Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1126810
38 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2019 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson Materials are no longer a passive part of the design; they play an active role in the manufacturability, reliability, and speed of a PCB. I-Connect007's Nolan Johnson and Mike Creeden, founder of San Diego PCB Design, discuss several key characteristics that design- ers should consider in their material selection process. Nolan Johnson: Mike, could you introduce your- self and tell us about what you're working on? Mike Creeden: I'm the founder of San Diego PCB Design, and I had the opportunity to sell the company to Milwaukee Electronics/Screaming Circuits, so we've joined the Milwaukee Elec- tronics family of companies. I also serve as an EPTAC instructor for the IPC CID and CID+ programs as an MIT (master instructor). Johnson: We're focusing on the latest developments in materials, and it's important to get a designer's perspective. Who do you see as being the leading companies in this segment? Creeden: When I think of the different materi- als and products that are out there, one com- pany comes to mind. So, I'm going to give some props to Insulectro, which is a distribu- tor for many of the major laminate material products. I want to talk about them because there's a difference between good and great companies. A great company is one willing to go outside of the norm, do something that helps the designer, and supports technology development. Their main customers are fabricators, yet time and time again, I've seen them support- ing designers by trying to enhance their tech- nical knowledge and capabilities. San Diego PCB has been collaborating with Insulectro for several years now and is looking for ways to collaborate more. They're helping us to design better, and we're utilizing products in a timely manner as they're helping us solve our custom- ers' problems. To me, Insulectro is a significant player in this electronics material industry. Technically Appropriate Material Choices Are Key to Success