MAY 15, 2022 - ISSUE 43 - ON TIME, EVERY TIME
CELEBRATING OUR 4TH YEAR OF PUMANEWS™
As I see it. . .

On May 6, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives that would strengthen the production and distribution of printed circuit boards in U.S. manufacturing. This has been a long time coming. 
 
In the 1970s, manufacturers from all industries felt their primary objective was to create shareholder value and sought ways to move operations to wherever was cheapest – all at the expense of American jobs. The federal government did little to discourage it. U.S. companies paid no taxes on their overseas earnings as long as those profits remained overseas. Result, no incentive to invest profits here in the U.S.
But as recent events have indicated, there is great uncertainty operating offshore in a global community. It has become an issue of national security, and organizations like PCBAA are ramping up their lobbying efforts to demand a wave of “reshoring” – bringing business and jobs back to the United States. These organizations are making our industry’s collective voice heard and more we stand up as suppliers, fabricators, OEMs, and distributors and join them the louder we will be.

Patrick Redfern
PCBAA, the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, welcomes their newest members: DuPont and Nano Dimension.
 
Existing members include AGY, Amphenol, Bowman, Calumet, Insulectro, Isola, Summit Interconnect, TTM Technologies, Denkai America, MacDermid Alpha, Nano Dimension, Pacothane Technologies, Sanmina, Uyemura, and Rogers Corporation.
 
The Printed Circuit Board Association of America is a consortium of companies, representatives, and enthusiasts who are advocating for U.S. manufacture of printed circuit boards.
 
Insulectro is proud to support PCBAA's effort as a founding member.
 
We encourage you to not stand on the sidelines but get involved to support PCBAA's three main objectives:
 
  • Support the Domestic Production of PCBs
  • Enhance Domestic Supply Chain Security
  • Advocate for Initiatives that Create Fair Market Conditions
 
This organization is your voice in Washington.
 
Visit PCBAA.org today to learn more about membership. See below for more information and a link to inquire about membership.
PCBAA LEADERSHIP SPEAKS OUT
Reshore! Bring it Back home!
New Bipartisan Legislation Promotes U.S. Manufacturing of Printed Circuit Boards
Article Reprinted from NEXTGOV.COM - written by Alexandrea Kelley, Staff Correspondant
Two bipartisan lawmakers introduced new legislation on Friday, May 6, that would strengthen the production and distribution of printed circuit boards within the U.S. manufacturing industry. 

Titled the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act, the bill is sponsored by House Reps. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., and Blake Moore, R-Utah. It serves as an incentive for American companies to manufacture printed circuit boards which are used to power a bevy of electronic devices.

It also aims to strengthen the supply chain and promote equal opportunities for businesses owned by those in minority demographics. 
“The supply chain shortages for electronics are affecting every aspect of American life. Printed circuit boards are a critical part of that supply chain and are at risk of tampering vulnerabilities related to offshore production, yet the U.S. global production share of PCBs is only approximately 4%, compared to China’s 52%,” Eshoo stated. “If we want to ensure technological superiority across the global stage and strengthen national security, we need to bring PCB production back to America, which is exactly what my bipartisan bill does.”

Her bill works in tandem with the existing semiconductor production incentives spurred by U.S. tensions with China in that it encourages the domestic production of printed circuit boards. The industry is currently anchored with manufacturing facilities based in Taiwan and other Asian countries. 

Some of the provisions outlined in the bill include providing a 25% tax break for the purchase of printed circuit boards made in the U.S. and financial aid for small businesses to expand production capacity of printed circuit boards.

In a bid to ensure supply chain efficiency, the bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a review of the program on a biannual basis to ensure federal funding is being allocated appropriately and that it is facilitating the desired outcomes. 
“I have been encouraged by Congress’s consistent efforts to strengthen our microchips industrial base, as they are increasingly critical to our everyday technology. However, they are only part of an extensive microelectronics infrastructure,” Moore said.

“As we work to reshore our manufacturing, strengthen our supply chains and prioritize national security, we are confronted by the immediate need to rebuild and bolster our entire microelectronics ecosystem.”
SALES & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Ken Parent Speaks Out!
PCB Advocacy:
One Strong Voice from Many
MAY 2022
The fact that the “Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022” has progressed is worth celebrating. Be sure to read the above article and click on the link to read the entire text of H.R. Bill 7677.

This bill is supported by PCBAA https://www.pcbaa.org/ and is aimed at helping to level the playing field for US-based electronics companies. I am proud to be part of the PCB industry and PCBAA. 

The members of PCBAA met earlier this month for the first face to face meeting. 17 member companies were present. 
 
In the next 12 months, we will continue to add to the PCBAA membership to garner support of the mission of PCBAA regarding:

  1. Supporting domestic production of PCBs and PCB materials.
  2. Secure domestic supply of critical materials and systems for national defense and vital commercial needs.
  3. Educate, Advocate, Legislate everyone in our domestic supply chain of PCB manufacturing about the phrase “CHIPs Don’t Float” and the need for PCBs we provide.

The highlights of the 1st annual PCBAA meeting made the time spent well worth it and I summarize them as:

  1. The strength of getting both PCB fabricators and PCB material manufacturers in a room together to define legislative goals for our domestic industry. I am humbled by the reach of this group and the brainpower in the room to impact legislation in the first year.
  2. The fact that in one year PCBAA has progressed from an idea based upon a conversation between a few innovators about “Chips Don’t Float” (see PCBAA president Will Marsh's interview with i-Connect007 below) that lead to the original 5 members to now approaching 20 member companies shows what is possible when great minds are passionate about their ideas.
  3. The conversations we were able to have with invited guest speakers:
  • The Honorable Alan Shaffer who shared his insights as to why domestic supply of electronic materials is important and what he felt we should focus on. The conversation was about the real threats to our national security and quality of our lives based on supply chain that is not as robust as it needs to be today.
  • Dr. Lara Brown, Ph.D. who shared her ideas on what will drive change in legislation in the years to come. It will take patience and teamwork from hard working people.
  • Congressman Blake Moore of Utah’s First District spoke about the work he continues to do on behalf of the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022. Representative Blake Moore’s work with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo shows great promise.

Plus, learning why other members of the PCBAA are committing their time to the association and the passion for their business these members have.
There is great progress and investments being made by so many people already in our industry. Imagine what will be possible with the support of more government agencies and passionate people like yourself. 

Come join our cause to Educate, Advocate and Legislate. Together we can help increase our share of the global PCB market.
Ken Parent
Chief Operating Officer
kparent@insulectro.com| 949-587-3370
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Livin' in a Material World!
Reshoring is Happening
May 2022
Being Vital to the Design and Manufacturing of Future circuits is more critical than ever as we do our part in the PCB Industry to supply our customers with critical materials in these unprecedented times of global supply challenges. Fortunately, we are aligned through long term partnerships with the best-in-class Suppliers (DuPont™, Isola, Denkai America, Pacothane Technologies®, LCOA®, CAC, Focus Tech, Tadco, and Shur-Loc) that have continued to invest in their US Manufacturing facilities despite the shrinking PCB fabricator customer base. 

Their investments are validation that reshoring is happening.  Our Suppliers are committed to meeting the customer demand and need for stronger supply chains, supporting US Electronic Manufactures. 

DuPont™ Interconnect Solutions recently celebrated their $250 Million investment in expanded manufacturing capacity for Kapton® films and Pyralux® materials with a ribbon cutting ceremony in Circleville, Ohio. This investment is in addition to the manufacturing investments to increase finishing capacity of the DuPont Flex clads and bonding films in their Towanda, PA plant. 

Supporting the growing demand in flex designs in multi market segments including medical, automotive, telecommunications, industrial and the defense segments that are critical to national security (see article in this issue on Flex Circuits and Printed Electronics used in Biomedical). 

These investments and capacity increases have now positioned Insulectro to return to a significant inventory stocking position of Pyralux® Flex clads, so that we can support these critical needs for both quick turn prototype and manufacturing designs. 

In addition to DuPont, last year, Isola completed the final phase of their quick turn manufacturing in Chandler, AZ, the first investment of a brand new, highly automated, PCB materials manufacturing facility in the US in the 21st century.

Other examples of continued investment include Denkai America, the leader of high-quality electrodeposited copper foils for PCB applications, and the only North American copper foil manufacturer, located in SC

Pacothane Technologies continues to innovate in the development and production of lamination assist materials to support optimal, efficient pcb manufacturing, all produced in MA. 

Our own Redfern Companies have invested in an expanded Chemistry blending facility for Focus Tech in Tempe AZ as well as continued equipment investments to support CAC Inc. , and LCOA® Manufacturing in Lake Forest, CA.

The activities of PCBAA, the recent Legislation introduced to strengthen production and distribution of PCB US Manufacturing, the national security need, the challenges with globally sourced materials, and the opportunity to improve the electronics supply chain give us optimism that the investments being made in “our” Industry are going to make a difference in the future of North American electronics manufacturing!
Why Do They Call It Pickleball?*
What better way to be Living some of our Insulectro Values- Always Learning, Always Teaching, Leading Healthy Lives and Having Fun than with the inaugural Insulectro Pickle Ball League

Thank you to Kathy Linares, VP IT, for the idea inspiration and to one of her IT Teammates, Rao Pokuru, for coordinating the league.
Before the 6 weeks of league games began, I had the honor of teaching two “Rules and Skills” clinics to 20 Teammates that are mostly new to the exciting sport. 

There are 7 cross functional Teams from all departments of the company- Accounting, Pricing, Sales, Quality, Credit, Operations, IT and Marketing, making for some exciting competition and a little smack talking. So great to see our Teammates get involved with a new sport and share the game with their family and friends as well.
*Competitive college rowing pits the best varsity teams against each other. Afterward, like many college sports, the non-starters would participate in a separate competition. Since at least 1938, the leftover “spares” from multiple universities competed in a just-for-fun “pickle boat” race. Pickleball was named in 1965 as being derived from the leftovers from badmitton, tennis, and ping-pong.
Michelle Walsh
Vice President of Product Management
mwalsh@insulectro.com| 949-587-3251
$250 Million Capital Investment
DuPont Opens New Kapton® and Pyralux® Production Line in Circleville, Ohio
WILMINGTON, Del., May 6, 2022 – DuPont Interconnect Solutions, a business within the Electronics & Industrial segment, today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials and business leaders to formally mark the completion of its $250 million capital project to expand production of Kapton® polyimide film and Pyralux® flexible circuit materials at the Circleville manufacturing site.

“The opening of the production line in Circleville marks a major milestone for DuPont and Electronics & Industrial,” said Jon Kemp, president of DuPont Electronics & Industrial. “The Kapton® and Pyralux® expansion will help ensure supply of innovative materials to meet the growing global customer demand in the automotive, consumer electronics, telecommunications, specialized industrial and defense segments. It also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to being the partner of choice for our customers and delivering them new products with higher reliability and supply assurance.”

DuPont employs more than 1,000 people across eight locations in Ohio, including 500 people at its site in Circleville. Kemp said, “DuPont is proud to play an integral role in Ohio’s plans to expand its semiconductor and electronics manufacturing ecosystem.”
Helping to cut a ribbon to mark the official completion of the new manufacturing line in Circleville are, from left to right: Avi Avula, Vice President and General Manager, Interconnect Solutions (ICS); Lori Koch, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, DuPont; Ohio Congressman Mike Carey, U.S. House of Representatives; Alexa Dembek, SVP and Chief Technology Officer, DuPont; Jon Kemp, President, DuPont Electronics & Industrial; Daryl Roberts, SVP and Chief Operations / Engineering Officer, DuPont; Steve Irwin, Circleville Site Manager; and Andy Kannurpatti, Global Business Director, ICS Films & Laminates business.
This new manufacturing line uses DuPont proprietary processing capabilities to produce advanced Kapton® polyimide films, which have set industry standards for more than 50 years, offering high performance, reliability and durability. Kapton® polyimide films offer a unique combination of electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties that withstand extreme temperature, vibration and other demanding environments.

Kapton® polyimide film is also at the heart of DuPont’s Pyralux® line of flexible copper-clad laminates that are available in a wide variety of copper types, thicknesses and construction options, all of which offer excellent thermal, chemical, electrical and mechanical properties. Pyralux® laminates are ideal for use in a wide variety of multi-layer flex and rigid-flex applications which require advanced performance, such as low dissipation loss for high speed, high frequency, robust thermal resistance and high reliability.
2022 Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing Show
Great to be Back after 2-Year Hiatus!
Insulectro's Own: Sean Redfern, Technical Account Manager; John Lee, VP of Marketing & Brand; Tim Redfern, President Insulectro Printed Electronics; Laura Martin, Director of Technology; Michelle Walsh, VP of Product Management; Geoff Leeds, Product Manager - Flex; Philip Hering, Digital Mktg Mgr; Michael Creeden, Technical Director; & Chris Hunrath, VP of Technology and West Coast Sales.
Michael Creeden, Technical Director for Design Eduation is a frequent speaker across North America on PCB Design. Michael gave several presentations at Del Mar.

Thank you for stopping by! May 4 & 5, 2022! Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar CA.

Geoff shouts: "A Welcome Return"
Material Availability of Pyralux® AP Clads
With DuPont’s recent opening of their new K4 film line, Pyralux® AP material availability is returning faster than anticipated.

Insulectro, the sole distributor of Pyralux® AP in North America, is building back inventory every week.

Pyralux® AP copper clad laminates required for high reliability, high frequency or high temperature environments are becoming readily available once again.

With material returning to a stocking situation, Insulectro can support prototypes and quick turn business once again for our customers and designers. With volumes and material availability changing daily, please call or reach out to Insulectro to see how we can support your design needs.
Geoff Leeds
Product Manager, DuPont Flex Laminates
gleeds@insulectro.com | 760-814-3727
PCBAA LEADERSHIP SPEAKS OUT
Chips Don't Float!
PCBAA's Will Marsh Uncovers the
Electronics Ecosystem
Excerpt from PCB Magazine Interview by iConnect007's Nolan Johnson.
To read more, click link below.
Nolan Johnson speaks with Will Marsh, vice president of TTM Technologies and president of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, about the work the PCBAA has been doing in Washington, D.C., to get the industry better recognized by the country’s decision-makers.

Marsh is optimistic, not only about the companies and individuals joining the effort, but in the recognition by Capitol Hill to secure the nation’s defense systems. 

Nolan Johnson: Let’s start with talking about PCBAA’s mission. What are the programs to accomplish that mission? We’ve been covering legislation here in the U.S. to bolster semiconductors. How do we, as an industry, bring that same attention to PCB? 

Will Marsh: About a year ago, TTM was engaged with an advocacy effort on Capitol Hill. We realized that one voice wasn’t enough and that we needed to reach out to our peers, our competitors, and our competitive mates, and seek their support as an industry voice. And that’s exactly what we did.

In April 2021, we legally and formally formed with five founding companies: Calumet, Insulectro, Isola, Summit Interconnect, and TTM Technologies. Since then, we’ve grown to 15 members and there are 12 other companies and individuals who have reached out to me and are interested in joining.

Our growth pattern has skyrocketed thanks to interviews and publications, such as yours and others, that are allowing us to speak on behalf of the printed circuit board industry, the printed circuit board assemblers, and the critical material suppliers. From TTM’s perspective, we are unable to produce bare printed circuit boards without certain chemicals and critical materials. So, we consider the critical material suppliers to be imperative in our journey.

We discovered that most of the attention in Washington, D.C., was being spent discussing onshoring or reshoring of the semiconductor industry and the chip manufacturers. We started to tell our part of the microelectronics ecosystem story and how printed circuit boards are part of an ecosystem and not just about chips. We found that members and staff on the Hill, the White House National Security staff, Department of Commerce, and Department of Defense staff that we briefed were unaware of a larger electronics ecosystem.

We created a three-word phrase that helped place us in the ecosystem, tied to the semiconductor industry: “Chips don’t float.” They have a home; they have a foundation. As important as semiconductors are, if the chip is the brain, the board is the body. If we as a country don’t address the ecosystem story—and we’ll get into some statistics of why we’re doing this for our industry—then this is a “to do” about nothing. What happens if we build all the semiconductor chips in America, but we are fully 90% reliant on Asian and European firms that deliver boards?

You can see some of the problems associated with supply chain that define risk and that define national security implications. This three-word phrase has begun to resonate in a microelectronics ecosystem story, whereby people are now saying printed circuit boards are imperative in this overall journey. We are proud of that.
PRINTED ELECTRONICS INKS & PASTES, 
SUBSTRATES & FILMS
Kevin Miller Can See it!
Flexible & Printed Electronics
in Healthcare
May 2022
Having started my career on the PCB side of the industry, I never forget my roots. So when I came across this story I knew I wanted to share it. From wearables to sensors, flex circuits and printed electronics are helping healthcare professionals and patients alike.

This story is excerpted from Printed Electronics Now! Click link below to enjoy full story.

"Healthcare is one of the most promising areas for flexible and printed electronics. Glucose monitors were among the earliest success stories for printed electronics (PE), transforming into a billion-dollar annual business. Wearables that monitor the user’s health in real time is a promising use case, driven by form factors that can conform to the body.

Monitoring medication usage is an area where printed electronics are being used successfully. Information Mediary Corp. is one of the most successful manufacturers of printed electronics in healthcare, having successfully commercialized its Med-ic smart medication blisters that use conductive traces to show that patients have taken their medications.

Michael Petersen, CEO of Information Mediary Corp., observed that printed electronics has some ideal niches in healthcare.

Printed electronics is not a miracle process or material that should or will work everywhere,” Petersen said. “There are niches where it is the right tool for the right job, perhaps heated undergarments or our own smart medication packaging. Please note that those are then mostly simple circuits but not functional processors.”

Peterson noted that printable electronic traces still need to interconnect with batteries, sensors, processors and the like.

“As with many technological innovations, they are seldom a golden key to a new universe but rather a means to an end,” Peterson observed. “For that, they must provide tangible benefits at a value point which makes them interesting. That’s a tough goal for PE to meet.

Scott Miller, director of technology for NextFlex, reported that a number of new products are entering the market based on flexible and printed electronics.

“At this point in the maturation of the field, products are being developed for general use rather than based on the novelty of the form, although that’s still very novel,” Miller said. “That means that they are not marketed as printed electronics products but instead marketed as any other product would be, highlighting features, performance, usability, etc.”

Miller pointed to COVID-related projects as showing the capabilities of flexible and printed electronics.

“Over the last one to one and a half years, for obvious reasons, a number of devices have launched, with a focus on COVID-related use cases,” Miller noted. “One example is the BioIntelliSense BioSticker from Philips that is a vital sign monitoring device, which they studied for uses in COVID monitoring. Other interesting applications of flexible electronics related to COVID include surface decontamination and devices for testing that are in development.”

Klaus Hecker, managing director of the OE-A, reports that he is seeing growing interest in healthcare applications.

“COVID boosted the interest for medical applications such as smart patches to monitor vital parameters,” Hecker added."
Please call INSULECTRO at 1-855-955-0200 with any questions regarding these product offerings or visit our E-Commerce site at the LINK BELOW.
Kevin Miller
VP of Sales - Insulectro Printed Electronics

Southern California
Supply Chain Planner
Diana Le
Insulectro is pleased to announce that Diana Le has joined the Insulectro team as Supply Chain Planner. Diana comes to Insulectro with a solid background in electronics manufacturing having held positions in sales and as a buyer for companies like Sanyo Denki America, MX Electronics, and Murrietta Circuits. She is well-versed in the challenges of the electronics supply chain.

Southern California
Accounts Payable Specialist
Andrea Ruiz
Welcome Andrea to Insulectro! Andrea has joined the Accounts Payable team as an Accounts Payable Specialist with three years’ experience in the automotive industry.


Southern California
Senior Staff Accountant
Armin Jahangiri
Armin joins us as a Senior Staff Accountant and brings a strong background in accounting including five years at Nestle, the world’s largest food corporation. Among other things, he brings experience in costing, fixed asset management, and the new lease accounting standard (ASC842).

Southern California
Senior Staff Accountant
Stephanie Bagdasarian
Stephanie joins the Insulectro finance team with an extensive background in Accounting having held numerous positions with such companies as United Pacific, TravisMatthew, Beemak Plastics, and Rock Paper Scissors. She holds MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Silicon Valley
Hazmat Driver
Joel Lopez
Insulectro welcomes Joel Lopez to the Puma Team in our San Jose branch. Joel has extensive experience as a hazmat driver and is a welcome addition to our team.
Attending the SUR/FIN Show?
Check Out DuPont's Innovations in
Plastic Metallization & Component Finishing
SUR/FIN is the primary conference and trade show dedicated specifically to the surface technology industry. It is where leading surface technology companies connect, collaborate and contribute. And because it is the only conference and trade show sponsored by the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF)—representing the $28 billion finishing industry—it attracts noted business leaders and prominent thinkers to a forum where relevant issues are addressed and technologies presented.​​

SUR/FIN 2022 will take place next month and be the industry event everyone has been waiting for – full of opportunities for networking, education and collegiality in a COVID-responsible environment.

Check out DuPont's presentations at the show described below.
Coming Soon! Visit Isola in Booth #5090!
MIDWEST REGION
Getting to Know the Midwest
At Insulectro, we have named the customer service desk, ISM. The Inside Sales Manager is our front line to work on your orders and find the best way to support customers questions and needs with the proper teammate in the organization. 

We are lucky to have many industry veterans at Insulectro and the Midwest has two great people to support you.
Linda Nelson has been in the PCB Industry for more than 22 years and working towards her 9 year mark at Insulectro. She has lived in Minnesota her entire life and currently supports the local customers and extends down through Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas and into Texas. She has also stepped up to support parts of the Canadian market in recent months. Linda has worked a split schedule from home and the office for years to avoid construction, weather (snow), and heavy traffic times. 

Recently she made a big change and sold her home north of Minneapolis and is building a house on Rush Lake a little further North. When I visit the territory it is always great to get the band back together for a night as you saw in my past Holiday Season articles. The self-pride and customer care she shows every day is without boundaries.
Brandon Heller has been with us for over 9 years and began working with Steve Johnson out of our Denver warehouse. It was evident early on that he was growing in his role and somehow managed to cover receiving, pulling orders, shipping, and answering customers calls throughout the day. When Brandon and his wife were ready to start a family and wanted to move out of Denver and get back to their roots in NW Illinois near family, we did not hesitate to ask Brandon to stay and continue to support customers in his ISM role remotely. Brandon occasionally breaks away for an overnight coming to our Chicagoland (Bloomingdale IL) facility so he can visit some of his customers with our outside sales team and hang out with the operations team to stay connected.
 
Thank you Linda and Brandon for all you do to help our customers and the rest of us at Insulectro!
 
Take Care and see you next Month


Trey Adams
Regional Vice President, Sales
PRINTED ELECTRONICS INKS & PASTES, 
SUBSTRATES & FILMS
Insulectro PE Team Joins
DuPont Education Seminar
The Insulectro PE team represented by Kevin Miller (VP of Sales), Angel Cartegena (Technical Specialist) and Bob Lee (Eastern Regional Sales) had the opportunity to join the Thick Film Seminar hosted by the DuPont Microcircuit group recently at the DuPont facility in Wilmington Delaware.
 
The 2-day information packed event included 15 subject matter presentations including Printing Technology, Furnace-Firing, Etchable Technology, Resistor Processing, and Laser Trimming, as well as advances in Wearables Technology to name a few.

Presentations by 7 different technical experts with over 150 years of collaborative experience within DuPont, presenters (from the US, UK, and Germany) focused on current and future technology while engaging the audience in Q&A sessions along the way. Along with the Insulectro PE team, the event was well-attended by roughly 30 fabricators and OEMs alike anxious to learn more about the future of printable electronic technologies.

The evening of Day 1 included a very well-attended Meet & Greet dinner at the Iron Hill Brewery Wilmington hosted by DuPont. It was a refreshing opportunity to network with customers, OEMs and DuPont team members we engage with on a daily basis. This post-pandemic, in-person event led to new contacts, improved understanding of current and future products, and an overall sense that the industry is strong and in a good place.
 
Finally, we seized the opportunity (being local) to dovetail our PE team visit into a Quarterly Business Review with our DuPont teammates to discuss the market and develop ongoing actions to support one another and keep our customers in the forefront.
Contact us if you have any questions or want more information about Insulectro's PE enterprise. We look forward to providing you with the best-in-class service and product selection for your application needs.
Bob Lee
Eastern Regional Sales
Insulectro Printed Electronics
@Mike Creeden
Solutions to the Issues We Face!
There is seldom a day that goes by that we are not faced with some sort of new, ongoing, or old issue/problem confronting each and every one of us or the success of our organization.

I will refer to these as “issues” and not problems, because I am an optimist. Even when no issue seems to be confronting us, we often look to improve the status quo.

We then call it automation, enhancement, service, or improved profit margin. Therefore, there is always an issue in front of us.
 
In this article I do not want to drill down on any specific issue, as we have more than enough of these. Rather, I would like to take this opportunity to overview some of the perspectives that have helped me to be an overcomer when faced with issues.

My hope is that you might consider your approach to the issues you face, and these may help you to succeed and be an overcomer. I am not going to take you down some long, relatable triumph-over-tragedy story. Your time is precious, and I hope to always make these articles as value packed as I can.
 
Issues always seem to have multiple perspectives and an origin based in people, time, technical data, or finances. These issues can be confronted with how I might comprehend and relate to them. The problem-solving success or failure is then determined by how I react and what strategy, resources, and determinations I bring. Always approach situations in a positive and professional manner. This is often described as, “Assuming the best” about someone or something!
 
One of the best preparations we can adopt is our expectations and approach. Do we expect that issues will be encountered in our everyday events? Are we alarmed and troubled by unexpected issues that seem problematic? Is it our approach to immediately jump to a conclusion that someone or something is at fault, and it is obviously not me!

Do we turn away from problems hoping they may go away or that someone else should resolve them? The best expectation is to anticipate that issues are a part of the normal flow of business and life. And the unseen variable is usually at the core of the problem. The best approach is to remain objective, caring, and positive to issues. Then we need to have the determination and follow through to be a part of the solution, not just problem detection.
 
The best solution to any issue is to preclude the issue from becoming a problem. This is accomplished by learning from history and enacting corrective actions, so issues do not become problematic. This is also accomplished by proactively, “Tending to your garden.”

To use this metaphor, my hope is that you would see what may be needed and be ready with a solution for those things that are entrusted to you. This watchful eye approach also enables you to build relationships with your network and it will demonstrate the care your customers hope for, causing them to entrust new business to your care. This is applicable in the technical fields as much as it is in the sales or service disciplines.
 
Our method of operation should be one of preparedness. Ideally, we are technically and logistically equipped to do our job. This is reliant on us and our companies’ commitment to exceed expectations and always being vigilant to ensure we are of relevant support to those we serve. We should operate with a team approach understanding the various strengths, skills, and bandwidth of our team members.

To have a good team behind you, you will have to be a good teammate behind others. The best hero is the unsung hero, willing to pitch in and make the team look good. We also need to be prepared to get it done on our own, assuming that is realistic. Also, know when you cannot do it alone and ask for help.
 
When an issue is determined to be problematic, the first reaction often is a defensive position to limit the scope of liability both personal and corporately. This has the potential to cloud true error detection. Most issues are difficult to detect the root cause due to insufficient data points.

This often results in the practice of projecting the guilty party, as the person not present in the room. This tends to occur when a biased, subjective approach is used as opposed to an unbiased, objective approach. Most everyone we engage with at any level will have reasonable expectations that we will perform and deliver with high quality, on-time professionalism.

They do not expect that we will be flawless, 100% of the time. In the conclusion that it can be clearly seen that this problem is of you or your company’s making, we should be accountable for this problem. Typically, what is expected is that you admit it and you state what the corrective action will be. Your job is to convey that you will enact and provide a safeguard to avoid this from reoccurring.
 
In the event that they may sense their own culpability or liability with a problem, they may feel scared and defensive about the ramifications. If you clearly can see that they might be responsible for the problem, it is always helpful or gracious if you can assist them in saving face and can provide them a way to look good in the circumstances. This will not be forgotten…
 
In conclusion, understand that if this were easy, anyone could do this. The fact is things are not always easy or problem free. This is why your customers and company have hired you to bring success to the issues we face. Accept the challenges in front of you and have fun resolving them! As you face the issues/problems in your world, consider the words of Miracle Max from the movie Princess Bride, “Have fun storming the castle!”
 
As we present our products and services to you and your company, we want you to know Insulectro’s Design Education Program is eager to freely 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.
Reminding you to make technically appropriate material decisions and to get the best use of the best material.

Stay safe, happy, and healthy!

Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
mcreeden@insulectro.com| 949-587-3370
Always Learning, Always Teaching
Accomplishing Change Together
A topic I hear a lot about lately is the need for education in the printed board design and manufacturing field.

Whether one-on-one or group training is needed, Mike Creeden and I are available to help with that. We specialize in signal integrity, design for manufacturing, and much more.

Give us a call!

Laura Martin
Director of Technology
lmartin@insulectro.com| 407-280-9208
PCBAA LEADERSHIP SPEAKS OUT
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Chris Hunrath on Future Tech
DuPont™ Kapton®,
the New K4 Line
MAY 2022
As mentioned before, Kapton® polyimide-based film products come in different “Flavors” used in many different industries. Some of these are the core dielectric in Pyralux® AP for flexible PCBs.

Kapton® can be bonded with other films, mixed with fillers for thermal or electrical conductivity and bond/print treated. Below are just a few examples.
The production lines that make films like Kapton are large and expensive with many control systems built in. From an oversimplified view, the polymer is delivered to a stainless-steel belt through a high precision die and cured in multiple stages.

Additional processes can add layers and treatments. A line like this is a huge investment and brings a lot of capability. One of these capabilities includes proprietary technology to bond the copper foil on the Pyralux® AP that sometimes imitated but never duplicated.

Bringing this back to Pyralux® AP supply. Now that the new line is operational, products that were previously run on the same line as the Pyralux® AP cores can be cast on K4. This frees up the original line for more Pyralux® AP capacity.

Our plan is to ramp up stock in the Insulectro branches and support quick turn needs.
We are looking for input on what we should be stocking. Please don’t hesitate to discuss with your Insulectro team.
Chris Hunrath
Vice President of Technology & Vice President of Sales - Western Region
EASTERN REGION
Welcome to the May Edition of Insulectro PumaNews™ Magazine 
 
This is the East Coast Edition!
 
Training and Education…None of us can get enough of either.
 
As I approach retirement age, I have a clear vision of what I want as a work legacy. I came into this business as a high school student. Of course, at that time I knew everything about life…work and love.
 
It has taken many years and many life and work experiences to become the person I am today. I take great pride in my tenure in our industry, as I worked very hard and sacrificed much.
 
I know I am not alone in my thoughts concerning what happens to our industry after many of us retire; and what can we do to help shape the future before we leave?
 
I believe that the future of this industry is in the hands of much younger, smarter, educated, and more capable people than us that came before. But certainly, there is much this group can learn from the changing of the guards.
 
This is one reason why Insulectro is focused on training and education and leads by example.
 
This Insulectro monthly PumaNews™ magazine is one of several ways we provide a means to engage on current and relatable topics such as technology, materials, design, equipment – automation, technical resources all to serve our industry to build better boards faster.
 
Make a difference and be a mentor.
 
Always learning/Always teaching! A legacy we can all be very proud of.

Ron Murdock
Director of Sales - Eastern Region/ Canada
PCBAA LEADERSHIP SPEAKS OUT
Isola's Matt Lake Explains
Why So Many Circuit Materials?
Printed electronic circuits are part of everything we do, in growing numbers of electronic devices for computing, communications, transportation and many other functions.

Those circuits, once so simple, now embrace many technologies, including analog, digital, DC power, and RF/microwave signal paths. To design printed circuit boards (PCBs) for those many circuits, designers much start with the best circuit material, selecting among myriad choices each offered as best for a technology.

But why should one circuit material be better for a high-speed-digital (HSD) circuit than for a high-frequency analog circuit? Why can’t one material serve all technologies? Staring down long lists of PCB materials prior to starting a design can be intimidating without knowledge about the pros and cons of the materials for various circuit types. Modern PCBs perform a variety of functions—the more that is known about the functions, the easier to match them to a circuit material with the best characteristics.
 
A basic two-way radio relies on a variety of circuits, with RF, digital, power, control, and audio functionality. “One board fits all” would simplify the circuit design process, but the circuits have much diverse needs. Finding the best substrate material for each circuit is a matter of knowing as much as possible about each circuit.

A PCB substrate is a dielectric insulator that isolates and protects electrical conductors and components, like the jacket around a cable. Effective blends of material transfer the electromechanical (EM) force of the conductors with minimal loss. As circuits grow more complex, often combining functions in hybrid arrangements, the requirements for their substrate materials become more challenging. Knowing as much as possible about each circuit can ease the task of finding the right circuit material for it.
 
In competitive markets, modern circuits perform many functions, at higher speeds and frequencies, and in smaller sizes. An amplifier that boosts the levels of high-frequency signals for transmission by a microwave radio may contain circuitry for power, control, transfer of modulated signals, even high-speed digital conversion, and a single PCB for all functions could provide a small, lightweight radio design. Why not use a single substrate material for the PCB?
About Isola
Isola is a leading global material sciences company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets laminate materials used to fabricate advanced multilayer printed circuit boards, which provide the physical platforms for the semiconductors, passive components, and connection circuitry that power and control virtually all modern electronic products. Isola operates a network of factories worldwide.

Norm Berry
Director, Laminates & OEM Marketing
nberry@insulectro.com| 603-365-6953
CHEMISTRY
News from the DuPont Chemistry Desk
Shared Knowledge: Part of the
Always Learning Strategy
As I look back at one year of being a contributor to PUMANEWS™, a recurring theme shared by our customers and colleagues is the need for process training and education. As the leading North American PCB Distribution Company, we partner with our customers, suppliers and OEM’s to aggregate and share our collective knowledge on how to BUILD BETTER BOARDS, FASTER.
 
What drives initial conversations that become educational training programs is our collective relationships at each of those levels: customers, suppliers, and OEMs. The power of that shared knowledge is impactful, and our mission is that we are always learning.
 
On the DuPont Chemistry side, we have partnered to deliver tutorial programs to engineering, quality and production teams both virtually and on location at customer sites.

These collaborative engagements are tailored specific to the application and the audience, including both well-established DuPont chemistry processes and new technologies that DuPont ICS is developing and introducing into the North American market.

Whether a deep dive into chemistry, or a simple overview of a metallization process and how best practices increase reliability and technical performance, we customize our presentations to match our customers educational needs.
 
As an example, two recent enhancements that DuPont ICS has introduced to the CIRCUPOSIT™ 3360 MVR electroless copper process are engineered and developed to improve blind-via reliability:
 
CATAPREP 404-R
  • A new chelating agent in the Catalyst Pre-dip that inhibits tin sludge formation
  • Promotes better copper-to-copper adhesion due to lower tin adsorption
  • Provides a cleaner process for tanks and horizontal spray bars and modules
 
ACCELERATOR 19-R
  • A new alkaline accelerator to dissolve insoluble tin compounds prior to electroless copper
  • Maintains initiation activity of copper surfaces while enhancing the copper-to-copper bond adhesion
 
DuPont ICS continues to build on their established CIRCUPOSIT™ high reliability electroless copper platform for both horizontal and vertical applications. These two new products are part of the genesis of identifying how to enhance blind-via reliability, which helps our fabricators BUILD BETTER BOARDS, FASTER.
 
We would welcome the opportunity to provide you a targeted presentation on these next generation CIRCUPOSIT™ 3360 MVR process enhancements. And Insulectro, partnered with DuPont, is here as a resource for all of your chemistry training and educational needs.
 
Contact me or your local Technical Account Manager to schedule an INSULECTRO technology presentation.

Paul Welter
Product Manager - Chemistry
pwelter@insulectro.com | 612-309-8745
At-A-Glance
The DuPont Chemistry Line
With the acquisition of East Coast Electronic Material Supply (ECEMS) in late March, Insulectro has brought another best-in-class product line to our customers. The addition of the DuPont Electronics Imaging & Interconnect Solutions (ICS) chemistry line, which was legacy Dow Chemicals before the Dow-DuPont merger, adds a complimentary piece to an already robust Insulectro product offering.

DuPont ICS is innovating new metallization technologies across many platforms:

Electroplating Applications
HDI
  • Microfill™ EVF-III for advanced via filling and through-hole plating
  • Microfill™ LVF-IV for next generation SLP applications

MLB
  • Copper Gleam™ PPR-II for high aspect ratio pulse plating
  • Electroposit™ EP-1600 for high aspect ratio DC plating
  • Copper Gleam™ HS-200 for horizontal DC plating in FPC applications
  • Copper Gleam™ ST-920 for DC vertical continuous plating (VCP)

IC Package Substrate
  • Microfill™ SFP-II & Microfill™ LVF-IV for advanced SAP applications

Making Holes Conductive

Electroless Copper Solutions:
  • Circuposit™ 3350-1 Vertical Electroless Copper
  • Circuposit™ 4000 Horizontal electroless copper for FPC/RFPC
  • Circuposit™ 6700 Horizontal Ionic Catalyst for Advanced HDI applications

Direct Metallization Solutions:
  • Next Generation Crimson™ & Conductron™ palladium-based systems
  • Next Generation Graphite 2000™ carbon-based system

ENIG:
Duraposit™ SMT-88 & Aurolectroless™ SMT 520

Process Chemistries:
DuPont offers a full line of cleaners, developers, strippers and other ancillary products to support printed circuit applications.

General Metal Finishing:
Full line engineering, decorative and precious metal offerings

As you can see, through this addition of the DuPont ICS chemistry line, Insulectro is now providing chemistry and technical support to the general metal finishing, plating-on-plastics, and wire plating industries, which we see as an area of growth.
Chemicals & Controllers
Focus Tech Chemicals
Insulectro continues to offer Focus Tech processing chemistry for you PCB processing needs.
 
Products Offered
  • Dryfilm Developing Chemistry
  • Dryfilm Stripping Chemistry
  • Tin Stripping
  • Alternative Oxide
  • Equipment Cleaners
  • Waste Treatment Chemistry
  • Plus, a variety of Process Chemistries


Control Equipment
Focus Tech offers chemistry control equipment to help manage the different chemical processes in the manufacturing process.
  • Specific gravity controller                             
  • Conductivity Controller
  • Colorimeter controller                                  
  • Cupric Etch Controller
  • Custom controllers with availability to connect to TrueChem software         

Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dryfilm/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
jjohnson@insulectro.com | 720-260-3696
SILICON VALLEY
I would like to personally welcome Joel Lopez to the San Jose Pumas team. Joel’s training and certification will boost our service level to Bay Area customers on all products including chemistry.

As we have seen in the last 2 years, freight and shipping challenges impacted many aspects of the industry and having our own trucks is a huge benefit. The San Jose branch is our hub for the HSD cores and prepregs and is one of our stocking locations for chemistry.

Welcome Joel!

Chris Hunrath
Vice President of Technology &
Vice President of Sales - Western Region
PRINTED ELECTRONICS INKS & PASTES, 
ADVANCED SUBSTRATES & FILMS
Advanced Substrates
DuPont's Superstar Polyimide: Kapton®
Insulectro is well known as the largest supplier of materials used to manufacture printed circuit boards. 

This includes our rapidly growing substrate division making Insulectro your one-stop shop for printed electronics. 

In addition to being a first in class supplier, product specialists at Insulectro have in-depth product knowledge offering process consultations and onsite training to ensure the very best products are selected for each critical need. Insulectro readily stocks an ever-growing assortment of substrates and this month we are highlighting DuPont™ Kapton® Polyimide.

DuPont™ Kapton® is a lightweight, flexible polyimide film that has excellent heat and chemical resistant properties. Polyimide films are used in applications where reliable, durable performance is required, often at elevated temperatures. 

Its impressive versatility and thermal range allow for applications we might take for granted—everything from smart phones and spacesuits to cryogenics and extreme vacuum environments. Among its countless applications in industries worldwide, it thermally insulates, can withstand extreme vibration, and protects against extreme heat and cold, chemicals, and radiation making it perfect for wire wrapping applications in extreme environments.
COUNT ON KAPTON® FILMS FOR
  • Extreme temperature resistance
  • Excellent dielectric strength
  • Thermal conductivity
  • Dimensional stability

Jeff Crawford
Advanced Substrate Specialist
jcrawford@insulectro.com | 484-947-8050
OPERATIONS & SUPPLY CHAIN
WORLD-CLASS MANUFACTURING

Pulse of Productivity
Live the 3 A's! Make Problems Visible
MAY 2022
The first and most important pillar of the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) model is People, and there is no greater way to take care of our people than to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to a safe work environment. 

At Insulectro, “Putting Safety First” has always been our highest Value. NOTHING is more important to us than the health and safety of our Teammates. We pride ourselves on “Treating Each Other Like Family”, so nothing tops our daily goal of returning home safely each evening to our loved ones!

I’m thrilled to tell you that our PUMAs are truly living this at our locations each day, and so far this year we’ve already achieved some very impressive safety milestones:

  • In March, our San Jose, CA facility reached 3 years without a reportable injury!
  • Also in March, our Londonderry, NH facility hit a full year without a reportable injury!
  • In April, our Bloomingdale, IL facility achieved 3 years without a reportable injury!

Despite this fantastic performance, we should always be working towards a more engaged and thriving safety culture, where everyone has the best interests of themselves and others at the forefront. 

To simplify the message, and to instill the basics of our expectations in regard to safe work practices, we’ve boiled down the “3 Obligations” of Safety for each Teammate: we call them the “3 A's”:

  • Accountability For Your Own Personal Safety – Work Safe!
  • Approach Others Working Unsafely – See Something, Say Something!
  • Accept Feedback – Realize your Teammates have your best interests in mind - Thank them for caring!

A safe work environment is also a well-kept one, where housekeeping standards are in place, with compliance. A “5S” mentality around maintaining a safe work environment is key. The 5S’s are:

  • Sort – Keeping only what is necessary and discard everything else – when in doubt, throw it out!
  • Set In Order – Arranging and labeling only necessary items for easy use and return by anyone
  • Shine – Keeping everything swept and clean for inspection for safety and preventative maintenance of equipment
  • Standardize – The state that exists when the first three pillars of “5S” are properly maintained
  • Sustain – Making a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures

We’ve set key goals for ourselves this year in Operations to assess and improve the safe working conditions in our facilities by conducting formal risk assessments and developing standards and audits to check how well we are complying to “World Class”.

We just wrapped up our first formal Safety risk assessment at our Lake Forest, CA location in April and are working through a listing of prioritized punch list items as we speak. Two key actions from that activity are outlined pictorially below: eliminating a high-risk reach in/electrical exposure controls issue and addressing clutter with tools used to support our drilling operations.
As I have indicated in past articles, World Class Manufacturing is a journey, not a “flavor of the month”. We have much work ahead of us to build a culture and achieve results that measure up to our standards. 
 
However, I am so energized to see the commitment of our Teammates as we personally engage them in efforts to make things safer, integrate them into our risk assessment process, and address key needs and concerns they highlight. 

A “Make Problems Visible” mentality is gaining momentum in our culture, and I cannot wait to share more of our successes and growth as we move down the WCM path.

Live the “3As”! 
Jason Shuppert
Vice President of Operations
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Growth, growth, growth. It’s busy times in southern California across all product lines, but especially Pyralux® flex, Isola laminates, and DuPont dryfilm.

With so much activity our technical support has been busy as well. Mike Carnarius has proven to be an indispensable resource for customers on a daily basis helping trouble shoot issues, install new materials/chemistries and perform audits for continuous improvement. 

With the tight labor market causing all kinds of staffing issues, tech support has played a vital role in our ability to support our customers’ growth.
Hot trends continue to be Isola high-speed digital laminates, ultra-thin copper foil and specialty photoresists for mSAP and sub 1.5mil L/S. 

Moreover, Pyralux® AP supply is recovering! For the first time in a couple of years we’re able to say we have stock on the shelves and are working on building more every week.

Related to hot trends, the IPC 6-pack is a quick review of top trends Insulectro came away from IPC with. It’s been popular for customers around the country who have scheduled private and group webinars to hear the summary – if you haven’t done so already it’s worth 30 minutes to stay up to date with where the industry is going (email us at ipc6pack@insulectro.com for more information).

Sean Redfern
Technical Account Manager - Southern California
A Super Matchup!
Make Your InduBond® Press
Sit Up & Take Notice
Bacon and eggs. Black and tan. Mac and cheese. Bert and Ernie. InduBond® and Copper-Steel-Copper!

Bonded Copper foil including VLP profiles onto a Steel carrier ensures that not only the low-profile topography is protected but the surface is clean, free from causing signal integrity defects as all FOUR edges are sealed. It's a star performer in an InduBond® press!
 
Carrier foil is available from 1µm up to 5µm, now CSC bridges that gap offering foils from 6µm to 140µm.

CSC is available in 8 mil which has twice the image transfer resistance as 15 mil aluminum AND can replace up to SEVEN standard 62 mil steel separators. Those separators not only cause circuit surface imperfections impacting trace lines but reduce stack height allowing more panels per lamination cycle.
I've got a lot to tell you about this matchup!

Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foil & CAC®
msatchwell@insulectro.com | 203-219-7989
DuPont Di5100 Dryfilm
Achieve Finer Lines & Spaces Than
You Ever Thought Possible 
DuPont Di5100 is the next generation MSAP film designed achieve sub 10 micron features. This film is also good to help you achieve 1mil trace and space features on more standard PCB work.

With excellent adhesion properties this film is a great choice for multiple surface types.

It is available in 15 and 25 micron thickness.
For more information, please contact Jeff Johnson at 720-260-3696, or your local Insulectro TAM.

Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dryfilm & Chemistry
jjohnson@insulectro.com | 720-260-3696

The People
Behind the Puma

Meet Kent Jensen
Technical Account Manager /
Field Application Engineer
BIO
Began my career in circuit board manufacturing in 1979. Transitioned to a Technical Sales Manager in 1997. 

Joined Insulectro in 2001 through 2012 as a Technical Account manager in the Pacific NW Region. In 2012, moved to Arizona and went to work for Automated Chemical Solutions (Focus Tech) supporting Insulectro as the National Sales Manager. 

After Insulectro acquired ACS , I was transitioned back within the Insulectro organization as a Field Application Engineer and am now also Technical Account Manager in the NW region. [PHOTO ABOVE: Kent and Sandy Jensen]

Meet Kent Jensen. . .
When you were child, what was the first job you wanted to have when you grew up?
Professional baseball player.

Give a history of your nicknames (and why)?
Most nicknames aren’t appropriate for this public audience, so we’ll just go with KJ.

You’ve been in and out of Insulectro. How was the ride and how have things changed?
Having spent 11 years with Insulectro in the NW region prior to joining Automated Chemical Solutions (now Focus Tech) for 9 years, and now back with Insulectro for another year+. My roll at ACS was supporting Insulectro so I’ve felt connected to Insulectro the entire time. There have been many changes in the industry over the last 20+ years with technology being the driving factor. I know the cell phone I used in 2001 wasn’t near as smart as the one today. The intelligence of the operator using that phone has not advanced near as much over that some period of time. 

What are your three greatest strengths?
Compassion, willing (and sometime able) to help, resourceful.

If your wife could change one thing about you, what would it be?
After 41 years of marriage, she’s already changed most things. However I’m sure she would like to have the younger and thinner version of me back again (me too).

What advice would you give a new Insulectro employee on their first day of work?
Insulectro has a team of very knowledgeable and talented people. Use your resources.
Any odd clothing you remember wearing over the years?
I can recall bell bottoms, clogs, and of course the polyester leisure suit.

What’s the most rewarding DIY project you have done?
I consider myself a jack of all trades and a master of none. Our current house here in Arizona required me to use most all of those skills to get it where it is today.

How would your teammates describe you?
I will have to conduct a poll and see what they say. I would hope that I’m a good resource.
What’s one thing you think your associates would be surprised to learn about you?
I played Conrad Birdie [character was inspired by Elvis] in the musical Bye Bye Birdie in High School.

Are you more at home in jeans, a suit, or yoga pants, and why?
I’m a pretty casual person and am more comfortable in jeans. With that said, given an option I will throw on shorts as it get pretty hot in AZ.

Great weekend for you is?
A nice ride on the motorcycle for a little getaway. 

How do you deal with the heat in Phoenix?
Air conditioning
Best car you had you miss?
Not sure I’ve had one. I do miss my 2000 Road King Classic though. 

What’s your dream vehicle? 
Would like a classic convertible from the muscle car era. Make and model is somewhat open, but they are all out of the budget.

What’s biggest regret you ever had?
I regret not having one…but the day’s not over!

If you could go anywhere in the universe where would you go first, and why?
I think I’m where I was meant to be.

What’s your beverage of choice?
That depends on the situation. Could be a cold beer by the pool, or maybe a nice red wine with dinner. Then again it may be sipping a glass of tequila, or a scotch with a fine cigar. I guess you could say I’m adaptable (or have a problem)

If a distant uncle left you $15 million what are the first three things you would do?
Take care of our two boys (and significant others). Clean up personal debt and go on a nice getaway with my bride. Donate to charity.
If they were making a movie about you, what actor would be play you?
Kevin Costner

In the owner’s manual for Kent Jensen, what are the first three things on the CAUTION page?
Plays well with others. Expect sarcasm. Sudden stops may occur.

How would you like to be remembered?
As a compassionate person always will to help.
Contact your Insulectro or Isola sales representative for more information.

Norm Berry
Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
nberry@insulectro.com| 603-365-6953 




Join our
Puma Team!

Help us define the future of Printed Circuit Boards and Printed Electronics!

Join our Puma team and be a part of our growth.

Business Development
Operations
Pricing
Production
Warehouse
Others

Click on the ad (left) to see various positions we are recruiting.



As advertised in i-connect007's PCB Magazine



Click-Out our
Pyralux® Flexible Laminates Selector Guide. . .
(click on product name)





The standard copper clad laminate systems for any flex or rigid flex designs.
 
The standard copper clad laminate systems for any flex or rigid flex designs.
 
Single sided flex copper clad substrate
 
Standard acrylic adhesives for building multi-layer flex designs. Offered as coverlay, sheet adhesives and bondplys.
 
Standard acrylic adhesives for building multi-layer flex designs. Offered as coverlay, sheet adhesives and bondplys.
 
An epoxy-based adhesive system demonstrating both low loss and high reliability, specifically designed for OEMs and PCB design manufacturers. Offered as coverlay and sheet adhesive.
 
High temperature flexible adhesive system with an MOT of 225C.
 
Teflon®/Laminate system offered as a clad laminate or bondply. Ideal for RF designs.
 
Embedded resistance double sided laminate

Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
gleeds@insulectro.com | 760-814-3727
It's Not Too Late!
Past OEM FORUMS Available for Viewing
MOST OF OUR OEM FORUMS available for viewing
QUALITY CONCERNS
JUNE 24, 2021
As A Replacement
PACO•CLUTCH™ - for the Lamination of Flexible & Multilayer Circuit Boards
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].

Pacothane services the worldwide PCB and Smart Card markets, which includes Rigid Multilayer, Rigid/Flex, Cover-layer Flex, Flexible Multilayer, Copper, and Un-Clad Laminates.
 
These circuit boards are integrated into a wide variety of applications and markets that include telecom, data communications, high-speed computing, mobile devices, military, smart cards, medical and effectively all electronic products.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE
  • We develop and produce consistent, dependable, functional products that help to eliminate the hidden variables in PCB manufacture, reducing scrap rates and reworks
  • We provide uncompromising support to our distributors and their customers, through training, sales, and technical support

WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS
  • We help customers select the correct product for their specific application
  • We continuously improve functionality to reduce customers' finished product costs

PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES® offers products that give our customers the ability to produce PCBs by using our high-quality materials to obtain higher yields and enhance their bottom line! Less scrap means more profit for our Customers.

PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES® Proudly Produced in the USA with American Labor and American Materials!

Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - Pacothane® Products
garseneau@insulectro.com | 949-922-6819
And, don't forget, recently published Pacothane® Product Sample Guide available. Contact me for details.

Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - LCOA®
garseneau@insulectro.com | 949-922-6819
CAC® Inc
Superior surface quality,
supporting thinner foils  
Remove those hard to clean, defect causing and throughput limiting separator plates.
 
  • Reduce stack height - More panels per book per opening, CSC 7.5x thinner than separators
  • Eliminate surface defects as the factory finish copper surface and profile is protected
  • Production Efficiency gains by reducing the overall mass to heat AND cool in a cycle
  • Layup Efficiency – No separators to clean, resurface or polish - labor intensive & costly
  • Consistency in press stack mass CTE to copper & prepreg with CSC
  • Increase quality assurance as image impressions and FOD concerns are minimized
For additional information, samples, or data sheet, please contact me.

Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foil & CAC®
msatchwell@insulectro.com | 203-219-7989
Drills, Routers, Endmills!
Let Kemmer Improve Your Board Quality

The PCB industry has seen a significant increase in the need for endmills. Insulectro’s Kemmer line has a complete product offering of single, two, three and four flute designs for various applications and material types. Currently stocking endmills from .50mm to 1/8”.

Kemmer Tech-Centers are continuously reviewing endmill designs and carbides, through a series of tests to ensure that we meet the increasing quality requirements of all material types and applications.
 
Please contact your local Insulectro branch for additional product information and availability.






Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - Drill & Business Development - Canada
garseneau@insulectro.com | 949-922-6819
Design Education - An Insulectro Priority
Insulectro Sponsors New Design Trade Association
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.
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
As advertised in i-Connect 007's PCB Magazine.
INSULECTRO'S COPPER & COPPER FOIL OFFERINGS
What does that mean?
Copper Foil is a Technology Enabler
The conductive copper foil can help improve Signal Integrity (SI) due to smoother topography foils (i.e. VLP2), support higher peels on low flow no flow resins (i.e. Denkai America HP2), enable tighter lines & spaces (i.e. mSAP) OR reduce FOD and increase operator efficiencies (i.e. Bonded foils). 

Insulectro offers a large selection in terms of foil thicknesses and construction options.

LOOSE Foil is available from 12µm & thicker
(below 12µm we’d suggest a bonded foil)

BONDED Foil is available from 6µm to 70 µm
(Aluminum or Steel in Top/Bottom or Middles)

CARRIER Foil is available from 1.5µm to 5µm
(on a H oz (18µm) Grade 1 copper carrier.
 
Bonded Foil technology:
Bonded foils help to protect the foils surface topography for SI, reduces the potential for Foreign Objects or Debris (FOD), improves operator layup & breakdown efficiency & reduces press stack height for throughput gains.
Nodulation technology:
When using a no flow or low flow resin you’ll benefit from a high-performance HP2 foil from Denkai America with over 45 years of continuous manufacturing history.

The HP2 foil has increased surface area due to greater peak to valley nodulation deposition with additional nodule plating increasing mechanical bonding strength.

VLP2 technology:
The smoothness of the copper profile helps signal propagation, while roughness helps adhesion, providing a peel strength. These two factors are in conflict and careful material consideration is required. The laminator designation of VLP2, Very Low Profile treated side Rz 2µm max for Radio Frequency (RF) application or High-Speed Digital (HSD) is a must to reduce signal loss. On I/L designs. 

For further assistance, connect with me by email, phone, or in person!

Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foil & CAC®
msatchwell@insulectro.com | 203-219-7989
Fine-tuning Operations
Is Trying to “Stretch” the Most Out of Your Consumables Hurting You?
Shur-loc, 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.
Are you still passing by your screening department watching them waste valuable time assembling drawbar frames when they could be already screening the product?

Now, check out David Larson from Shurloc stretching a large-format frame commonly used on the Circuit Automation DP1000, 1500, 2500, and 3500 series auto screen printers and see the difference! Frames are also available for flatbed printers and hand tables. We can customize it as well!


Going Beyond
the Tool Case

 
Is your brush (pumice or debur) footprints even across the panel?
Do they vary in width top to bottom and/or side to side?

There are many variables that could lead to this such as:
  • The conveyor portion of the machine may be worn and no longer aligned to the brush drive system.
  • The brushes themselves are not running true as they should giving a larger or smaller footprint side to side.
  • Regarding pumice coils, they could be installed incorrectly onto the brush shafts.
Please reach out to us if your experiencing any of these and we’ll work with you in getting this resolved.



If you did happen to catch the “5 Reasons to Call Insulectro” for your Service needs! Well….here’s a few more to think about!
We take servicing and refurbishing equipment seriously. Customers are seeing the difference in having us assist their maintenance staff in the ever-important preventative maintenance programs needed in upholding an equipment’s performance.
 
The answer is YES! We can increase the performance of your old machine.
Reach out to us to see how we can help improve your equipment up time and performance through:

  • Equipment Reviews and Audits
  • Service and support
  • Preventative Maintenance Programs

The calls for Preventative Maintenance Programs are increasing as customers understand the benefits this brings to their equipment’s overall performance and up time.


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
Please reach out should you like to discuss any of these topics further.

Thank you.
Kevin Barrett,
Product Manager & TAM
kbarrett@insulectro.com| 847-489-1356
Today's Copper Foils
for Tomorrow’s Applications!
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!
Give us a call to discuss how CAC can help you
make better circuits faster.
 
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Copper Foils
msatchwell@insulectro.com | 203-219-7989
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.

FOLLOW US ON LINKEDIN
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
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.
Best-in-Class Materials
from our Premier Suppliers