THE THIRD EDITION OF PUMANEWS |
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As I see it. . .
This month, Insulectro teammates begin to return to our offices in our journey to post-pandemic. In each of our branches, Pumas who have been working from home for over a year join Pumas who, for the same period of time, have continued to work in our facilities as our front-line keeping the supply chain thriving for our company and our customers.
Throughout this issue of PumaNews™, you will hear from our sales team on what progress they are observing and sensing in their region.
Patrick Redfern
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FIND THESE FAST! Look for FEATURED ARTICLE flag |
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OEM FORUM 6/24: QUALITY CONCERNS: Prevent Board Casualties
- Insulectro Printed Electronics to Exhibit Inks in LaCrosse in July
- Add a Pinless Reg unit to InduBond® X-Press 360 for Mass Lam
- Isola is a Major Player in 5G Technology
- Get Flex-ABLE! Pyralux® laminates stand up to heat or cold
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To the InduBond® / Insulectro Familia!
As a state-of-the-art (and science!) PCB Fabricator, GreenSource Fabrication employs the latest technological advances the industry has to offer. Our most recent technology deployment is equipment supplied by the Team of InduBond® and Insulectro.
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We now have four X-Press 360 presses and an ALS (Automated Layup Station) on-site in Charlestown, NH. During the last couple weeks, the Team has done an amazing job of installing and setting up the equipment.
And even during this installation process, they were able to simultaneously conduct a lamination DoE for an Insulectro West Coast customer using the presses being brought online at GreenSource.
We are thrilled with the synergy these two companies bring together! With special acknowledgment to; Victor Lazaro Gallego, Mark Satchwell, Kevin Barrett, and Ron Murdock.
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James Brown
Strategic Account Manager
GreenSource Fabrication
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SALES & PRODUCT MANAGEMENT |
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Ken Parent Speaks Out!
Summer Opening Up
for Face-to-Face
JUNE 2021
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OoHhh how sweet it is to be back on the road again! Sure no airport delays and hotel rooms for a “year-plus” was nice, but I really do like the life of a traveling salesman. I work with great customers, people at Insulectro to support me, suppliers that appreciate what Insulectro does for them, and a wife who supports my habits and hobbies.
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I am looking forward to not sitting in an office for the months to come because I am on the road. The salesman’s road… as I write this, I am heading out on a cross-country road-trip that that is setting new limits for me, a bucket list trip.
San Clemente, CA to Northfield, NH visiting as many PCB shops as possible.
A few firm plans but a lot of stops between to spread the word of what Insulectro has planned as we wave good-buy (pun-intended) to 15 months of Covid-lockdown. I know I will witness much on this trip across the United States of America … Investment! Automation! Education! World Class! Growth! Partnership! Friends! Technology! Challenges! Opportunities! Commitment! and more.
I hope our paths cross, and we get to talk face to face and exchange ideas, challenges, progress reports and learn from each other.
I am traveling the Northern route west coast to east coast and expect to be on the road for 25 to 30 days covering approximately 6,000 miles.
Why? Great customer conversations and goal setting for these post-Covid days. My week started with visits selling InduBond® with my new friend Víctor G. and then with a great customer dinner at my home where I also met new friends in this rapidly changing PCB business. Life on the road is great because of the people you meet and the accomplishments of great teamwork.
Insulectro has changed in Covid times … look me up, let’s talk. If I cannot help you, I probably know someone who can. Our world is expanding, we engage early in the PCB design review and through to the suppliers of electronic materials and equipment for the PCB and PE and plating fabricators to the OEM community… we call it ACT! Accomplish Change Together.
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Ken Parent's 6000 mi Customer Road Trip
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Ken Parent displays Old Glory somewhere along the Owyhee River in Oregon. The flag which recently was flown at Insulectro's Lake Forest headquarters is making the trip with Ken and Sally to New Hampshire. |
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Living the Country Hit Song
I've Been Everywhere
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"I've been everywhere, man.
I've been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert's bare, man.
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere."
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I hope to see you soon with Sally as my Pilot, we accomplish great things together. If I miss you on the Eastbound trip, I hope to catch you on the Westbound trip in the fall.
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Ken Parent
VP of Sales & Product Management
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The Insulectro Team welcomes Victor Lazaro Gallego, Technical Director and InduBond® inventor at Chemplate Materials, S.L., to Southern California.
Victor has crisscrossed the country meeting with customers and prospects since arriving in the states on May 17.
(Pictured from Left to Right) Jason Shuppert, Head of Supply Chain; Michelle Walsh, VP of Product Management; Patrick Redfern, President & CEO; Victor Gallego, InduBond®, and Ken Parent, VP of Sales.
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Next OEM Forum June 24
QUALITY CONCERNS: Proven Diagnostics to Prevent Board Casualities
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With special OEM guest, Curt Leonard, PWB Engineer, Draper, Chris Hunrath, our VP of Technology and suave Mark Satchwell, Product Manager, demonstrate how quality assurance goes a long way towards product success and reliability.
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"We're back. . ."
As the US finds its way to some sense of normality, Insulectro Teammates check in with their observations.
In New Hampshire
Yester-year Annoyances
Are Welcome Sight
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The light in the tunnel isn’t a train---It’s a ray of hope that we are getting back to normal. I’m all for that!
I’m traveling again and experiencing all the things that I used to complain about, such as, Boston traffic, airports, TSA, long drive-thru lines, school buses, crowded restaurants, fuel prices, hotel rooms, rental car nightmares, and all the rest of it.. but getting out of the house and on the road reminds me it’s all a small price to pay to re-engage face to face with my friends.
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Ron Murdock
Technical Account Manager - ACT! Accomplish Things Together
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In Northeast & Southeast
FAE Welcomed Back
I would share that with my recent travels to visit customers in the northeast and southeast, the facilities I visit are happy to see us getting back on the road and checking in on them.
They like to know that should there be an issue that requires an in-person visit that we are available to assist. I have had more access past the front door or meeting room than I have had in the past.
It is also great to see new faces in some of the bigger metal finishing shops being trained by the veterans of the industry to take over for them in the future, and the chance to meet with them now is a great opportunity.
Chris Robinson
Field Application Engineer
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In the Midwest
Customer Visits Resume
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In the Midwest Region all public retail companies, other than health care, have changed their front door signage to “Masks Recommended unless you are Fully Vaccinated."
I have visited many customers in the last month with a mix of those that no longer require masking at all and those with the requirement still on the front door, but when inside it is a realization that masks are no longer expected and up to the individual.
There are many within our customers' buildings still wearing masks, but my sense from conversations is that those that are still wearing masks have either not had a shot at this time, or have not completed a second, or past the 2 week recommended wait period after being fully vaccinated.
Trey Adams
VP Regional Sales & Strategic Accounts
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In Southern California
A Return to Personal Connecting
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It is very nice to be returning to the office in person. We were very productive working remotely, but it is just very nice to be able to see people in person without looking at a Computer screen.
Being together in person allows us to connect in ways a virtual "Brady Bunch" screen does not allow.
Dan Diesel
Chief Strategy Officer
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PRINTED ELECTRONICS INKS & PASTES,
SUBSTRATES & FILMS
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Partners in Printing 2021
Insulectro Printed Electronics is Platinum Sponsor for July Expo
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As we begin the process of getting back to normal, which includes returning to the office, visiting customers, and supporting our industry by participating in an important tradeshow, we are excited for INSULECTRO to take part in this event this year.
Empire’s Partners in Printing Expo will be held July 20th - 22nd, 2021 at the La Crosse Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
This will be the first show the INSULECTRO Printed electronics team will be attending, and we will showcase our DuPont Conductive Inks & Advanced Substrates from multiple suppliers.
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This event started back in 2010, a small group of employees organized the first National Sales Meeting at Empire Screen Printing in Onalaska, Wisconsin. What started out as an opportunity to bring their national sales reps together to network ideas through print education turned into a multifaceted mission: to provide education in printing, promote the industry and its suppliers, provide unique networking opportunities, illustrate how to be good stewards of the environment, and leave a legacy for future generations.
The following is a list of events scheduled for this expo:
- Partners in Printing | 3M Cup Celebrity Golf Tournament
- Rooftop Sponsor Party
- Partners in Printing Professional Learning
- Wisconsin Backyard BBQ
- Late Night Networkers Afterparty
- Partners in Printing Expo
- Tattoos and Tailgates Concert Series
Insulectro Printed Electronics is excited to participate in this live show and provide in-person support and technical assistance to our customer base and OEM community!
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Kevin Miller
VP of Sales, Insulectro Printed Electronics
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At-A-Glance
The DuPont Chemistry Line
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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
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Microfill™ EVF-III for advanced via filling and through-hole plating
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Microfill™ LVF-IV for next generation SLP applications
MLB
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Copper Gleam™ PPR-II for high aspect ratio pulse plating
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Electroposit™ EP-1600 for high aspect ratio DC plating
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Copper Gleam™ HS-200 for horizontal DC plating in FPC applications
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Copper Gleam™ ST-920 for DC vertical continuous plating (VCP)
IC Package Substrate
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Microfill™ SFP-II & Microfill™ LVF-IV for advanced SAP applications
Making Holes Conductive
Electroless Copper Solutions:
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Circuposit™ 3350-1 Vertical Electroless Copper
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Circuposit™ 4000 Horizontal electroless copper for FPC/RFPC
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Circuposit™ 6700 Horizontal Ionic Catalyst for Advanced HDI applications
Direct Metallization Solutions:
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Next Generation Crimson™ & Conductron™ palladium-based systems
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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.
Paul Welter
Director of Sales, DuPont Chemistry
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"We're back. . ."
As the US finds its way to some sense of normality, Insulectro Teammates check in with their observations.
In Silicon Valley
"Bar Stools are back!"
Says San Jose TAM Steve Piatt as he is joined by Lenthor GM Rich Clemente and Insulectro VP of Technology Chris Hunrath.
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Flight: Chicago to Dallas
Vaccinations Make the Difference
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This year vaccinations made the difference. Many customers while continuing to require visitors to wear masks, made them optional with the vaccines for employees. 3 weeks ago with the change in CDC policy, retail stores, etc went with masks optional if you are vaccinated. That week, I spend my first day in 14 months out of the house without putting a mask on for the entire day.
This week, I started asking customers for their protocol. They are telling us the if vaccinated then mask-less is OK. If we do follow customer rules and go mask-less we will need to understand them at each location, so as not to offend or violate a shop that still requires.
I just returned from Dallas this morning and it sounds as if airports and planes, etc will remain masked until this autumn? Air travel in my mind is still fragile.
Personally, for the past 14 months, I have carried hand sanitizer. When I left Wednesday for Dallas, I forgot to bring it. I didn’t miss it. I hope we all are able to enjoy more and more “normal” and at some point we are not in any Phase by any number.
Ed Kneller
Technical Account Manager
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In Colorado & Arizona
A Return to Near Normal
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Colorado and Arizona have done away with mask mandate and opened back to near normal.
Schools are scheduled to open full capacity next August as well. It’s a mix here with Fabs, some still requiring masks and temps checks vs masks optional.
Steve Johnson
Technical Account Manager - West
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Chemicals & Controllers
Focus Tech Chemicals
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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.
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Specific gravity controller
- Conductivity Controller
- Colorimeter controller
- Cupric Etch Controller
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Custom controllers with availability to connect to TrueChem software
Jeff Johnson
Product Manager - Dryfilm/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
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Chemplate Materials SL,
Producer of the InduBond® Systems, Distributed Puma style!
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We announced this exciting partnership in February as we continue to focus on providing our customers end to end solutions for the manufacture of PCBs.
Last month covered the X-Press 360 system, add in the PLR system and mass-lam can be achieved.
Pin-less registration + Pin-less lamination = Mass-lam
No post etch punch nor post etch drill, aligning inner layers with a tolerance of ±15 µm
InduBond® PLR is a pin-less layer to layer optical registration and final welding system. Achieved by using fiducial targets etched in the layers to align through image processing via CCD cameras.
Bonding points can be placed anywhere in the CAD as the system reads and decodes the Gerber file. Additional process improvements and cost reductions are achieved as pins, bushings, tooled separator plates are eliminated.
Additional process improvements and cost reductions are achieved as pins, bushings, tooled separator plates are eliminated.
Finally, process automation can be achieved with an optional unloading upgrade which can transfer the registered & bonded multilayers ready for lamination.
- Reduced registration distortion/misalignment between inner layers
- Improved final thickness stability over the panel
- Better panel planarity or less warpage
- Bonding spots are flat & can withstand dilation & shrinkage from hot press cycles
- The welded stack-up multilayer can be X-Ray to check before and after lamination
Contact your Territory Area Manager or myself for additional information.
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For more information, contact:
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foils
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Introducing Glibrite GB4300!
Eliminate Pumice Scrubbing for
Soldermask Adhesion
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GB4300 is a low etch peroxide sulfuric micro etch. With a proprietary organic stabilizer GB4300 is able to get excellent topography on plated copper with only 15uin of copper removal. This product is also very popular for improving dryfilm adhesion on plated subs and on shinny inner layer foil.
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Jeff Johnson
Technical Account Manager - Twin Cities
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The People Behind the Puma
Meet Garret Shepard
Technical Account Manager
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BIO
Worked part-time at Sperry Corporation PCB prototype shop throughout high school/college where I learned the basics of building multilayer circuit boards. Eventually to a full-time position with Sperry as a wastewater treatment and lab technician. Followed that with management and engineering roles at Advance Circuits.
We were sold to Honeywell and closed in 2002. Then a brief 1-year stint at the Bureau of Engraving and the summer of 2003 was contacted by Insulectro/Ken Parent as they were looking for tech support and sales for the Central/Midwest Territory. Started out as FAE/tech support my first 5 years with Insulectro and since then my current position, Technical Account Manager.
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GARRET BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK. . .
Describe your first day at Insulectro and what did you tell your wife when you got home?
So long ago I can’t remember much about my first day except that I was anxious to meet and travel with the local Insulectro sales guy, but found out he had quit the week before I started.
Who was the most helpful to you during the first few months?
Definitely my customers, some suppliers, and many others within Insulectro, Ken Parent, Kevin Miller, Michelle Walsh, Chris Hunrath, to name a few.
What were your best subjects in school and your worst?
Best – math and chemistry. Worst – anything to do with art!
Did you have any nicknames? Does anyone still call you by them?
Friends from college still call me G-man. My wife calls me G.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I remember for a while I was thinking veterinarian.
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Were you cool, geeky, or nerdy back then?
Looking back, definitely kind of geeky, but didn’t realize it.
Are you cool, geeky, or nerdy now?
Now it’s cool to be geeky, right?
How would your co-workers describe you?
Honest, trustworthy, knowledgeable (I hope).
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What’s your favorite thing to do when not at work?
Enjoy spending time with my wife, and kids when they have time for us, cabin trips with my entire family, golfing, and fishing. Most recently my new favorite thing to do is visit my granddaughter Evelyn. I’m a grandpa for the first time as of 3 weeks ago.
During the long, dark Minnesota winters, how do you keep active? Force myself to exercise at least 3 times per week, ice fishing, we also bundle up and take long walks.
Snow shovel, snowblower, or service?
Shovel and snowblower.
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What kind of car did you drive in high school?
’76 Vega hatchback.
What’s your favorite part of working with customers?
Succeeding together.
Name a few things you’ve learned over the past sixteen months of the pandemic.
The future is way more uncertain than I realized and a big reminder that family matters the most.
Any fashion faux pas you regret from over the years?
Can’t think of any.
Most embarrassing moment at Insulectro?
Can’t think of any.
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Cocktail, beer, or wine?
Coors Light.
Last movie watched that really had an impact on you? Book?
Trevor Noah, Born a Crime (I usually wait for the movie, but this is a great book).
What things drive you crazy?
Impoliteness, impatient drivers, and surveys about me.
How would you like to be remembered at Insulectro?
Dependable and eventually as happily retired.
What advice do you have for new hires coming into the company?
Use your resources, ask for help, don’t try to figure it all out on your own.
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"We're back. . ."
As the US finds its way to some sense of normality, Insulectro Teammates check in with their observations.
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In-person Meetings, BBQ, Afterwork Functions
In Minnesota, the Overall Mood Has Lightened
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In Minnesota, the COVID vaccination has been going strong. 90% of those over 65 and 65% for ages 16+ are now vaccinated. Many businesses, including PCB shops, are requesting only those not vaccinated to mask up.
We are back to in-person visits, meetings, lunches and even some after-work activities. A barbeque is planned at on the shops for next week. I sense the overall mood has lightened and hopeful things continue to trend back towards “normal”.
So glad to finally get to see everyone’s face and smile in-person again.
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Garret Shepard
Technical Account Manager - Twin Cities
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From Southern California
Looking Forward to On-site Visits
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It feels good to be able to check in more often at customer sites and throughout departments to monitor how things are going.
Before the pandemic, this was how we caught problems before they became big problems and how we identified opportunities for improvement. With fewer on-site visits, we really couldn’t give our customers what they expect and deserve.
That’s starting to change now.
Sean Redfern
Technical Account Manager - Southwest
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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Membership Benefits
USPAE Gives Electronics A Strong Voice
with the US Government
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On the Forefront of New Technology
Isola's Role in the Development of 5G
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By now just about everyone has heard about 5G in commercials or on billboards but you may be wondering what it means for printed circuit boards and the materials available from Isola?
5G stands for the 5th generation wireless standard. 5G brings faster mobile internet speeds to market that are up to 100 times faster than 4G.
Since 5G networks run at much higher speeds, higher speed printed circuit board materials are needed for 5G applications. 5G can carry data fast, but not far so a large amount of new hardware is being deployed throughout the world to support the new networks. This new hardware includes base stations, small cells, MIMO antennas and more. This means the demand for suitable base materials is huge and growing.
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Materials suitable for 5G applications include some of Isola’s High-Speed Digital and Radio Frequency/MicroWave products like I-Tera® MT40, Tachyon® 100G, and Astra® MT77. These materials provide improved signal loss over traditional FR-4 materials and mid-loss products, consistent dielectric constants, and are hybrid compatible.
The new systems require a wide array of materials to meet specific design requirements. For example; a cell tower may house multiple systems from multiple providers and each of the systems may require materials of various performance levels.
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The Active Antenna Units (AAU) require High-Frequency materials for antennas and power amplifiers like Astra® MT77 or Tachyon® 100G. These materials provide the low Dk and stable electrical performance characteristics that are needed for 5G designs. Distribution Units (DU) and Centralized Units (CU) require High-Speed materials with low to ultra-low loss electrical properties.
Isola materials have consistent Dielectric Constant (Dk) and Dissipation Factor (Df) from low frequencies to high frequencies making the design process predictable. These materials are designed with HVLP (VLP2) very low profile copper foil for low overall insertion loss for digital applications and low PIM for antenna applications. All of Isola 5G materials are designed for low moisture uptake and stable electrical performance across a wide range of temperatures to handle anticipated environmental conditions.
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Contact your Insulectro or Isola sales representative for more information.
Norm Berry
Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
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Become a Puma!
Help us map out the future of Printed Circuit Board 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
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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Geoff shouts: "Are you FLEX-able!'
Go Hot or Cold on Pyralux®
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Pyralux® FR Handles the Heat
Pyralux® FR offerings are the answer to flame retardant demands for Flex applications which require adhesives. The flame-retardant properties of the FR adhesive partnered with a high decomposition temperature are the reasons for its successful track record in thermally demanding environments.
Pyralux® FR Acrylic adhesives offer great adhesion to Kapton®, 2 years of shelf life, and most importantly maintain dynamic flex capabilities. The acrylic adhesive is specially formulated for a variety of products including bondply, coverlay, sheet adhesive and copper clad laminates (RA copper or ED copper).
Pyralux® LF Keeps it Cool
For colder demanding operating environments, Pyralux® LF has a proven track record in cryogenic environments with low outgassing. Also offered with a specially formulated acrylic adhesive, the Pyralux® LF composites are offered in bond plys, coverlays, sheet adhesives and copper clad laminates (RA copper or ED copper).
Pyralux® laminates are the only choice to enable high reliability, high density circuitry for flex applications.
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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
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Geoffrey Leeds
Flex Product Manager
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Insulectro Unleashes the
Incredible Power of 5
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Jeff Mason Has Vision
If It Ain't Broke,
Fix It Anyway!
June 2021
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With the level of business we currently all enjoy, it is sometimes hard to take the time and energy to contemplate how we get faster, more efficient, and better at what we do every day.
With tools like system and equipment automation, we sometimes forget the basics that have been developed over the past 40 years in the area of manufacturing/warehousing improvements. Concepts like JIT, workflow optimization, reduction of setup times, work cell design optimization, and continuous improvement in quality and productivity.
While automation is a part of this, there is much that can be done to control processes, improve cycle times, reduce in-process inventory, and increase operator involvement in the optimizing of individual work area flow and efficiency.
I am as guilty as anyone when faced with the daily frenzied activity to simple be content with ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. It is a much different landscape today than it was back in the ’80s when many of these concepts were developed and have since been refined to the point we are at today, but there are so many examples in all industries where these concepts can make dramatic improvement in our businesses.
While our processes are not nearly as complicated as those of our customers, I can see significant opportunities to improve what we do to become a World-Class Production operation.
Jeff Mason
VP of Operations
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It's Not Too Late!
Past OEM FORUMS Available for Viewing
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You probably know by now our one-hour OEM FORUMS have garnered rave reviews and great attendance. Have you missed one and want to catch up?
All OEM FORUMs from our library are available by clicking on the box to view our complete library on VIMEO.
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Undisputed Industry Leader
Pacothane - Lamination Assist Products For PCB Production
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PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES is the world's leading manufacturer of products to enhance and assist the production and quality assurance process for the lamination and manufacture of printed circuit boards [PCB].
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
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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
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We help customers select the correct product for their specific application
- We continuously improve functionality to reduce customers' finished product costs
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WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE BEST SUPPORT AVAILABLE
Mike Carnarius (Southwest) and Pedro Rosales (Northwest) Insulectro Field Application Engineers are ready to assist customers with their lamination challenges through troubleshooting and making application based recommendations
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Mike Carnarius
Field Application Engineer Southwest
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Pedro Rosales,
Field Application Engineer
Silicon Valley
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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.
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PACOTHANE TECHNOLOGIES® Proudly Produced in the USA with American Labor and American Materials!
And, don't forget, recently published Pacothane® Product Sample Guide available. Contact me for details.
Joe Bevan
Product Manager, Pacothane
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@Mike Creeden
Quality Assurance Points Your Company
in the Right Direction
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Every OEM has a “Quality Concern,” but different OEMs have varied approaches to the “Assurance Effort” for quality. We will discuss some of the varied approaches and what the ramifications might be.
The electronics industry has many horror stories of companies that had a great innovative product idea but failed to design the product with quality and reliability in mind. Many companies, likewise, have considered quality after the fact and experienced the costs and delays when quality is an afterthought.
True success occurs when proactive quality assurance is a mandate from day one. There is a price to pay for proactive quality assurance; however, it will always be less than the cost if ignored. Many companies start up or operate on a very tight budget so this QA price can be a challenging investment to make. The smart approach is to utilize the research and effort that already exists in the industry from Subject Matter Experts (SME).
Quality Assurance (QA) – The maintenance of a desired level of quality in a service or product, especially by means of attention to every stage of the process of delivery or production.
PCB/PCBA documentation is a way of communicating throughout the manufacturing process the engineering design intent to the manufacturing suppliers, so the end product will function as designed. This documentation is not just a recipe on how to build the board, but it also provides specific details for inspection, so that the supplier’s internal Quality Assurance (QA) can verify the PCB/PCA’s compliance in meeting the engineering design intent noted in the actual documentation.
Therefore, it is very important that this documentation be correct, accurate, and at a minimum follows industry standards. This documentation will be used each and every time throughout the product’s life cycle. Understanding what goes into this documentation and how it affects the overall manufacturing process, and how this documentation can positively or negatively impact downstream processes and decisions is very important. This documentation and its creations should be thoroughly understood by anyone creating a PCB/PCAs.
Verification, Testing, Compliance and Quality Assurance – This is a broad subject that will differ based on many circumstances and should be a consideration at every important milestone in the development process. Simulation and analysis will attempt to predict performance metrics or failure points prior to encountering them. Testing and verification measurements are performed on the actual part or a representative of the actual part after it has been built. These may be performed on the actual part, or on an entity called a “Coupon” that is built alongside the actual part. The goal of testing is simple, it is to verify that an entity is built to specifications and will perform as expected.
Testing searches the entire entity to detect any and all failure points. Ideally, it can be performed in a timely manner revealing where and how the failure occurred. This is best achieved when it can reveal flaws before further effort is spent on a failed product. This can be accomplished in a benign method causing no harm to the product under test, or it can happen in a destructive method sacrificing a sample unit to an invasive test that renders that unit unusable.
Inspection and Quality Control can and should occur at any time during the operation as the line manager sees fit. The best value of good fabrication inspection and quality control process is to catch an issue when it occurs rather than waiting until the end, because at the end it may be difficult to determine where the problem occurred, wasting time, resources, and material.
At Insulectro, with our Design Education Program, we are 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.
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Stay safe, happy, and healthy! |
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Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
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CAC® Inc
Superior surface quality,
supporting thinner foils
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The best and most economical solution for using difficult-to-handle thin, reverse treated & double treated copper foils. Important to producers of increasingly high technology PCBs.
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Improve efficiency - All 4 edges are sealed from the factory, ensuring a pristine surface
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Increase productivity - supported 9µm to 140µm foils, eliminate handling defects
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Superior finish – Reduce image transfer by x2 with 8 mil CSC
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Limit variation – CSC achieves a more consistent CTE in terms of heat rise & cool down rate
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Supply chain simplification - North American sourced aluminum, steel & copper
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For additional information, please contact me.
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foil & CAC®
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Drills, routers, endmills!
Let Kemmer Improve Your Board Quality
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One area that is often overlooked in PCB manufacturing is the fabrication department.
Insulectro carries the Kemmer GmBH line of routers and endmills to supply all your routing needs. Our technical team is standing by to evaluate your needs and assist you in lowering your overall total costs, assessing your pain points, and offering solutions, as well as providing top quality and performing tools.
Contact us today and we will be happy to meet with your team and get started on improving your quality and lowering your tool costs.
Insulectro has inventory in many Router and Endmill diameters for immediate delivery. We look forward to assisting you!
Please contact your local Insulectro branch for additional product information and availability.
Geraldine Arseneau
Product Manager - Drill & Business Development - Canada
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Chris Hunrath on Future Tech
Investing in the Future
with New Technologies
June 2021
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This month, the Senate passed a bill to promote new technologies to better compete with China. I hope this is the start of change and we will see where it goes. Those of us that have been in the industry a long time have seen mass manufacturing migrations. First to Japan, then China.
It’s not that other countries/regions don’t make electronics, and more specifically, PCBs. It’s just that Japan and China have had profound impacts in both scale and technology.
This is because manufacturing drives many aspects of innovation. The need to increase density, quality, and speed of delivery force improvements that increase capability. When the capabilities are fed back to the engineers and designers, they can design more advanced systems. This is why it is so important the US keeps making PCBs, and why we in the industry must continue to innovate.
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On the flip side, we all have seen designers ask for structures that cannot be reliably built. There is certainly a need. Sometimes this challenge is best met by doing things differently.
Today, here in the US, there are PCB technologies not being utilized. Some are newer, some are older. Some have been experimented with, but due to time and or budgets never made their way into routine production. Is this the right time to get back to innovation?
While it’s true as an industry we have weathered the Pandemic, a lot of development work had to be set aside. Now that many of us have been vaccinated and Covid restrictions are lifting making travel easier, I hope we can get back to or start some of these projects.
New manufacturing equipment and processes we have discussed in the past are a great way to start. mSAP, aSAP, embedded passives, new laminates, pastes/inks, and films are just some of the technologies waiting for use in emerging designs. Some are part of an evolution, some are more disruptive, but we should consider what are the consequences of not setting aside some resources to support the future. Would you want to be a silver film (artwork) supplier to the PCB industry today?
We will continue to bring new products and processes to the industry. Let’s innovate together and move past what was a very unusual and challenging year.
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Stay sane, safe and see you soon.
Chris Hunrath
Vice President of Technology
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Stop Bingeing on NETFLIX:
Feast on Our Virtual Power Chats, Training Sessions, & Product Education
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With in-person meetings nearly impossible, Insulectro has turned to virtual meetings, webinars, parking lot drop-offs to keep in touch. There's no doubt these are trying and uncertain times, but what we're finding is customers are welcoming the time to become more knowledgeable about products, their applications, and potential new markets.
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Here is a listing of Power Chat Seminars we can do for your team, all online. . .
Pyralux® Product Line Overview
Geoffrey Leeds, FLEX Product Manager
Laminate Manufacture and Selection
Norm Berry, Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
Copper Foil Overview
Copper Foil for High Speed Digital
Mark Satchwell, Product Manager - Foils
High Speed Flex Materials
Geoffrey Leeds, FLEX Product Manager
Consider The Composite: HSD Material Attributes to
Mitigate Insertion Loss
Norm Berry, Director of Laminates & OEM Marketing
Design - Making Revision 1 Work
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
Material - the Science
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Material - the Process
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Material - Industry Application & Usage
Various Insulectro Subject Matter Experts
Design - Material Implementation (HDI, SI, High-Speed, RF)
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
Design - Advanced Placement and Routing
Michael Creeden, Technical Director, Insulectro Design Education
FocusTech Chemistry
Jeff Johnson, Product Manager - Dry Film/Chemistry/Paste & FAE
TADCO® Lamination Tooling
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Drilling and Routing
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Geraldine Arseneau, Product Manager - Drill, Business Development - Canada
Getting Started with Flex PCBs
Chris Hunrath, VP of Technology
Get to Know SlickBack® and Bullseye®
Paul St. John, Director of National Sales LCOA
Geraldine Arseneau, Product Manager - Drill, Business Development - Canada
Pacothane® – Pad & Release Products
Pacothane® – Conformable Products
Pacothane® – High Temp Lamination Products
Joe Bevan, Product Manager - Pacothane®
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Design Education - An Insulectro Priority
Insulectro Sponsors New Design Trade Association
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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.
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If you are a professional serving in the printed circuit industry from any associated discipline, you are encouraged to join. Membership is free and you’re encouraged to be involved as we all seek to collaborate, educate and inspire one another. Visit the web-site at: www.pce-a.org
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As advertised in i-Connect 007's PCB Magazine.
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Insulectro PumaNews™ will write, curate, and publish current provocative articles on the phenomenon of 5G and the impact it is expected to bring to the way we live our lives. |
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Here's what we think. . . |
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The 5G World
by Mike Creeden CID+ MIT
Technical Director, Insulectro Design & Education
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5G Rollout Still Progressing
The hype around 5G has been brewing for some time, but we are finally starting to see the early research and development bear fruit. This technology promises to change our lives by connecting everything around us to a network that is 100 times faster than our cellular connection and 10 times faster than our speediest home broadband service.
But it is not just about speed for speed's sake. While the move from 3G to 4G LTE was about faster connections, the evolution to 5G is so much more. The combination of speed, responsiveness, and reach could unlock the full capabilities of other new trends in technology, offering a boost to self-driving cars, drones, virtual reality, and the internet of things.
Imagine swarms of drones co-operating to carry out search and rescue missions, fire assessments, and traffic monitoring, all communicating wirelessly with each other and ground base stations over 5G networks. Similarly, many think 5G will be crucial for autonomous vehicles to communicate with each other and read live map and traffic data.
Mobile gamers should notice less delay - or latency - when pressing a button on a controller and seeing the effect onscreen. Mobile videos should be near instantaneous and glitch-free. Video calls should become clearer and less jerky. Wearable fitness devices could monitor your health in real-time, alerting doctors as soon as any emergency arises.
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So how fast could it be?
The fastest current 4G mobile networks offer about 45Mbps (megabits per second) on average, although the industry is still hopeful of achieving 1Gbps (gigabit per second = 1,000Mbps) Chipmaker Qualcomm reckons 5G could achieve browsing and download speeds about 10 to 20 times faster in real-world (as opposed to laboratory) conditions.
That would allow you to download a high-definition film in a minute or so. The big improvement in speed and latency will come when service providers roll out standalone 5G networks, where both the core and radio networks use 5G tech. They could easily achieve gigabit-plus browsing speeds as standard. But these are not likely to come until next year.
5G uses a new radio technology, but you might not notice vastly higher speeds at first because 5G is likely to be used by network operators initially as a way to boost capacity on existing 4G core networks, to ensure a more consistent service for customers. The speed you get will depend on which spectrum band the operator runs the 5G technology on and how much your carrier has invested in new masts and transmitters.
Why do we need it?
The world is going mobile, and we are consuming more data every year, particularly as the popularity of video and music streaming increases. Existing spectrum bands are becoming congested, leading to breakdowns in service, particularly when lots of people in the same area are trying to access online mobile services at the same time. 5G is much better at handling thousands of devices simultaneously, from mobiles to equipment sensors, video cameras to smart streetlights.
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Will I need a new phone?
Yes, but when 4G was introduced in 2009/10, compatible smartphones came onto the market before the infrastructure had been rolled out fully, leading to some frustration among consumers who felt they were paying more in subscriptions for a patchy service.
Will it work in rural areas?
Lack of signal and low data speeds in rural areas is a common complaint in the UK and many other countries. But 5G won't necessarily address this issue as it will operate on high-frequency bands - to start with at least - that have a lot of capacity but cover shorter distances. 5G will primarily be an urban service for densely populated areas.
Lower-frequency bands (600-800Mhz typically) are better over longer distances, so network operators will concentrate on improving their 4G LTE coverage in parallel with 5G roll-out. But commercial reality means that for some people in very remote areas, connectivity will still be patchy at best without government subsidy making it worthwhile for network operators to go to these places.
What is the difference between 5G Wi-Fi and regular WIFI?
The 2.4 GHz band provides coverage at a longer range but transmits data at slower speeds. The 5 GHz band provides less coverage but transmits data at faster speeds. The range is lower in the 5 GHz band because higher frequencies cannot penetrate solid objects, such as walls and floors. The primary differences between the two frequencies are the range (coverage) and bandwidth (speed) that the bands provide.
The 2.4 GHz band provides coverage at a longer range but transmits data at slower speeds. The 5 GHz band provides less coverage but transmits data at faster speeds. The range is lower in the 5 GHz band because higher frequencies cannot penetrate solid objects, such as walls and floors. However, higher frequencies allow data to be transmitted faster than lower frequencies, so the 5 GHz band allows you to upload and download files faster.
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Your Wi-Fi connection on a particular frequency band can also be faster or slower because of interference from other devices. Many Wi-Fi-enabled technologies and other household devices use the 2.4 GHz band, including microwaves and garage door openers. When multiple devices attempt to use the same radio space, overcrowding occurs.
The 5 GHz band tends to have less overcrowding than the 2.4GHz band because fewer devices use it and because it has 23 channels for devices to use, while the 2.4GHz band has only 11 channels. The number of channels that are available to you depends on the regulatory domain. If you are experiencing a lot of interference from other devices, consider using the 5 GHz band.
What does 5G mean to us in the PCB world?
Because the innovation of 5G is on the near horizon, how we embrace it may have a significant impact on the destiny for us as individuals and companies in our industry. We have a choice on how we embrace adapting to innovation. As you think about these potential technologies, consider that each one of these innovations will require circuit boards from all industry sectors and this is our collective business.
In this column we will look at 5G technical challenges, solutions, and applications. We hope to hear from you on some of the issues you’ve faced and successes you’ve had as we build, “The 5G World”.
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INSULECTRO'S COPPER & COPPER FOIL OFFERINGS |
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Not All Foil is Created Equal!
Copper Complexity & Clarification!
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Bonded Copper foil onto an Aluminum carrier ensures that not only is the low-profile topography protected the surface is clean, free from causing signal integrity defects as all FOUR edges are sealed.
Carrier foil is available for 1µm up to 5µm, now CAC bridges that gap offering foils from 6µm to 140µm.
With three aluminum options (7 mil, 10 mil and 15 mil) available AND the ability to incorporate your tooling hole pattern, a fresh look at a tried and true design is necessary!
Panel size options range from 12 x 18” up to 26 x 38”, in top, bottom or middle configurations.
- Increased efficiency by reducing the # of 0.062 separators to be cleaned & used
- Reduce surface imperfections as the aluminum carrier protects the Cu surface for SI
- Aluminum CTE expands under temperature, reducing surface wrinkles on Cu foil
- Ability to handle thin & low-profile Cu foils down to 6 µm with a VLP2 or IPC A profile
- Simplified supply chain: American stocked Aluminum and Copper foils
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For additional information, please contact me.
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Foil & CAC®
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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.
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Shurloc Frame Systems:
With a minimal cost and an immediate return on investment, the day you begin using the system and stretching……why wait?
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When overusing screen mesh, you gradually reduce the opening in between the threads of the fabric. As these threads receive hit after hit by the edge of the squeegee rubber, the fabric threads “cords” of the mesh will lose their round shape and become flatter and more oval-shaped.
This flatness of the thread will begin closing the opening between these woven threads resulting in less ink being displaced across the panel surface. More importantly, you will lose coverage over critical areas where you really need the ink such as at the knee of the trace.
Below are pictures taken with a microscope showing new mesh, and the other on used mesh showing the thread breakdown in the fabric and the reduced openings.
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IBC Brushes!
“Are you thinking that you’re getting the complete life out of your pumice brushes by using them until the operator can no longer adjust the brushes any further?”
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Working with IBC for over the past 15 years, we’ve worked together in making sure that their pumice brushes are manufactured with the best possible specifications to give optimal performance to the printed circuit industry.
In many cases, I’ve seen where customers will keep the brushes in the machine until there is no further adjustment left in the mechanical adjustment system. At this point, the operator usually goes to maintenance and lets them know it's time to change brushes, is this what you are experiencing?
The illustration below shows how running your brushes too long could influence the topography results on the surface of the panel. As the bristles of the brush become shorter and shorter, they lose the ability to flex and drag the pumice particles across the surface of the copper giving optimal surface topography for proper soldermask or dryfilm adhesion. Instead, the bristles could act as a broom when they become too short and sweep the pumice particles away!
Please contact us for a brush quote and see how our Equipment Services can be tied in to optimize your machine’s performance!
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“Customers are beginning to see the difference in having us assist their maintenance staff in the ever-important preventative maintenance programs needed to uphold an equipment’s performance.”
Remember that we can assist in your equipment needs through the following.
- Equipment Reviews and Audits
- Service and support
- Preventative Maintenance Programs
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Ruben really gets into his work! He looks forward to assisting you with your equipment.
Ruben Zambrano
Field Application Engineer
Cell: 847-345-3759
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Please reach out should you like to discuss any of these topics further.
Thank you.
Kevin Barrett,
Product Manager & TAM
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Today's Copper Foils
for Tomorrow’s Applications!
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Tailored to meet market trends such as compartment miniaturization, vehicle electrification and increased connectivity demands require improved characteristics of both wrought and ED foils.
Focus on wrought solutions such as:
- Low profile height (Rz) for signal integrity, as low as 0.4µm
- Consistent profile height across the web which does not change when ordering thicker foils
- Alloy foil with Increased tensile strengths which can exceed 700Mpa
- Grain structure in terms of large crystals and uniform orientation improves fatigue resistance and provides excellent vibration resistance.
- Thermal resistance to withstand hostile environments for automotive applications.
Wrought foils released to IPC 4562A in grade 5, grade 7 and grade 8.
Call us to find out more – we love to talk about this stuff!
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Give us a call to discuss how CAC can help you
make better circuits faster.
Mark Satchwell
Product Manager, Copper Foils
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Hard to Process Metals?
Our Beck's Light Gauge Process Is What You're Looking For
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We enjoy processing metals that most shy away from.
Our specialties include:
- 0 temper aluminum for deep drawing
- One Side Bright aluminum for the auto or name plate industry
- Clad Heat Treated Aluminum for the aerospace industry
- Litho Sheet for the printing industry
- Bright Annealed and Polished Stainless for the appliance industry
- Soft Copper
- Coated Products (aluminum or steel)
- Titanium
In other words “Jewelry”. We are a white glove, hand stacking operation giving us the ability to inspect each sheet or piece.
We have been qualified by many top Stainless and Aluminum producing mills as well as a long list of metal distributors. Many of our customers have their own cut to length equipment. Generally for a wide range of gauges.
Because our leveler was built for light gauge, we can correct flatness issues other larger roll levelers cannot. Quite often we get used to free up our customer’s line time by running the lighter gauges or more difficult time consuming jobs.
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Call Matt to find out more about our Beck's process and all that CAC® has to offer. |
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Matt Swanson
General Manager, Toll Processing
CAC®, Inc.
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Everyday Materials You Need, On Our Shelves Every Day
Insulectro recognizes the importance of maintaining adequate inventory to begin work. Designers know when you need it, you need it. Using the link getpumafast.com, you can see what PumaFast™ and standard materials we stock to get you up and running.
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Covid-19 has not stopped our ACT! initiatives!
We have successfully collaborated on many ACT! opportunities.
We are delivering on Technology, Design and Education while you can bank on the sales results!
We are virtually taking our ACT!
to another level!
Insulectro and our partners are moving the chains to help our customers exceed performance goals. Our team of professional and technical resources are now offering our customers access to design and education services.
This is a Game Changer!
Our ACT! Initiatives combined with our design and education services provide our customers a total solutions package with a one-stop-shop option.
Our customers now have total access to not only our Insulectro foot print, best in class products, materials on the shelf when you need them; but also the expertise to deliver solutions from design to delivery…FAST!
Call me and to set up a VIRTUAL ACT! with your customer.
There's a reason I'm smiling.
Ron Murdock
ACT! Manager & Technical Account Manager
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To be the easiest company to do business with. . .
Insulectro has a program for continual improvement, all designed to make ourselves as user-friendly as possible to our customers, their customers, and our suppliers. Speed Matters, so we focus a lot of attention on getting you the materials you need as quickly as possible.
Our PumaFast™ Program lists current inventory of everyday materials you need every day.
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Best-in-Class Materials
from our Premier Suppliers
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