Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1091269
22 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2019 is. And if you want to sell products in the Unit- ed States, you have to have UL, but UL testing regimes can be half or more of our product de- velopment time, particularly if you want things like their FR-15 and FR-15.1 testing—the long- term thermal aging tests for higher electrical and mechanical RTI values. We have to find quicker ways of qualifying products to UL be- cause the time to market is a huge part of our business. Ventec can develop a product quick- er than we can get UL approval on the product. Matties: The market demands are increasing. Goodwin: I agree. I can't start the testing regime until the product is developed, and then I have a further window of time. There's nothing I can do. And two to three months is probably okay, but 12–18 months is not. Matties: Time to market for the OEM is critical, and markets are moving at such a rapid pace such as LED lighting, which is an area that you focus on. Goodwin: Yes. And now developing markets for thermal management in other areas are even more interesting like power electronics, which is going to be an even bigger and more tech- nology-driven business. The electrical require- ments put onto the material are far higher in that power electronic sector than in the LED lighting sector where the only consideration is thermal impedance. Matties: Is UL sensitive to this? Goodwin: UL is not so bad with insulated met- al substrate (IMS) materials. The bigger issue with IMS materials is that there are no global standards. I think some of the ways IPC goes about things is a little old-fashioned, and be- fore anybody says, "Then get involved," we are involved and trying to change it. We're not just criticizing from the sidelines—we're shar- ing our point of view—but there's no IPC or any other global standard for test methods to measure thermal conductivity or impedance for IMS materials. It's like the old days when everybody used to pick the right test method for Tg to give them the highest number. We can all play that game, but what's it doing for anyone? Nothing; it's not helpful. Matties: You need real-world data. Goodwin: And we need a standard for that. We really do need IMS standards. It's been five or six years since IPC has been working on it. We can't get a standard, but we need one. Matties: What other challenges do you face in this business? Goodwin: Every day is a chal- lenge in the PCB and electron- ics industry. There's always pressure on prices and for fast- er deliveries, but we're well set for that. Matties: What impact have you seen in business so far regard- ing Brexit, tariffs, and the Chi- nese trading wars? Goodwin: Practically none yet, but the U.K. market has definite- ly slowed down in Q3 and Q4 last year more than we've seen Automated presses.