Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538540
nothing specific we're ready to jump on, but we're constantly scanning the horizon for what's next. During my last visit here, you were laser-marking each core. Hendrickson: Right, we used to send every core through a laser marker to start the serial number. Since then, we streamlined the flow: We pre-kit the panels in MES, then serialize them at the direct- imager instead. You eliminated a whole step. How much time did that save? Hendrickson: At least one full-time operator who used to stand at the laser, kit panels, mark them, and move them along. Now they kit and go with no laser stop required. Did you lose traceability? Hendrickson: Only in the pre-clean line before imaging. Everywhere else we have full end-to-end traceability, and we can still backtrack through FIFO data if necessary. Is the laser-marking machine idle? Hendrickson: Yes, for now. It was expensive equip- ment, but we're exploring other uses here or at our other manufacturing facilities. The labor and cycle- time savings justify the change; you can't get hung up on sunk costs. There's not a mindset of, "We bought it, so we have to use it?" Hendrickson: Continuous improvement means challenging those paradigms and changing when- ever a better way appears. Closing the Loop on PCB Etching Waste As the PCB industry continues its push toward greener, more cost-efficient operations, Sigma Engineering's Mecer System offers a comprehen- sive solution to two of the industry's most persis- tent pain points: etchant consumption and rinse water waste. Designed as a modular, fully automated plat- form, the Mecer System regenerates spent copper etchants—both alkaline and acidic—and simultane- ously recycles rinse water, transforming a tradition- ally linear chemical process into a closed-loop sys- tem. The result is significant cost savings, dramat- ically reduced environmental impact, and a more stable, predictable etching process. Regenerating Etchant, Reducing Cost The Mecer System provides tailored modules for alkaline and acidic etchant recovery. Alkaline etchant recovery virtually eliminates the need for fresh replenisher chemicals, requiring only minor by S h a w n S to n e, P re s i d e n t , I EC 30 PCB007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2025 adjustments to replace drag-out losses. For cupric chloride-based etching, the system reduces hydrochloric acid usage by up to 95% while restoring the etchant's oxidizing capacity using an oxygen-based process. This approach sidesteps the safety and regulatory concerns of conventional reoxidizers such as chlorine gas or bleach. In both cases, dissolved copper is extracted from the etchant through solvent extraction M e c e r ' s a c i d i c e t c h a n t c o p p e r r e c y c l i n g s y s t e m — c a p a c i t y 1 8 0 , 0 0 0 l b s . c o p p e r p e r y e a r — h e l p s ▼ m a k e S E L ' s M o s c o w f a c t o r y a z e r o l i q u i d d i s c h a r g e f a c i l i t y .