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16 PCB007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2023 Wet Process Start-up Considerations tials to aid you in starting up the wet processes for your new facility. Scale of Production Before you start planning out how you want your PCB shop to function, you will need to lay out your goals. For instance, it's important to know the type of circuit boards you plan to make, as well as how many you want to make and how quickly you want to produce them. Knowing this information is vital because it will drastically shape your manufacturing pro- cess. Depending on your products, you may have to utilize different photoresists and wet processing chemicals (i.e., different cleaning, developing, etching, and stripping solutions). Are you (or your company) considering starting your own PCB fabrication process? Aer the most recent IPC APEX EXPO, maybe you've made connections to help you with your start-up, but do you have a solid game plan? If you are new to managing a PCB shop, the first thing to know is that wet processing is essential in making PCBs. Wet processing steps—such as cleaning, developing, etching, and strip- ping— are among the many steps in the PCB fabrication process that require thorough plan- ning. When you are just getting involved in this industry, keeping track of all this can feel over- whelming. If you fit in this category, it's best to start with the basics and work your way up. Here are a few considerations and base essen- The Chemical Connection Feature Column by Christopher Bonsell, CHEMCUT