Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1494936
32 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2023 toll. We can develop stronger employees with more interest and eagerness to learn some- thing new; it's a win-win. So, as we look for- ward to changes in the upcoming months and years, let's use that higher perspective to see where we can automate tedious tasks and move those employees to more important tasks. We want them to develop meaningful skills and a greater understanding of the overall manu- facturing picture in the environment in which they are placed. Let's not look at it as employees who are los- ing jobs; automate the tedious and oen harm- ful tasks, then transfer that available brain power to where it can best be utilized. PCB007 Todd Kolmodin is VP of quality for Gardien Services USA and an expert in electrical test and reliability issues. To read past columns, click here. Interview by Nolan Johnson Nolan Johnson speaks with Patrick Stockbrueg- ger of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, whose paper, "Temperature Behavior of FR4 Substrates When Processing During Laser Depaneling," co-authored by Stephan Schmidt of LPKF Laser & Electronics Inc, won the Best Technical Paper award in the Next- Gen category at IPC APEX EXPO 2023. His paper demonstrated that the risks of heat damage to both FR-4 substrates and components during laser depaneling may not be as high as once thought, a finding he believes could potentially make laser technology more accessible in a wider range of applications. Patrick, you are the recipient of one of the awards for Best Technical Paper this year at IPC APEX EXPO 2023. Tell me about your paper. What was the research that you presented? The topic of our paper was temperature behavior of FR-4 substrates during laser depaneling. We mea- sured the temperature during processing at differ- ent distances to the cutting channel to see what kind of behavior the temperature has in the sub- strate; we integrated thermocouple elements into the substrate and then got a good measure of the temperature at each distance. We did this for different circumstances. We tested different laser variants because results can vary depending on whether you're using UV or green wavelength, or different laser powers. The paper shows that what is also special about basic planning is that it is very versatile. You can cut very clean on the one hand, but on the other hand, you can also cut very fast. Also, we added a view of the clean cuts and the fast cuts on both sides because usu- ally, we are only looking at the temperature behav- ior. If you are somewhere in between, you will also be somewhere in between those temperatures we measured, and that's a very interesting topic. To read the rest of this interview in Real Time with… Show & Tell Magazine, click here. Patrick Stockbruegger: Demystifying Laser Technology