Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1319500
50 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 Wikipedia defines training as follows: "Train- ing is teaching, or developing in oneself or oth- ers, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Train- ing has specific goals of improving one's capa- bility, capacity, productivity, and performance. It forms the core of apprenticeships and pro- vides the backbone of content at institutes of technology. In addition to the basic training re- quired for a trade, occupation, or profession, training may continue beyond initial compe- tence to maintain, upgrade, and update skills throughout working life." In the electronics industry, the role of the supplier in training their prospective customer on the ins and outs of a plating process is par- amount to the success of any new installation. This is particularly important, as there are very few curriculums in formal educational institu- tions that directly address the specific skill set needed by our industry. Plating is a very old industry and has been studied for many generations. Its basic prin- ciples are well understood and documented. However, when it comes to the intricate details of plating a circuit board, there is so much to learn and apply. Most of the plating chemistries in use today in printed circuit shops are proprietary to the specialty chemical supplier. Supplier R&D de- partments specialize in finding solutions to meet the ever-changing requirements of new circuit board designs. The net result is a series of products that, when used in a specific way, would give the desired outcome. Suppliers do not divulge their trade secrets to their buyers— the circuit shops. Instead, they describe the product and ex- plain its capabilities to the buyer and supply a detailed data sheet that contains instructions for use, which includes makeup procedures for the electrolyte or the bath, as well as its Training for Plating Processes in the Electronics Industry The Plating Forum Feature Column by George Milad, UYEMURA