SMTA Conducts First UHDI Symposium
March 29, 2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
SMTA’s first UHDI Symposium in Peoria, Arizona, on Tuesday, March 26 featured a standout full-day technical program with 11 separate presentations on what will be required for our companies to move to ultra HDI manufacturing.
The event was the brainchild of Tara Dunn, SMTA director of training and education. It included a compelling and collaborative presentation by David Haboud of Altium, John Johnson of American Standards Circuits, and Chrys Shea of Shea Engineering, who had spent the past several weeks creating and building an appropriate SMT test board vehicle for UHDI, something that was passed around for all conference goers to see and touch. Peoria Mayor Jason Beck offered opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of the electronics industry to Arizona and, specifically, Phoenix’s West Valley, where much effort has been made to create a business-friendly environment for location and expansion. Beck is owner of Tyr Tactical, a defense supplier that manufactures tactical personal gear for police and military personnel and understood the importance of manufacturing support for defense.
In recent years, Arizona has been a draw for tech and industry and hosts a significant semiconductor presence, most notably Intel’s $20 billion fab in Chandler, the new TSMC $40 billion fab in Phoenix, and more recently, the announcement of Tempe-based Amkor to build a $20 billion expansion to build a testing facility in Peoria near the TSMC site.
Much of the day’s presentations were focused on the absolute need to move to various additive manufacturing processes to achieve sub-10-micron lines and spaces, even down to 1.5 micron features and 0.5 micron spacing. “The Way to UHDI: From Subtractive through mSAP to SAP” was presented by KLA’s Nava Shpaisman. She cited etched copper thickness as the key parameter, moving from wet to dry additive processes, and starting with 100% metal and no glass. This sentiment was echoed later in the day by Paul Cooke of Ventec International Group, who commented that for very high-technology UHDI designs, it likely makes sense to remove all glass in substrates. He discussed very thin, high-performance Bondply materials and how Ventec is responding to the frequent contradictory high-tech requirements by creating hybrid solutions.
Later in the day, Brian Sinclair of AGC Multi-Material America Inc., headquartered locally in Tempe, reinforced the information presented in earlier sessions and briefly discussed build-up film (BUF) as a material of the future. He also adeptly outlined some of the technology push points that have landed us where we are, describing this as a unique time in history. Steve Karas of GreenSource Fabrication presented a UHDI case study, argued for the superiority of D Coupon testing, and shared what GreenSource has been able to accomplish regarding data aggregation, organization, and meaningful deployment. Throughout the day, several presenters and representatives of NSWC Crane provided excellent insight on the reliability of vias, root cause testing, and even workforce issues.
Page 1 of 2
Suggested Items
Delving Into Special Sessions at IPC APEX EXPO 2024
05/28/2024 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007Once again, we were back at IPC APEX EXPO for another show and conference, and back to gathering in the Anaheim Convention Center. With Disneyland just across the street, there were tourists everywhere. This APEX EXPO was bigger than ever, with more activities, Professional Development Courses, standards committee meetings, and the 16th Electronic Circuits World Convention. I really enjoyed walking around and seeing everything the show had to offer.
EU Commercial Counselors Visit IMI's Laguna Factory
05/28/2024 | IMIIntegrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. IMI’s Thibaut De Vaureix, head of mobility business unit, Sherwin Chang, business development manager and Sherwin Nones, strategic marketing and ESG manager welcomed the EU delegation led by Philipp Dupuis who visited the Laguna factory of IMI Philippines last May 24, 2024.
Vision Engineering Celebrates 30 Years of Mantis
05/27/2024 | Vision EngineeringVision Engineering, the world-leading provider of innovative inspection, metrology, and digital 3D visualization solutions, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its best-selling and award-winning Mantis range of ergonomic optical stereo microscopes.
Growing Wire Harness Industry in India Highlighted at EWPTE 2024
05/24/2024 | Brittany Martin, IPC/WHMA Marketing Coordinator“Made in India” was a central phrase at EWPTE 2024. The wire harness event hosted the inaugural “India Pavilion” which showcased Indian wire harness companies on the exhibit floor.
An AI Revolution in Wire Harness Manufacturing
05/24/2024 | Brittany Martin, IPC/WHMAIn the wire harness industry, a narrative unfolds that is as intricate and interconnected as its products. Arik Vrobel’s journey from El-Com Systems to the founding of Cableteque is one of enduring innovation, strategic adaptation, and a deep understanding of the industry’s evolving needs. His development of an AI application for the wire harness industry may be a game-changer for manufacturers.