JULY 15, 2020 - ISSUE 21 - ON TIME, EVERY TIME
As I See It
Innovation during a Crisis
It's easy to be conflicted during a crisis between how we want to live and how we need to live .

Wanting does not make it safe.

We are fortunate at Insulectro to have remained open and essential for our customers while at the same time maintaining our teammates' health by taking all possible precautions . When activities are forcibly restricted , we have an innate instinct to find a work around - something new, something innovative. Take away our normal , and we hunger to be extraordinary .

Such is the case for Insulectro. What innovations have in common is that they solve problems, which is always at the heart of innovation.

In the near future, Insulectro will debut an entirely new e-commerce platform for our printed electronics business. That means online ordering - our first big step out into the digital marketplace . See Tim Redfern's column below for a sneak peek .

What products do our customers need that we are not supplying? Today we welcome Industrial Brush Corporation and their extraordinary products to our line card. Look below for details.

Since things seem to happen in "threes," I'm going to leak a strong rumor that two more suppliers will be announced in next month's newsletter.

Throughout the company we are focused on improving our technology and our processes . Cross-functional teams from sales, operations, finance, IT, pricing and materials are actively going beyond "what if." There's an exciting new tool in development called ATP . Stay tuned, one day, I'll tell you what it is.

We don't know for certain when the coronavirus crisis will end , or how we’ll be impacted . But we do know it's a time for innovating, for learning, and growing .

Once it’s over, we will know we did our best to make some good come of it.

Patrick Redfern
President & CEO
  • We want 1000 of you to step up and Link up with us!
  • New supplier added! Whispers about two more.
  • Try A Virtual Power Chat! They're addictive.
  • Ormet! Be pasteful, not wasteful!
  • Soon you can buy Printed Electronics inks & substrates online.
" Quality is paramount at Netvia Group and nowhere is that more evident than in our drill room. We pride ourselves in using world class equipment along with best in class consumables in order to achieve the optimal outcome. LCOA gives us just that with Slickback® backup and Bullseye® entry . The quality of the hole wall along with the unparalleled location accuracy that these products provide allow us to deliver the high level of value that our customers require and deserve.”
Dean Butler
Business Development Manager
Netvia Group



Ken Parent Speaks Out!
Summertime Heatwave

July 2020

North America is hot right now . Heat waves are expected to last for weeks to come. We are experiencing hot fronts on other human-interest issues as well. 

The heat that I am interested in talking to you about is on the education front. 

Virtual education has made tremendous advancements during the last few months and is expecting to drive certain markets that benefit us in the Printed Circuit world. There is, of course, the hardware side of all these virtual meetings for our new life which is now a virtual home / school / work / entertainment / medical diagnostic lifestyle of 2020. The side I will be focusing on is the human engagement side of virtual education .
 
Great education requires many things but there are three things that I think are critical to learning: the desire to teach and learn, a great group of educators willing to take the time to teach, and subjects that are relevant and of interest

As you read through our July newsletter, I believe you will find Insulectro is providing resources to address these:

  • Desire - We want to learn from you what topics are most relevant. What topics do you have the desire to spend your time on? Insulectro feels we are at our best when we are Always Learning, we encourage our teammates to invest in their own education. We are offering to spend time bringing talented people to you for education purposes. When we educate the people in our market, we all win. I will tell you the Desire is alive and growing, our educators are very busy right now, customers and OEMs are asking for virtual education classes at record levels.

  • Educators - Between the Insulectro teammates and our suppliers, we can bring resources to teaching from groups like IPC and the new PCEA (Printed Circuit Engineering Association). We want to help you get the best resources to drive education to your business and improve your profitability. How can our educators help you as we all continue to deal with the need for faster development of more difficult future Printed Circuits?

  • Subjects - In the Virtual Power Chats section of this newsletter there are over 15 subjects that you may benefit from. If you have the desire to learn, we have topics for you to choose from. If there is a topic you do not see on our Virtual Power Chat menu, or you want to deep dive into a subject, or if there is a subject you do not see that you want to explore with us please let me know. We want to help you build better future circuits faster today.

Stay healthy and please join our LinkedIn challenge (see next article) . I look forward to hearing from you.  
Ken Parent
VP of Sales & Product Management
kparent@insulectro.com | 949-587-3370
WEAR A MASK & MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE
Stop Bingeing on NETFLIX:
Feast on Our Virtual Power Chats, Training Sessions, & Product Education
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.
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
Joe Bevan, Product Manager - CAC®

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
Joe Bevan, Product Manager - TADCO®

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®
Silicon Valley Region
Steve Piatt - Technical Account Manager
It will be 48 years with Insulectro this September . Started in 1972, when Corporate Headquarters was in El Segundo, Ca., as a shear operator. At the time I was in Grad school at Long Beach State, working on a MS degree in Geology . PCBs looked to be the cutting edge, even from the warehouse perspective, as we were shipping to HP, AMPEX, XEROX and TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. 
When an opportunity came in spring of 1974 to take a full time job in Northern California, my career in circuit boards began. I’ve never looked back and never regretted the decision.

I have seen the ups and downs as well as many changes . Things from other countries entering the market in a big way, to flex and advanced materials. The job has never been boring .

On a more personal note, my best friends, children’s godparents, ex-girlfriends, customers, friendly (and not that friendly) competitors are almost all current or ex-Insulectro employees! 

Insulectro is headed by a very special family and I’m lucky enough to be considered part of it.  


Steve Piatt, TAM
spiatt@insulectro.com | 650-254-2744
ISOLA TO EXHIBIT AT VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL MICROWAVE SHOW
In an industry-first, the annual International Microwave Week Show originally scheduled for June in Los Angeles has gone virtual August 4-6 and continuing on demand through September 30. This means Isola will present its unique RF/Microwave products through a live virtual booth experience . The first training session for this unique exhibition experience was held this week. Details are rapidly coming together. We will send out an email blast to our subscribers when the final procedures come together.
PRINTED ELECTRONICS
One Big Leap for Insulectro
New E-Commerce Website for Printed Electronics to Launch
Almost one year ago we embarked on a journey. Our goal was to utilize technology to make Insulectro easier to do business with.

The result is nearly complete. In the coming weeks, we will launch our first e-Commerce website . It is a state of the art, fully secured website featuring our Printed Electronic product line of DuPont conductive inks for Printed Electronics, Membrane Touch Switch, and High Temperature Fired-On ceramic applications.
Plus, we will feature our extensive offering of substrates , including Polyester (PET), Polyimide (PI), Polycarbonate, PFA, PTFE (plus reinforced), FEP, Release Liners, and substrate products from DuPont including wearables system Intexar™, protective surfaces Tedlar®, and GreenTape™.
 
I describe the process of building the site as a journey . This is because at many points it felt like we didn’t have a good idea of the destination, much less how to reach it. It was a journey with winding roads, and we certainly meandered off the road at times.

It was also filled with ups and downs, setbacks and breakthroughs . But in the end, it was our team of dedicated contributors who persevered and exceeded my expectation with the final product . I’d like to recognize the Insulectro team behind the scenes: John Lee, Kathy Linares, Peter Belter, Rao Pokuru, Kevin Miller, Bob Lee, Cheryl Woodbury, and Charlie Kim . They all contributed mightily to the journey and the project.
 
Coronavirus “quarantine” was certainly an interesting time to run a project that needs a lot of collaboration. Up until March 11 th, we had a lot of in-person meetings, strategy discussions, and deep dives into the details. But, then like everyone we had to pivot quickly to retain our momentum and switch to virtual video conferencing on Teams and Zoom . It complicated the process and it caused some confusion that delayed our timeline but, in the end, we adapted, and we will launch this e-Commerce site having not sat together in-person in more than 16 weeks .
 
For so many reasons I am proud of the finished product and excited to show it off!  It has a different look and feel. We didn’t want to create “just another” industrial products e-Commerce site.

Our vision was to make it warm and engaging while at the same time easy to navigate, learn, and, of course, buy!
Tim Redfern
President
Insulectro Printed Electronics
The People Behind the Puma
Meet Geoffrey Leeds
Product Manager, Flex Laminate
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Geoff has relocated to Southern California to expand his territory as he continues his advocacy of Flexible Laminates. It's a part of Insulectro's commitment to the product and our supplier, DuPont.

BIO:
Geoffrey is a career professional, dedicated to customer success in the circuit board industry. Gathering from my experience: as an in-house process engineer, a chemistry distributor, technical service engineer and now to my role with Insulectro as a DuPont Flex Laminate distributor.

We are committed to Fabricators and OEM success using flexible material, from design to manufacturing.

I graduated from California State University - Chino and as an alumnus sit on their Manufacturing Advisory Board which supports ongoing curriculum enhancement.

I thoroughly enjoy any conversations around signal integrity and high speed or high technology designs. It is those conversations I wake up and get excited for every day. That and racing cars. But as far as boards go, I understand all the process steps that can and will affect your signal loss from a fabrication standing.

My goal in the industry is to get to a point where I can help translate a hard to reach design goal into an easy to build PCB. With the direction 5G is pulling the industry this is becoming more of challenge. It’s going to require the designers, fabricators and laminate suppliers to work closely to solve these issues. Having a technical background in computer engineering really helps me bridge the gaps between designers’ electrical goals and the laminate capabilities. On the weekend I enjoy the gym, going to the track or being a home body.
 
When you first meet Geoff, you might say "Is he for real?"
Yep, he's the real deal.

When you were a kid, you were best be described as _______?
Outgoing.

Today, as an adult, you would be best be described as _________?
Still outgoing.
What was your childhood ambition for when you grew up?
I wanted to be a fighter pilot in the USAF, flying a F18 or F22. Color blindness hinders that. . .
 
Did you have any nicknames as a child?
Cheff, Geof, El Heffe, Gee-off, etc.
 
In college were you know as a scholar, a party animal, a lady’s man or what? Please describe yourself then.
In college I was stuck in the library a lot. I majored in Mechatronic Engineering at CSU Chico with a minor in Computer engineering. While I spent the lion's share of my time in the library, I did get involved with social activities and was a member of the school’s Student Government.
 
That’s about as close to politics as I ever wanted to get.
I did get involved in some other school activities, most notably working with NASA’s Deep Space Network. You might have heard of them. They are the ones that let us talk to the rovers on mars. Out of this world to think about!
 
Three words that describe you at Insulectro?
Knowledgeable, approachable, friendly!
You’ve been noted as a great presenter of technical information. Where did you develop your communication skills?
I’ve never minded public speaking. It takes a lot of preparation to get familiar with new or existing topics. It probably stems from playing musical instruments back in grade school and performing in front of crowds. It was a great rush. I might be an adrenaline junky. A healthy sense of doom however keeps me from living my internal dream of being Evil Knievel.
 
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?
No
Name three self-indulgences you’re susceptible to:
1.      Apple juice. It might make it to the fridge from the shopping bag. 50/50 chance.
2.      I love everything about cars. If you have a cool car, the rest of the conversation doesn’t matter. We are talking all things cars.
3.      Travel. If I get offered the chance to travel, the answer is yes. Local or international destination unknown? Lets go.
Name your most embarrassing car and favorite car you’ve ever had, plus the car you wish you had .
Embarrassing car? I borrowed my aunt’s 2009 Toyota Corolla for my drivers test. Only missed 1 point on the exam (Yellow lights, am I right?) but I remember saying to myself that it was a great car. Easy to drive. Nice mileage. Smooth. 10/10 would own it if I needed a real commuter. My car friends will make fun of me on this one.
Dream car: I wish I could own a late 80’s air cooled Porsche 911 Targa Top. I’ve seen a couple at the track and on the street. Something about that car has the aura of a pure driving experience. I would jump at the chance to drive or own that car. But operating costs keep me away! As the saying goes, “The most expensive car you will ever own is a cheap German sports car”.
What book or movie has made the greatest impact on your life?
I recently have gone through a series called Expeditionary Force from Audible. It’s a Sci-Fi series that starts when earth finds itself suddenly in the middle of a pretty ancient alien battle that just got to this side of the galaxy. What is cool about it to me is the technology discussed and used in the book really isn’t that far off or too much of a stretch for the imagination.
 
Favorite musical group?
Tool . The followers have been accused of being a bit ‘cultish’. While that label is quite accurate the band is exceptionally talented.
 
Tell me something you’ve never told anyone (I promise not to repeat it)?
Not falling for this again! [Editor's Note: "Sigh"]
A great weekend for you is _________, ________, and ________.
The gym , a great meal (made at home or eating out) and a day at the race track.
 
What was your first week at Insulectro like?
A lot of learning. I started my career as a wet process engineer and then as a technical service engineer for MacDermid Enthone. I learned quite a lot about chemistry and how they interact with the PCB substrates. Getting into the materials side at Insulectro has been eye opening for me. Not only has it pulled back the curtains so to speak about the technologies that enable the PCBs of today and tomorrow but also given me a complete picture on the mechanical electro-properties of PCBs. As someone here has told me, it will be like drinking from a fire hose. The first week was no exception.
 
I was also surprised at the amount of in house finishing and fabrication we do for customers. I always thought of a distributor as just that. Someone who helps you get product from someone else. But working within the company and touring the warehouses I see we add a lot more value than that. It was fun to see and to be a part of now.
What’s the worst Halloween costume you’ve ever worn?
I was a “European Fashion Model” to get a free Chipotle Burrito once. No regrets.
 
If you could have any job, anywhere, what would you chose?
Flex Product Manager, Insulectro. Living the dream, every day… Or stunt car driver in Hollywood. I can do that part time right? 
If Steven Spielberg was to cast the film “Geoffrey,” who would he cast to play you?
Brendan Fraser. We have the same hair and we would have a hell of a time digging up the past! Because as any good PCB engineer would tell you, its what we do a lot of the day. Corrective Action time anyone?
 
How would you like to be remembered after you leave Insulectro?
Who says it has to end? But really, being knowledgeable more than anything. Being a go-to resource for customers and team members is a big sense of pride for me. I hope I am remembered in that capacity.
 
Based on your first week with the company, how would you coach a new hire?
First and foremost, I would say go back to the basics. Physics really is going to be your friend here. The beautiful thing about understanding material science is the basic rules and principles all material follows. Starting from that axiom you can quickly piece together how different resin systems work, glass weaves interactions with signals etc.
 
Once you have that starting point in mind, its easier to wrap your head around most concepts and challenges we face daily.
Another Isola Milestone Achieved
New Research & Development/Laboratory Opens in Chandler
Isola has officially opened an expansive R&D and analytical services laboratory at the company’s new global headquarters in Chandler, Ariz . Nearly doubling the size and capacity of the testing facility enables enhanced product development, material qualification, application engineering, and technical support to printed circuit board fabricators and the OEMs they serve. 
 
In the R&D and analytical lab, Isola incorporated a refined and optimized workflow with dedicated space for each testing process . These dedicated spaces provide a more optimal working environment for Isola technicians, chemists, and researchers, benefiting customers through enhanced efficiency . The lab’s highly trained team conducts electrical, thermal, and mechanical characterizations of resin components and PCB laminate materials used in the production of printed circuit boards and uses advanced test equipment to achieve accurate results in a rapid response environment. Known as the Johann Schumacher Laboratories , the facility is named for an Isola technical fellow and engineer, who—throughout his 35 years with the company—has developed numerous innovations.
 
“The North American PCB market is all about quick turnaround and high complexity . Isola’s investment in local testing and analysis complements the investments our customers have made to meet the growing complexity of the products designed by OEMs,” said Travis Kelly, President & CEO. “The expanded R&D and analytical services laboratory furthers our ability to both improve analytical capability and maintain quick turnaround times.”
The lab includes a variety of testing equipment—from Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Analysis for identification of contaminants to microsection equipment used for evaluation of printed circuit board integrity after thermal excursions. The thermal analysis area consists of 17 instruments that measure thermal properties as a function of temperature while specimens are subject to a controlled temperature program.
"While thermal analysis is one of the lab’s most in-demand services, the global Johann Schumacher Laboratories network, with locations in the US, Singapore, and Germany, helps customers work through various challenges related to their products,” said Jenny Inocencio, Sr. Manager Global JSL. “Our cross-trained professionals—many of whom also have experience in the manufacturing environment—understand the full process of how materials are assembled, bring keen insights to identifying problems, and confidently consider different approaches . Customers have the advantage of leveraging our global network as their business needs change and during unexpected market events.”
 
At Insulectro, we recognize the commitment and investment Isola has made to support the global PCB market.

Norm Berry
Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
nberry@insulectro.com | 603-365-6953
Have You Met Ormet®?
In principle, the concept is simple, make z-axis electrical connections at the same time you laminate . This can be done through Ormet’s unique transient liquid phase sintering .

This allows you to melt a metal at a one time at low temperature. Then it f orms a new alloy with a much higher melting point . Another benefit is that the paste incorporates some of the PCB core material copper foil into the alloy.

This connection has no electroless copper, tin/palladium or some other interface in the way.
Interest in Ormet® continues to climb.

For example, I have been working with a fab and OEM on an HSD and RF hybrid stack-up composed of three subs . To make the via structures work, each sub would have its own plating and subsequent back-drilling (on each side). Then they would be laminated together, drilled and plated again, then back-drilled again for some of the though holes from each side. In all, 8 different back-drilling processes.

Adding two layers of Ormet® interconnects joining the three subs eliminated all the internal back-drilling and made the build much simpler . This is because the Ormet® connections eliminated many of the through holes needed to link subs together.

Back-drilling has become very commonplace because of the signal benefits it provides. However, it can be limiting for the OEM/designer and challenging for the fabricator. With increases in speed, density and RF, we will see more of this. Fortunately, there is a product and a technology to help.

Get to know Ormet® and see what it can do for HDI, high aspect ratios, RF applications, embedded components and more.

Chris Hunrath
VP of Technology
chunrath@insulectro.com | 510-502-9278
New Supplier!
Industrial Brush Corporation Joins
Insulectro's Line Card
Valued Insulectro Customer:

We are excited to share the news with you. Effective immediately, Insulectro will be adding industry leader Industrial Brush Corporation’s product line of PCB scrubbing brushes to our inventories . These products are high-quality custom application brushes that excel in the harsh environments of PCB manufacture.

Let’s look at the details:

IBC circuit board brushes feature optimal construction for maximum durability . The spiral-wound design permanently locks brush filaments into a channel to prevent filament loss . Brushes are precision trimmed to maintain uniform surface finishes. To meet the increasing surface preparation requirements of the PCB industry, IBC also offers a range of silicone carbide impregnated nylon brushes in grit sizes from 180 to 500.

The brushes have many different uses and will accommodate most equipment manufacturers such as International Supplies (IS), Wise, Marseco and Somaca.
Bristle for Deburring (left) : Brushes with grits of 180, 240 and 320 quickly and effectively remove drilled hole burrs. The self-cleaning action of these brushes preserves the integrity of the hole.

Bristle for Scrubbing:  Brushes with grits of 320, 500 and 600 are ideal for heavy scrubbing and cleaning. Typical applications include copper scrubbing, tin lead cleaning, oxidation removal, and surface preparation for resist adhesion.
Bristle for Pumice Scrubbing (right):  Non-abrasive nylon filament coiled brushes are available for use in combination with pumice or aluminum oxide to prepare surfaces for liquid photo imageable inks or resist adhesion. Coil cores are available in the commonly used galvanized steel or in stainless steel upon request. For fine line circuitry, optimum surface preparation can be achieved even on thin inner layers.

Kevin Barrett will help service your needs in his capacity as Insulectro Product Manager for the IBC line of brushes. Kevin is a Technical Account Manager based out of our Bloomingdale, IL branch. The great news is that the IBC pumice brushes are available now and are stocked in several of our regional distribution centers. Please contact your Insulectro Technical Account Manager or either of us for more information.

It’s a wonderful day at Insulectro!

Sincerely,

Michele Walsh           
Director of Product Management  
mwalsh@insulectro.com  

Kevin Barrett 
Product Manager & TAM       
kbarrett@insulectro.com  
Why pick CAC over the competition for protecting your critical surfaces?
  • CAC is sealed on all 4 edges not just 2 so critical surfaces stay clean, even during handling – no open ends

  • CAC is made with North American sourced aluminum and copper foil

  • CAC cleans and tests each roll of aluminum to make sure you get a premium product that will not stain the adjacent copper

  • CAC checks each setup with a CMM to ensure tooling is accurate and pattern is centered on the part

  • CAC copper is even with the edge on all 4 sides not hanging over – making thin copper handling much easier

  • CAC has decades of experience in adding quality to our product
Give us a call to discuss how CAC can help you
make better circuits faster.
 
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, CAC
jbevan@insulectro.com | 804-550-7777
Northeast Region
Bob Lee - Technical Account Manager
Reflecting back when I returned east from the IPC show in early February, who would have known the world as we knew it was about to change , No more dropping my freshmen son at school, but now schooling at home. No more movies at the theater, but many more movies at home. His fall football season looming to be cancelled, but training at home. Drivers education cancelled, but driving at home.

"Home is where the heart is" they say, but the world through his eyes that I can only imagine as once in lifetime events get cancelled . My son says, “It's fine, we will get through it,” and right he is!

Virtual meetings and presentations have taken over , customer intimacy moves to Zoom and Teams dialogs as well as great phone conversations and emails. Our business has remained steady throughout as we are blessed to work in an industry that supports the medical community among others. Our customers remain resilient and redirect on the fly to keep business moving in a forward direction as we and they are “STRONG” , putting Safety First , and GSD (getting stuff done) .

I cannot write this without mentioning the strength and commitment of our Operations teams across the North America . They are the catalyst of why we succeed week after week. They are one of many reasons I am proud to work for the best distributor in our industry supporting the best customers in our industry .

Together we remain committed to success and as my son says, “We will get through it!"

Bob Lee
Technical Account Manager - Printed Electronics
Pacothane - the Undisputed Industry Leader in Lamination Products
What is industry leadership?
Industry leaders are  companies that have set themselves apart from the competition . They are innovative, adaptable and adept at providing high quality products and service to their Customers. Offering the best products producing the best results in their field of expertise.
 
PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES  is the world's leading manufacturer of products to enhance and assist the production and quality assurance for lamination and manufacture of flexible and rigid printed circuit boards.
 
PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES  offers products that give our customers the ability to produce PCB’s 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  and their distribution arm   Insulectro have hundreds of years of combined experience in the PCB market with Industry Leaders directing our production and technical efforts supporting our customers. We offer products produced with the input from our customer experts within the PCB industry. This helps us support their production needs and increase yields and profits in the production of Flexible, Rigid Flex and Rigid PCB’s.
 
Insulectro  is an Industry Leader that offers world class logistics and support. For over fifty years, Insulectro has set the pace for the continually evolving high tech electronics business.

We have learned to:
  • stock critical PCB materials close to clients
  • make selling a personal commitment
  • deliver orders at the speed of light
  • stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers to ensure performance
 
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!
Give us a call! We like to make your life easier!

Joe Bevan
Product Manager, Pacothane
jbevan@insulectro.com | 804-550-7777
Insulectro PumaNews will write, curate, and publish provocative articles on innovation, vision, and thought leadership in our industry. We invite our viewers to participate - contact us to get involved.
Staying Current, Staying Challenged - Personally & Professionally
Always Learning , one of Insulectro’s core values, is how we stay current, informed, challenged and ensure we all continue to develop both professionally and personally. 

One of my go to resources is the recently founded Women in Electronics organization ( https://www.womeninelectronics.com/ ), which strives to expand talent in the Electronics industry by offering Leadership Training, Mentoring Programs, and Networking opportunities through the current Virtual chapter meetings and events.    

Virtual meetings have now become a mainstay in our daily lives, and even though at times overwhelmed by the daily Zoom / Microsoft Teams meetings, I continue to look forward to the monthly training topics offered by this inspirational group of women , especially the recently expanded Life Balance Series, that focuses on communication, finance, and needed now more than ever- Health and Wellness sessions. 

If you are looking to connect with other women in the electronics industry , or want to learn more about this organization, give me a call!

Michelle Walsh
Director of Product Management
mwalsh@insulectro.com | 949-842-9018
Pyralux® AG Update
DuPont’s flexible Roll Clad offering, Pyralux® AG, continues to expand. We have a new, expanded list of constructions . The new constructions build out Pyralux® AG’s offerings in the thinner coppers and thinner dielectrics . We continue to build out our inventory of this material by recently adding more finished product in our San Jose warehouse.
Pyralux® AG continues to perform in flexibility testing and is not only an economical option, but ideal for dynamic applications . Testing shows 2 to 3x the number of bend cycles over competitive materials.
We are sampling and supplying so let us know if you would like to try DuPont™ Pyralux® AG.


Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
gleeds@insulectro.com | 760-814-3727
Northeast Region
Lorrie Stearns - Inside Sales Manager
2020 has been a whirlwind of events and I am grateful to be working for a company that has treated us like family .

Insulectro puts our health before our work and has given us the opportunity to be safe at home and to continue do what we do best.

Our customers are our number one priority and to be able to work remotely and still have the day to day contact with customers and coworkers is a blessing.

Although it can be challenging for some, I know whatever the future holds we are in this together and will all get through and survive.
Lorrie Stearns, ISM
lstearns@insulectro.com | 603-629-4414
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.

Qualcomm: 5G is Driving Global Growth

Qualcomm is a leading OEM in electronics and a pioneer in 5G . According to their website - Everything You Need to Know about 5G , 5G technology will:

add $13.2 Trillion dollars of global economic output
• create 22.3 Million new jobs
• add $2.1 Trillion dollars in GDP growth

Through a landmark 5G Economy study, Qualcomm found that 5G’s full economic effect will likely be realized across the globe by 2035 —supporting a wide range of industries and potentially enabling up to $13.2 trillion worth of goods and services.

Qualcomm found the impact is much greater than previous network generations. The development requirements of the new 5G network are also expanding beyond the traditional mobile networking players to industries such as the automotive industry.

The study also revealed that the 5G value chain (including OEMs, operators, content creators, app developers, and consumers) could alone support up to 22.3 million jobs , or more than one job for every person in Beijing, China.


Here's what we think. . .
The 5G World
by Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
mcreeden@insulectro.com | 949-587-3370
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, we are heavily involved in this electronics industry enabling 5G infrastructure .
 
We’ve heard a lot of how the professional environment is changing as we now are working from home. Many of us think this will go back to how it was, maybe not. As businesses rethink their strategies several factors will play into adapting to the remote environment.
 
Maybe it will look like this: no long commute – increased productivity . No requirement to live in/near expensive metro areas – increased labor market. Less time in meetings – less disruptions. No large office buildings, just multi-share stations, meeting rooms for occasional office visits – lower business expenses. These are but a few ideas what the remote work environment may look like, but the value that 5G will bring are endless.
 
In the remote work environment, 5G cellular will compete against Wi-Fi and probably start to win early because it will not share with home users and hot spots , it will be more secure than Wi-Fi because of the proliferation of Wi-Fi hacking tools. It may come with a premium to have a dedicated 5G Hot-Spot or p ortable broadband device, however, this will just become a simple business expense in exchange for the gasoline savings . The real beauty of having an always-on cellular connection is you will never have to worry about being connected . This will allow our remote office to truly be on demand . As the number of devices at home will increase the ability to split between broadband and cellular will need to adapt between work and play.
 
5G will be faster and allow more data and will provide us mobility to work securely and productively anywhere. We have historically shared in this industry progression and evolution and we hope to contribute to your continued success. We will look at 5G technical challenges, solutions, applications and 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” .
Slickback® & Bullseye®
The Best Entry & Exit System
for PCB Drilling
The BEST hole quality with SlickBack® lubrication
  • Improved hole wall roughness
  • Reduced fracturing of glass bundle
  • Reduced heat generation to minimize smear
  • Reduced nail heading due to lower drilling temperature
The BEST hole location with Bullseye®
  • Eliminate drill wander
  • At least 30% better hole location over other entry materials
  • Maintain minimum annular ring on tight hole to pad parts
  • No breakout on via layers


AT LCOA, we manufacture the best drilling system available to make sure you have the best quality possible when you drill that MUST SHIP job!


We pride ourselves in offering solutions that can make your process run better and deliver the best quality board to your customer, on time.


Please call us to see how we can help you make better circuits!

Paul St. John
Director of Nation Sales & Distribution
pstjohn@insulectro.com | 949-587-3391

Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - Drill & Business Development - Canada
garseneau@insulectro.com | 949-922-6819
Chicago Region
Trey Adams - Regional VP, Sales
All of us long timers often joke about how we've spent so many years making PCBs we must be mentally off in one way or another to be in this business. 

Although I can tell you, after spending the last 25+ years, whether part time while in school or 18 months on a hiatus partially out of the industry, this business is in my blood and way too many good memories to count

My first part-time job at a small shop in Addison, Illinois, taught me every process - from hand lifting baskets through the electroless lines, manual layout of photo films, burning my forearms over a peanut oil reflow pot, to taping my sleeves shut so the hand-route fab fixtures I used to trim each finished board did not throw fiberglass dust into my shirt .

Two years later, at age 20, I moved to a much bigger facility where the overtime alone covered the cost of my first apartment and was also lucky enough to be picked by my first mentor Don Stevens to be his right-hand kid in creation of a multilayer department from ground up. The learnings from this experience and Don are still with me today.
 
My first role outside of the manufacturing facility was tech support on all processes with a focus on laminate and dry film , along with sales responsibilities at a handful of accounts. I still see that first tech/sales role I had back then as the current way to support our customers , Insulectro, and me in continued growth. As someone at a high level in this now very global industry has said to me a few times, "I’m not in operations but in my operations view…"
 
Everything we engineer, sell, and learn is about improving how we build a board to meet the demands of tomorrow.  My different roles throughout the years has allowed me to cover North America from one coast to the other while maintaining deep roots in the middle. 

Getting to know how each region is different and meeting all the characters that keep this business moving has been rewarding. For the many of you I have met or know me well, you will understand that my biggest struggle right now (besides queso with beef, a Juicy Lucy, and razor clams, to name a few) is missing our face to face connections.  I miss that terribly and look forward to its return and seeing my friends' faces without an Internet connection.


Trey Adams, VP Regional Sales & Strategic Accounts
tadams@insulectro.com | 630-730-8603
Hard Pressed to Find Toll Processing?
Our Beck's Light Gauge Aluminum Process Really Cleans Up
CAC® Chicago is a light gauge toll processor servicing industries such as appliance, aerospace, nameplate, medical and automotive . Our 6 Hi Herr-Voss leveler with 1.156” diameter rolls allows us to run critical surface applications, whether it is sheets or blanks. We can paper interleave, PVC cover or stencil up to 6 lines . Everything is hand stacked and all skids are made in house with the capability of custom packaging.

CAC Western Regional Operations Manager Felix Martinez commented, " The two most exciting opportunities from acquiring Beck’s into our umbrella of companies - first, it allows us to expand our sourcing of raw material and the ability to clean aluminum in house which is great.

"Second, it really lets us start venturing into new markets expanding both our knowledge base and the CAC® brand ."
Call Matt to find out more about our Beck's process and all that CAC® has to offer.
Matt Swanson
General Manager, Toll Processing
CAC®, Inc.
mswanson@cac-inc.com | 847-331-7644
Southwest Region
Theresa Raissdana - ISM/Regional Specialist
We are living in crazy, unknown times right now and I am so very grateful to work for a wonderful company that has been able to keep its employees working and safe at the same time. 

Having a home office has been quite an adjustment, with 3 young grandkids living in the house with us, but we are able to cooperate with one another and get the job done.

Together as a team, we are making the day to day contacts, orders and communications with our customers happen .  Our customers are doing such an amazing job keeping their shops running. 

I had a visit at ACE and it is great to see how many safety measures are in place to help keep their employees and their families safe . I am very hopeful that there will be a light at the end of this tunnel and cannot wait to get back out there and see all our wonderful customers face to face!

Theresa Raissdana , Inside Sales/Regional Specialist
traissdana@insulectro.com | 949-587-3390
DuPont™ Interra™
Insulectro Technical Director for Design Education Mike Creeden likes what he sees with variable capacitance DuPont™ Interra™.
TADCO
Your Lamination Tooling Solutions Provider
Tired of beating up your plates and tooling with a punch and hammer?
 
Bushings and pins are precision made – don’t beat them up .
 
Solution to easy de-pinning is the TADCO Multilayer De-Pinner . All you need to add is shop air and 110V AC (no hammer needed). Used with TADCO spray mold release to coat bushings and pins - you can stop beating up your tooling!

Call us to learn more – Insulectro stocks a comprehensive line of TADCO accessories!

Joe Bevan
Product Manager, TADCO
jbevan@insulectro.com | 804-550-7777
@Mike Creeden
OEM Engagement - Looking to Explore
New Technologies
As I talk with many of our fabrication customers and work with them to bring solutions to their end customers, the OEM, we’ve both observed that engineers are attempting to achieve a technological edge with faster and smaller circuits .

Many hardware engineers are being challenged with packaging high layer count boards with high-speed circuits . These circuit boards not only require material science, they also require getting the best use from the material with their design layout .

As OEMs are looking toward their supply chain partners, we are finding success when we work together with our fabricators. Check out a sample of this combined effort as Insulectro’s Mike Creeden co-teaches with Dave Lackey of American Standards Circuits.

Webinar - Controlled Impedance- PCB Fabrication to Signal Integrity Register and watch this power packed presentation.

Our Virtual Training Sessions are tailored to support two perspectives:

First, fabricators seeking to expand their technology offering are eager to learn about new material and how to incorporate these into their production processes . They need time and training to be ready when the actual order arrives. Insulectro brings state of the art material and process support for just such a need.

We are also encouraging the use of Insulectro’s FREE database called, Any Condition-Test Vehicle (AC-TV) that can be used as a coupon or a full panel development vehicle. This can be customized to support any customer stack-up with any combination of features and material . The AC-TV can incorporate D-Coupons and High-Speed Test Lines. We will always provide free material samples, if available, for new materials to help you make the move.

Secondly, the fabricators are also working with their OEMs with the intention of engaging them early in the design cycle , learning new ideas and methods to establish the stack-up request early, rather than at the end of the design phase.

This saves avoidable mistakes and can avoid costly delays . By bringing state of the art design training early, signal integrity issues can be resolved, product producibility and reliability can be improved . The training classes can be augmented by utilizing Insulectro’s FREE EMI-SI design reviews. Our goal is to train you to perform your own EMI-SI reviews.
 
We are ready and eager to create one or several training sessions for your OEM or your fabrication staff . 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.

Stay safe, happy and healthy!
Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
mcreeden@insulectro.com | 949-587-3370
Developer Controllers:
Improve Your Chemistry Process Control with a New Control System
We currently offer 3 types of Developer controllers
 
Type I – Dosmatic System
This system utilizes a Dosmatic pump that mixes that water and chemistry in the pump and then delivers that mixture to the developer. Insulectro offers a free pump replacement program to make sure you always have a clean, problem free, pump.
 
Type II – Volumetric System
This system utilizes a volumetric container that premixes the chemistry and water and then delivers that mixture to the developer. This system is more consistent than the Dosmatic systems.
 
Type III – Conductivity System
This system utilizes a day tank that premixes the chemistry and water based on conductivity and then delivers that mixture to the developer. This is the most consistent process of any controller system.
Maximize Cpk’s
  • All controllers are activated by a pH probe in the main sump.
  • All systems are professionally installed by our expert installation team.
Give me a call to discuss!

Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dry Film/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
jjohnson@insulectro.com | 720-260-3696
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