Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1038326
72 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2018 but in a lot more ergonomic way—faster and more comfortable for the operators. The stack is also built up in a faster way be- cause we do pinless lamination, so the regis- tration of the inner layers will already be done on the InduBond bonding and registration side, which means we're going to have a book of cores already registered and bonded that have to be put together with the outer layer copper foils and prepreg. That part of the buildup is going to be easy and fast. The operator will build the final stack to be laminated on carrier plates, depending on the production needs. For example, they can do three or four panels or the full capacity of a press. Again, our idea is to make modular presses. You will be able to press five panels in one press because you are prototyping and need it fast, let's say, jumping the production line for some reason. But a side press can do 40 production panels in the same cycle. Be- cause we are not going from one general big press, the whole line will be very flexible. It's like modular single-head drilling machines; there can be one machine doing a job, and the next machine is doing a different job. That's the philosophy. The loading and unloading of the stacks will be done by similar automation as with the standard machines. You will have a transfer- ring automation in front of a line of different presses and a buffer where you store all the carriers or all the stacks waiting to be laminat- ed. According to our general control decision or criteria, this transfer automation system will go to the general buffer, pick up the stack of panels to be laminated, load it inside the avail- able press, close the press, and start the cycle. In the meantime, the system will load or un- load another press and deliver to the break- down table for the operator to separate panels and plates. Matties: It still requires an operator for separat- ing the panels. Was that something Alex was looking to automate or was he resigned to the need for human intervention there? Lázaro: This could probably be automated in the near future, but the whole lamination line Figure 2: Automatic lay-up station.