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64 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2023 Article by Anaya Vardya AMERICAN STANDARD CIRCUITS Introduction One of the biggest challenges facing PCB designers is not understanding the cost drivers in the PCB manufacturing process. is article is the latest in a series that will discuss these cost drivers (from the PCB manufacturer's perspective) and the design decisions that will impact product reliability. Final Finishes Final finishes provide a surface for the com- ponent assembler to solder, wire bond, or con- ductively attach a component pad or lead to a pad, hole, or area of a PCB. e other use for a final finish is to provide a known contact resis- tance and life cycle for connectors, keys, or switches. e primary purpose of a final finish is to create electrical and thermal continuity with a surface of the PCB. HASL (Hot Air Solder Leveling) e next finish to discuss in this series is HASL. Choosing a surface finish means weigh- ing the pros and cons associated with each, typically a combination of application, cost, and the properties of the finish. For example, DFM 101 Final Finishes: HASL