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MARCH 2024 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 45 HDI requirements have triggered recent advancements in outer and inner layer etch- ing lines—most notably with regard to vacuum etching. Vacuum etching uses suction units between the spray bars to extract the used etchant and allow the newly sprayed etchant direct access to the copper surface. In addition, these lines automatically control temperature and chemistry concentrations to ensure con- sistent production. While they may have been designed with HDI technologies in mind, there is no denying their positive impact on heavy copper. Part 2 of this article will appear in the April 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine. Yash Sutariya is president of Saturn PCB Services, Inc. Figure 6 Heraeus Printed Electronics GmbH and SÜSS MicroTec have announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to pave the way for digital inkjet printing of metallic coatings for semi- conductor manufacturing. The partnership com- bines the core competences of both companies to enable digital printing solutions for mass production in the electronics industry for the first time. Heraeus Printed Electronics offers metallic inks, deep process knowledge and printing systems. It complements the broad product portfolio of Her- aeus to the electronics industry. The Prexonics technology enables selective printing on different substrates for a wide range of applications such as shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI), printing of conductive structures and metal- lization for heat dissipation. "This collaboration rep- resents the missing piece in the mosaic of scaling to mass production for us, having recently passed the important milestone of ful- filling the broad functional requirements of the semi- conductor industry with our ground-breaking technol- ogy," said Franz Vollmann, head of Heraeus Printed Electronics. SÜSS MicroTec, known for its advanced equip- ment and process solutions for semiconductor man- ufacturing, brings its leading-edge automation plat- form and industrial inkjet production capabilities to the table. Their high-volume production equipment, JETx, designed to integrate various printhead and substrate technologies, expands the application potential of Heraeus' digital printing technology. The scope of the collaboration calls for the devel- opment of equipment that integrates Heraeus' digi- tal printing technology, image processing software and advanced ink technology into SÜSS MicroTec's automation and JETx platform. The end goal is a state-of-the-art system with a competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) that not only sets new standards in the industry, but also aligns with Heraeus and SÜSS MicroTec's vision of cost and performance opti- mization. The product of this partnership looks to redefine the boundaries of what is possible and push forward into a future where technology serves as the cornerstone for innovation and growth. (Source: Heraeus) Heraeus Printed Electronics, SÜSS MicroTec Join Forces to Revolutionize High-Volume Semiconductor Manufacturing