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NOVEMBER 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 43 What about work-life balance? I know you have a very impressive and complex LEGO collection. How do you keep busy outside of work? I read and write. I have written 17 unpublished novels, scads of e-books, and I read 400 books a year. I also walk four miles a day, and I am on the board of our local library and chair of the finance committee at our church. Dan, we've known each other for a little while now, and I know you are passionate about what you do. What do you love most about your work? I love helping people and companies. I love fig- uring out their strategy. I love recruiting new talent, helping people find jobs, and I love, love, love making companies and people "famous." It's a real kick. I also spend time with other con- sultants, helping them launch and publicize their businesses, and I enjoy that too. What do you see when you look toward the future? What do you hope for our business? Let's go global! We can make our industry a shin- ing light of cooperation if we all work together for the greater good. Someone (more than one person) once complained to me that "the Chi- nese did not play fair because the government backs them, and they all talk and work and coop- erate with each other." My answer was, "What's stopping us from doing the same? Our govern- ment should be supporting us, and we should all be working together." We will never achieve greatness as an industry until we start working together. The PCB manufacturing industry is exciting and always interesting, but it's a tough business. What are some words of wisdom for others about surviving and thriving in this industry? Go tell your damn story. Stop hiding. To succeed, you need to be found. Get your head out of the shop and study your customers: What do they want? What do they need? How can you help them succeed? Most of all, bring the customer to the table with everything you do. At least once a year, sit down with your team and work on your strategic direction. Finally, don't be afraid to share. Working together will help ensure that you thrive. PCB007 BOOK EXCERPT The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to... DFM Essentials by Anaya Vardya, American Standard Circuits / ASC Sunstone Circuits Chapter 7: Solder Mask Solder mask is a protective coating that shields se- lected areas of a PCB from oxidation, handling, and unwanted solder during assembly. Green is the most common solder mask color. Solder mask application typically allows a 0.003" (0.076 mm) web to be placed between pads and oth- er features on the PCB, provided the minimum spac- ing between these features is 0.007" (0.178 mm) by de- sign. Not all colors can maintain this web size. It is rec- ommended that requirements and capabilities be dis- cussed with the fabricator. To ensure there is no solder mask on any pad in an SMD array, the minimum solder mask clearance for a surface mount pad is 0.002" (0.051 mm) per side. This is not applicable for panel sizes over 18" x 24" (45.72 cm x 60.96 cm). As space permits, a clearance of 0.0025"/0.064 mm per side is preferred. Allow 0.030" (0.762 mm) per side solder mask clearance for score lines. To prevent solder mask from going into and/or plugging a hole, the mask clearance should be 0.010" (0.254 mm) (0.005" [0.127 mm] per side) larger than the pad size on both sides of the board. Most PCB fabricators provide a variety of solder masks to satisfy the needs of all customers. Standard imaging equipment and processes are fine for stan- dard technology, but advanced technology with tight- er registration tolerances has driven the implementa- tion of laser direct imaging (LDI) solder masks (laser- defined solder mask pattern instead of screening). Tenting of Via Holes With Solder Mask Via hole "capping/tenting" is available through the via cap process. On a board coat- ed with LPI (liquid photoim- ageable) mask, the vias can be screened with an epoxy or acrylic solder mask material, creating a cap over the hole. Continue reading...