Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1453746
FEBRUARY 2022 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 37 on their most complex designs, which makes sense, but it means the additive technology is being piled on top of an already messy build. It will take some time before board design- ers take full advantage of ground-up additive design. Matties: What is the tipping point for a designer to say, "is is where I must look at this? Or this is where I could look at it?" LaBeau: One example would be placing a com- ponent with particularly dense I/O or hav- ing to add layers to accommodate fan-out. A designer can rout many more 20-micron traces than 75-micron traces inside of a BGA. e ability to redesign PCBs to take advantage of additive manufacturing will depend on where a design is within the OEM's lifecycle, although component shortages may force redesigns. When it comes to new engineering or manu- facturing technologies, for example, direct dis- pense solder mask, the PCB industry is pretty risk averse. To get PCB shops to accept new manufacturing methods, the product had bet- ter not come out looking much different. Con- versely, taking a little risk may just lead to a PCB shop developing manufacturing capabil- ities that support next generation electronics. Matties: It's better to be in the front than in the rear. e first fax machine didn't make all the money. It was the second one. Brassard: Again, the fracturing of the manufacturing pipeline repre- sents a significant barrier to inno- vation. One way we believe we can break down these barriers is with the multi-party NDA, allow- ing OEMs to have direct conversa- tions with supply chain CTOs and high-level engineers with the goal of developing novel solutions. You want 2,500 or 5,000 I/Os on a sub- strate the size of your thumbnail? You will need the materials, chemistry, lithog- raphy, and equipment suppliers and distrib- utors' CTOs in the room with the OEM. I'm thinking about this as a "micro industrial com- mons." If the team can make it work, all com- panies have something novel to sell to their customers. Matties: In terms of demand or interest in addi- tive, are you seeing a growth curve? LaBeau: Yes. In fact, we have three designs run- ning on our shop floor now that are using semi- additive technology. e customer is forced to adopt it because they could not find a work- ing solution using subtractive manufacturing in the U.S. anywhere, and they need to do it for their end use applications. Matties: From a manufacturing perspective, is it more challenging or demanding for your team to build an additive vs. a traditional, if you will? LaBeau: e A-SAP process, for example, is not more challenging, but neither is it sim- pler. It really fits in line. e part that you can't overlook is it sometimes requires a few addi- tional pieces of equipment. You may need to have some money to purchase equipment which has not been necessarily available in our industry. What we're seeing is we can get