations using similar laminate material and copper metal solve both wave forms simultaneously.
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Insulectro has enabled me, along with four other industry subject matter experts, the opportunity to create the next generation curriculum for Printed Circuit Engineering Layout. You can learn more about this new college level/professional development curriculum by emailing Mike Creeden mcreeden@insulectro.com .
With our Design Education Program, we are eager to support signal-integrity reviews of design circuits prior to fabrication. Also, we are ready and eager to create one or several training sessions for the OEM or your fabrication team. These will be tailored to meet the exact needs of the audience, brought by a technically appropriate presenter, with specific content to further your team’s success and provide that edge to meet the needs of advancing technology trends.
Contact any of our Technical Account Managers or call any of our branch offices to schedule your Virtual Training Session soon.
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Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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Jeff Mason's Far-Sighted
If It's Broken, Automate it!
February 2021
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5 Warehouse Automation Trends (That Industrial Automation Vendors Must Be Thinking About)
Note: This article originally appeared on the website of Interact Analysis, an international provider of market research for the Intelligent Automation sector. The article was written by Reuben Scriven, Senior Research Analyst.
"Over the past 10 years, the way in which we order things and interact with sellers has changed significantly, and so too have the logistical operations required to fulfil orders. Historically, throughput tended to be the limiting constraint within warehouses, which gave rise to the ‘convey and sort’ style warehouse automation solution. However, as sellers continue to adopt and roll out omni-channel distribution models, new logistical constraints are becoming more prevalent – such as the need for system flexibility."
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Please follow us on our Insulectro Linkedin page (click here) for additional details and updates about the upgrades and progress.
Jeff Mason
Vice President of Operations
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Reduce Lamination Time by Pasting
Ormet® Introduces New TLP Sintering Paste
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XDAP-491-1
This is a new lead-free assembly paste for semiconductor packaging and assembly. This is a good replacement to gold and lead based solders as well as silver sintering materials.
Highlights:
- Lead-Free and lead-free processable.
- Formulated for attachment of metalized die to metalized substrates.
- High thermal stability beyond 350°C after sintering. Will also withstand subsequent reflow temperatures above 260°C without re-melting
- Standard SMT compatibility for high throughput.
And don't forget to check out our Ormet® Quick Start Guide
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DOWNLOAD AN ORMET® QUICK START GUIDE USING LINK BELOW
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Jeff Johnson
Product Manager
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Available now!
Let Kemmer Routers
Improve Your Board Quaity
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The design and quality level of the router chosen will have a major influence on the end quality of the board, therefore it’s very important to select the right tool in order to achieve desired quality level.
Kemmer Tech-Centers are continuously reviewing router designs and carbides,
through a series of tests to ensure that we meet the increasing quality
requirements of all material types and applications.
Insulectro has a wide variety of diamond cut and chipbreaker routers available. Please contact us for further information.
Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - Drill & Business Development - Canada
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Chris Hunrath on Future Tech
Get Flex-able!
When Flex isn’t for Flex
February 2021
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Last month I talked about Hybrid constructions in PCB. It turns out that Flex Films in rigid builds has come up a lot in the last couple of weeks. |
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Some of the more recent needs have been around high dielectric strength (high voltage), fracture toughness, thinness (HDI), and thermal coupling between power and ground (high power).
Film dielectrics can do things fabric reinforced dielectrics cannot. CAF and skew are non-issues (in most cases) and you can realistically put 4 oz copper on a 1 mil dielectric.
Below is an example of combing film based clads with a low loss, but more conventional prepreg. 26 layers, all the clads are films and the bonding layers are low loss prepregs. These images were after 1000 IST cycles.
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Film based dielectrics and clads are typically polyimide based, but can be PTFE, LCP, acrylic and epoxy. Dielectric films used in other industries may be suitable for PCB if they meet the mechanical, temperature and electrical requirements we normally expect. Also, combining different resin types often has desirable characteristics for bonding, spacing and electrical properties. Glass free films also have the added benefit of lower dielectric constant and ease of laser drilling.
Film-based clads have been more widely used in rigid PCB, however there are just as many applications for the B-Stage (bonding) films. One example, RCC (resin coated copper) was attractive for HDI build-up for both thinness and laser drilling but lacked mechanical performance.
We are working with, and expect to see more development in low loss, better performing new B-Stage films. Combining low and controlled flow with low loss, low Dk, fracture toughness and high adhesion will bring solutions in problem solving new designs. Some that I can think of would include high speed press fit connectors, embedded surface mount components, z-axis paste interconnects and ultra-thin HDI. Also solved by a flex bonding film are designs with cavities or back-drilled subs where even a small amount of resin squeeze out from a no-flow prepreg is problematic.
If you are working a design and hit roadblocks, reach out and we can brainstorm. Maybe films will fit the bill.
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Stay sane, safe and see you (someday) soon.
Chris Hunrath
Vice President of Technology
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Stop Bingeing on NETFLIX:
Feast on Our Virtual Power Chats, Training Sessions, & Product Education
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With in-person meetings nearly impossible, Insulectro has turned to virtual meetings, webinars, parking lot drop-offs to keep in touch. There's no doubt these are trying and uncertain times, but what we're finding is customers are welcoming the time to become more knowledgeable about products, their applications, and potential new markets.
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Here is a listing of Power Chat Seminars we can do for your team, all online. . .
Pyralux® Product Line Overview
Geoffrey Leeds, FLEX Product Manager
Laminate Manufacture and Selection
Norm Berry, Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
Copper Foil Overview
Copper Foil for High Speed Digital
Mark Satchwell, Product Manager - Foils
High Speed Flex Materials
Geoffrey Leeds, FLEX Product Manager
Consider The Composite: HSD Material Attributes to
Mitigate Insertion Loss
Norm Berry, Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
Design - Making Revision 1 Work
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
Material - the Science
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Material - the Process
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Material - Industry Application & Usage
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Design - Material Implementation (HDI, SI, High-Speed, RF)
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
Design - Advanced Placement and Routing
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
FocusTech Chemistry
Jeff Johnson, Product Manager - Dry Film/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
TADCO® Lamination Tooling
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Drilling and Routing
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Geraldine Arseneau, Product Manager - Drill, Business Development - Canada
Getting Started with Flex PCBs
Chris Hunrath, VP of Technology
Get to Know SlickBack® and Bullseye®
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Geraldine Arseneau, Product Manager - Drill, Business Development - Canada
Pacothane® – Pad & Release Products
Pacothane® – Conformable Products
Pacothane® – High Temp Lamination Products
Joe Bevan, Product Manager - Pacothane®
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Design Education - An Insulectro Priority
Insulectro Sponsors New Design Trade Association
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Earlier this year in the midst of the all the issues going around us, a Phoenix-has-Risen out of the ashes of what was once the IPC Designer Council. The DC was dissolved in late 2019 by IPC. The legacy board members approached their thriving chapter membership and asked if they wanted to create a new trade association and the overwhelming answer was, “Yes!”
The Printed Circuit Engineering Association™ (PCEA) is an international network of engineers, designers, fabricators, assemblers, and anyone related to printed circuit development. Our mission is to promote printed circuit engineering as a profession by encouraging and facilitating the exchange of information and the integration of new design concepts through communications, seminars, and workshops. This is facilitated by a network of local, regional, virtual PCEA-affiliated chapters and the support of our sponsors.
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Insulectro is proud to join the family of sponsors supporting this trade association!
In January 2020 PCEA has established, trademarked and incorporated themselves as a non-profit 501c6 organization. They are off to a great start with an ever growing membership of over 1,000 members, with many chapters across North America and members overseas. During these days PCEA chapters are meeting virtually with good success. Several CAD companies and other firms have joined up to sponsor this new association. PCEA has formed a trade affiliation with several other organizations such as SMTA, EIPC, PCB-West and several trade publications.
If you are a professional serving in the printed circuit industry from any associated discipline, you are encouraged to join. Membership is free and you’re encouraged to be involved as we all seek to collaborate, educate and inspire one another. Visit the web-site at: www.pce-a.org
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Fine Line & Space Dryfilm
Introducing DuPont DI5100 Dryfilm
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DI5100 is a new dual wavelength dryfilm designed for the multiwavelength image systems on the market. Since it has both 365nm and 405nm photo initiators, it works great on both newer and older image systems.
DI5100 currently comes in 15 and 25 micron thickness and is designed for MSAP applications.
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Highlights:
- Great performance on single and dual wavelength image systems.
- Superior adhesion on multiple surface types (copper, seed layer, sputter).
- Excellent adhesion in plating and etching applications
- Great resolution down to 7um features.
Please contact Jeff Johnson with any questions or if you would like to sample some dryfilm today.
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Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dryfilm/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
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As advertised in i-Connect 007's PCB Magazine.
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Pyralux® HT is the premier adhesive when going above and beyond the current offerings of flexible adhesives. With an IPC service temperature of 225 C the High Temp nature of this product allows your flexible designs to operate in harsh thermally demanding environments.
HT also has the added benefit of being able to be used without the current practice of “Bikini-cut” coverlays. This can enable many high speed applications in rigid flex designs that need to send signals from one rigid section to the other while eliminated cable loss.
This is primarily due to the ability of the Pyralux® HT material to withstand the lamination cycle of many traditional epoxy resin systems and the low loss nature of the Pyrlaux® HT.
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Reach out today to see how we can help solve and upgrade your PCB’s technology today. |
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Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
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Insulectro PumaNews will write, curate, and publish current provocative articles on the phenomenon of 5G and the impact it is expected to bring to the way we live our lives.
The 5G Revolution and Job Growth
Originally published by The Progressive Policy Institute, a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C
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The 5G Revolution and Job Growth
The impact of 5G on jobs can be summarized as “network meets the cloud.” That means we can push more capabilities out to the edge, including real-time and near-real-time applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence to the physical world.
In many cases, new technologies create new tasks and markets that didn’t exist before. For example, healthcare providers already monitor medical equipment like pacemakers remotely. But with 5G, the set of possible at-home diagnostics or interventions will expand greatly, and telehealth installers and maintainers will be a highly valued occupation.
5G will greatly expand the capabilities of drones in a range of applications from agriculture to military to logistics, especially in conjunction with artificial intelligence. That will expand the market for skilled drone operators, sometimes called “remote-pilots-in-command,” earning as much as $100,000 per year.
The other alternative is that productivity gains will lower costs enough to expand the market, which ends up creating new jobs. That’s what happened in e-commerce. The use of robots in e-commerce fulfillment centers, combined with effective use of data, helped drive down costs low enough to offer consumers fast delivery and easy returns. And the combination of fast delivery and easy returns, in turn, made the e-commerce proposition irresistible to many consumers, because now they could avoid the time and trouble of going to the store, getting the product quickly and simply returning it for free if it didn’t work.
The result was a massive shift from unpaid household shopping hours to paid e-commerce fulfillment and delivery hours.
Or consider manufacturing. The pandemic has called into question the wisdom of depending on global supply chains for important medical supplies, and by extension, any parts that one might need in a crisis.
The low-latency high-bandwidth services delivered by 5G can help spur the digitization of the factory floor, boosting productivity and increasing flexibility. The result could be a shift to distributed local manufacturing in the U.S. in the post-COVID era, creating jobs and shortening supply chains.
5G will also generate blue-collar jobs that use a combination of manual and problem-solving skills—what we call “cognitive-physical” jobs— which are likely to pay a wage premium as well.
Today, the median wage for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers is 45 percent higher than the overall median wage, according to figures from the BLS. As 5G becomes an integral part of business operations, we would expect such jobs to become more valuable rather than less.
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Here's what we think. . . |
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The 5G World
by Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
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5G - Economy Boost
Insulectro as the distributor of DuPont, Isola laminates and substrates, as well as other vital fabrication products CAC®, LCOA®, Pacothane®, Ormet® and Focus Tech Chemistry, is heavily involved in this electronics’ industry enabling 5G infrastructure.
Many analysts suggest that 5G will contribute to the U.S. GDP coupled with employment growth by enabling of innovation that will transform all sectors of America’s economy across states, cities, and communities of all sizes. They suggest that the 5G economy’s impact will be broad and deep, helping existing technology and unlocking significant innovation throughout industry enabling existing sectors such as health care, education, communication, automation, and agriculture. The GDP growth and job creation that America’s 5G networks are beginning to unlock will be instrumental in jump-starting the country’s economic advancement..
Who will benefit the most?
Three industries, in particular, will benefit from these 5G use cases:
- Information services, which could see job growth of 200,000 and contribute $217B to GDP
- Manufacturing, which could see a boost of 350,000 jobs and contribute $150B to GDP
- Healthcare, which could see 325,000 new jobs and contribute $100B to GDP
- Communication will lead the way and with three nationwide 5G networks launched and 5G smartphones hitting the market, America’s wireless industry is building the foundation for our country’s economic advancement.
To bring these benefits to fruition, state, local, and federal governments must work to keep 5G’s rollout on track. Delays in network infrastructure build-out or in making more licensed spectrum available would carry significant opportunity costs, according to the research.
At a national level, every six-month delay in 5G network deployment could, on average, mean missing out on $25 billion of the potential 5G benefits from 2020 through 2030.
What does 5G mean to us in the PCB world?
Because the innovation of 5G is on the near horizon, how we embrace it may have a significant impact on the destiny for us as individuals and companies in our industry. We have a choice on how we embrace adapting to innovation. As you think about these potential technologies, consider that each one of these innovations will require circuit boards from all industry sectors and this is our collective business.
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In this column we will look at 5G technical challenges, solutions and applications. We hope to hear from you on some of the issues you’ve faced and successes you’ve had as we build, “The 5G World”.
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The People Behind the Puma
Meet Mark Satchwell
Product Manager - Foils
Northeast
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BIO:
Mark Satchwell resides in Connecticut with his wife, Kerry and son. He comes to us after spending many years at Olin Brass, Somers Thin Strip division as their National Territory manager and then their Sales and Marketing manager.
His Previous experience focused on the aerospace sector for ThyssenKrupp Aerospace in various roles and geographical locations as he is an ex-pat from the United Kingdom.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management from AIC, an MBA from University of Phoenix and an Executive certificate from Columbia. When he disconnects from work, he loves enjoying the outdoors and exploring New England with his family.
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Pssst! Mark Satchwell is into cars. . .
What made you interested In coming to work for Insulectro?
Many companies preach about the virtues of an engaged and valued employee culture but few actually permit it. At Insulectro, it is practiced.
When a company is endorsed by its customers and receives accolades from its supply chain partners, it shows the value of its teammates and their business autonomy.
I’m told you’re from the U.K., name three differences you see every day between Brits and Americans in business.
First, there is a collaborative nature that bonds teammates to achieve success which is subdued in the UK.
Secondly, the emphasis on personal connections is evident within the American environment.
Third, ensuring you include the new coversheet on all the TPS reports (Temporary Protected Status) per the memo, mmm OK. (Office Space was my first exposure to the American business culture, during an Ethics class at College).
Do your work Insulectro teammates have accents?
My colleagues do have accents but only an English accent can get you both into and out of trouble at the same time.
Tell us about your passion for Copper Foil Technology. I’m passionate about making a difference, for example how we can improve connectivity through devices whose PCB designs utilize the evolving attributes of Copper Foil.
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When you were a youngster what did dream about becoming when you grew up? Professional racing driver, specifically Formula 1.
Did you have any nicknames as a kid? The only name that is fit for print would be ‘Satch.’
Name three adjectives that described your personality in high school? Talkative, curious, focused.
Have they changed at all? Luckily not as they all allows for continuous learning.
What’s your favorite food or drink? My favorite food is an Indian Curry, accompanied with an IPA or two.
Do you play sports? What are you great at? What do you wish you were better at? I played football (soccer) at High School and College level, slightly better than average (always room to improve).
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Most embarrassing car you ever had? As a car aficionado I’d change this to ‘exciting’ car you have ever had, which would be an Audi S5 convertible.
Are you more likely to watch TV, read a book, or cook? I enjoy cooking with a podcast on in the background.
How would your family describe you? Energetic. I’m always on the floor playing with my son building forts from the couch cushions.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you? When I was 10 I walked into the Ladies restroom thinking it was the Men’s, I did not understand the confused looks!
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If you inherited $10 million, what three things would do in the first 24 hours?
The morning would be spent setting up investments and future financial plans for my family, the afternoon would be spent purchasing a V12 Ferrari in Tour De France Blue and a Porsche GT3RS in lime green. Finally in the evening, enjoying a vintage French red wine with my wife.
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Name a celebrity you resemble. I’ve been told I bear a resemblance to Ryan Seacrest (perhaps in a poorly lit room).
If you could have super hero trait, what would you pick and why? The idea of flying captures the imagination.
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What was your worst choice in clothing you’ve ever made looking back? The 80’s double Polo shirt look.
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If you could a drink one-on-one with anyone in the world, who would you pick and why? Elon Musk, his concepts, desires and creativity even if unpolished at times would be insightful.
How do you want your customers to think of you? A reliable and trusted resource
What’s the title of your autobiography? Do or Do Not, There is No Try!
What do you wish to accomplish. . . tomorrow? I’d like to start reading Don Quixote. . . tomorrow.
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INSULECTRO'S COPPER & COPPER FOIL OFFERINGS |
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Copper complexity and clarification! |
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Not all Foil is created equally!
I’m frequently being asked to elaborate upon foil profiles and their industry acronym’s rather the the IPC committee standards.
Balancing foil topography (profile) to achieve both Signal Integrity (SI) and component adhesion with suitable peel strength. (Lbs/In) is a challenge, but not a new one!
To make matters more confusing, you can also purchase double-treated foil, not just RTF or matte treated foils and remember that foil can have drastically difference profiles from 3µm on RTF-MLS to 7.6µm on Matte HP2 and down to Matte 1.7µm on EFL. Hopefully below provides insight!!
Change is in the air though…
Additional clarification & insight on upcoming IPC changes will be presented during our OEM Forum:
February 18, 2021, at 11.05am PST / 2.05pm EST
Register above in OEM FORUM SECTION
Bonding side is the surface where the topography has been enhanced with dendrites, nodules of copper versus the resist side which will have a surface treatment, a barrier layer preventing oxide but no surface roughening. Unless a double-treated foils has been ordered which benefits from profile enhancements on both sides of the material, for inner layer applications and is suitable for high temperature laminates.
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For additional information, please contact me.
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foils
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I-CONNECT 007 Interview!
Kemmer Praezision Partners with Insulectro
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On February 4, 2021, i-Connect Managing Editor Nolan Johnson interviewed Kemmer Praezision Director Gregor Dutkiewicz (pictured right) on their new working partnership with Insulectro, and some of the recent market challenges in mechanical drill bit technology.
Nolan Johnson: Gregor, as the director of Kemmer Praezision, for those readers who maybe aren’t familiar, start us off by telling us about the company.
Gregor Dutkiewicz: Kemmer Praezision was established in 1954 in Germany. Actually, that was a partnership between the founder of Kemmer Praezision, Paul Kemmer, and IBM Germany. At that time, IBM started manufacturing printed circuit boards in Germany, but all the tools came from the U.S. IBM was looking for a local supplier, and this is how the cooperation took place. IBM contacted Kemmer, and Kemmer started an order, on behalf of IBM manufacturing, of drills and routers for manufacturing of printed circuit boards. We were the first manufacturer of this kind of tools in Europe.
Johnson: And today?
Dutkiewicz: Today, we’ve extended our product range significantly. Our main focus is still on the printed circuit board industry, but meanwhile, we also are manufacturing tools for the nail and foot care industry. We are manufacturing tools for the dental industry, and especially micro tools for the metal cutting industry, because we are experts in the manufacturing of small tool diameters. Our product range is between 30 micrometers up to, in Germany, three millimeters, but we have also one manufacturing site in India; and in India, all products are being manufactured even up to the diameter of 12 millimeters. So, we are focused in Germany on the micro tools, and our manufacturing in India on all tools.
To READ complete interview, click below:
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Insulectro has a wide and varied selection of Entry and Backup products for standard applications up to the highest technology PCB’s. All LCOA products are of the highest quality and consistency.
All materials stocked at all distribution locations, available today and every day! We proudly build products in the USA and maintain very high levels of inventory on any import.
When the best is the only solution, LCOA has the material!
Back up options:
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SlickBack® – A lubricated material used to increase hit counts, improve hole wall quality and increase stack height. Outstanding results with Polyimide and other high-performance laminates
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Spectrum Gold™ Plus – A non-melamine option for higher technology boards
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PolarBack™ - The best melamine coated backup product available for all standard PCB applications in drilling and routing
Entry options:
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Bullseye® – An epoxy coated material for tight annular ring requirements, for all drill diameters. Best option in the market for hole location accuracy.
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EO+ - A composite aluminum entry, consistent performance. Excellent results with Rigid Flex and Flex boards, often used instead of Phenolic.
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Phenolic – A rigid option, 90 Shore D hardness. Primarily used with Teflon, Ceramic filled and some routing applications.
LCOA materials specifically designed for drilling Printed Circuit Boards, providing the best hole wall quality and hole location for all PCB designs.
Please contact Insulectro for further information.
Geraldine Arseneau
Insulectro Product Manager - Drill & Business Development - Canada
Paul St. John
LCOA Director of International Sales & Distribution
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Insulectro Passes 38 Years
of Membership Milestone with IPC
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38 years ago in 1983, Insulectro joined IPC for the first time and has been an active participant in the organization ever since by exhibiting at APEX EXPO, presenting technical papers, serving on advisory boards and industry advocacy panels.
Do you remember 1983? Electronically, it was a much different time.
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Here are technological highlights we recall from our first year as a member of IPC:
- Pioneer 10 passes the orbit of Nepture to become the first man-made object to travel beyond the major planets of the solar system
- IBM PC rolls out! Computers as a low-cost assemblage of electronic "Lego" parts made every neighborhood electronics geek a computer technician and every small office and home work room a data center
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Word processor software Multi-Tool Word, soon to become Microsoft® Word, is released - free in PC Magazine.
- First 3D printing patents are filed
- The ARPANET officially changes to use the Internet Protocol, thus creating the Internet
- Global Positioning System (GPS) was opened for use by civilian aircraft beginning a trend that led to data visualized in layered maps and cars telling their drivers where to turn
- CD-ROM developed for computers
- Flash memory invented
We congratulate the work of IPC throughout the years as it continues to present and support the vital importance of our industry to the world.
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Fine-tuning Operations
Is Trying to “Stretch” the Most Out of Your Consumables Hurting You?
Shurloc, IBC Brush and Equipment Service are being recognized by customers as key contributing factors in Insulectro helping them to increase their departments efficiencies in areas of their facility.
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Screen printing has been around for ages and most companies may not monitor their screen frames and tensions as they should.
For those of you using the older frames and not yet on the Shurloc System, you may be overseeing issues with mask thickness and developing issues including mask in the hole etc.
Using the Shurloc system helps in reducing these types of issues through consistent tension from the beginning to the end of the mesh life. Also knowing that each mesh panel will be at the 22.5 degree angle every time for screening LPI.
If you're not yet using Shurloc…..you should be!
The start up is easy and the ROI begins immediately though reduced labor and performance at the machine. We can get you set up whether you have a DP1000,1500, 2500 or 3500. We can provide frames for flatbed printers and hand tables as well.
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IBC Brushes!
I know that deburring brushes have a longer life expectancy than pumice brushes, but you can still overuse them!
If you recall, I went over pumice brushes on this same subject with a picture showing the difference in performance between long and short bristles when they are overused.
When it comes to (deburring) grit brushes, this can be even more damaging of a factor. The shorter the bristle becomes, the more aggressive it could become not only on the surface of the panel but also to the knee of the hole. You may not want to go to your machines limit, especially if it is a manually adjustment machine. Most automatic machines with auto adjustment will have sensors that let the operator/maintenance know when to change brushes. This can also be adjusted depending on the make and model of the machine.
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Remember that we can assist in your equipment needs through the following.
- Equipment Reviews and Audits
- Service and support
- Preventative Maintenance Programs
Also, do you have a used piece of equipment you’re looking to get installed? We may be able to assist here as well!
Ruben Zambrano
Field Application Engineer
Cell: 847-345-3759
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Please reach out should you like to discuss any of these topics further.
Thank you.
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Kevin Barrett,
Product Manager & TAM
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Today's Copper Foils
for Tomorrow’s Applications!
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Tailored to meet market trends such as compartment miniaturization, vehicle electrification and increased connectivity demands require improved characteristics of both wrought and ED foils.
Focus on wrought solutions such as:
- Low profile height (Rz) for signal integrity, as low as 0.4µm
- Consistent profile height across the web which does not change when ordering thicker foils
- Alloy foil with Increased tensile strengths which can exceed 700Mpa
- Grain structure in terms of large crystals and uniform orientation improves fatigue resistance and provides excellent vibration resistance.
- Thermal resistance to withstand hostile environments for automotive applications.
Wrought foils released to IPC 4562A in grade 5, grade 7 and grade 8.
Call us to find out more – we love to talk about this stuff!
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Give us a call to discuss how CAC can help you
make better circuits faster.
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Copper Foils
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Hard to Process Metals?
Our Beck's Light Gauge Process Is What You're Looking For
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We enjoy processing metals that most shy away from.
Our specialties include:
- 0 temper aluminum for deep drawing
- One Side Bright aluminum for the auto or name plate industry
- Clad Heat Treated Aluminum for the aerospace industry
- Litho Sheet for the printing industry
- Bright Annealed and Polished Stainless for the appliance industry
- Soft Copper
- Coated Products (aluminum or steel)
- Titanium
In other words “Jewelry”. We are a white glove, hand stacking operation giving us the ability to inspect each sheet or piece.
We have been qualified by many top Stainless and Aluminum producing mills as well as a long list of metal distributors. Many of our customers have their own cut to length equipment. Generally for a wide range of gauges.
Because our leveler was built for light gauge, we can correct flatness issues other larger roll levelers cannot. Quite often we get used to free up our customer’s line time by running the lighter gauges or more difficult time consuming jobs.
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Call Matt to find out more about our Beck's process and all that CAC® has to offer. |
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Matt Swanson
General Manager, Toll Processing
CAC®, Inc.
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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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Covid-19 has not stopped our ACT! initiatives!
We have successfully collaborated on many ACT! opportunities.
We are delivering on Technology, Design and Education while you can bank on the sales results!
We are virtually 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!
Call me and to set up a VIRTUAL ACT! with your customer.
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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