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September 2014 • The PCB Magazine 25 ALuMINuM BASE CIRCuIT TECHNOLOGy continues components. Thus the energy and time wast- ing baking steps that are commonly called for in conventional processing are obviated. De- pending on the complexity of the design, as it has been estimated independently by a number of manufacturing experts, the final cost of such assemblies could be 25–35% lower than tradi- tional methods (exclusive of the component cost). The actual savings will depend on the specifics of the design and savings may be less, however any savings in today's highly competi- tive global markets is both welcome and highly prized especially if the final product is not sub- ject to intense environmental scrutiny in search of metals and materials which are proscribed by EU regulations. Another economic benefit is that the com- ponents used do not require special finishes to maintain solderability, nor do they need special treatment to keep out moisture because they will not experience the high temperatures re- quired for lead-free solders. Eliminating the fin- ish can and should reduce the cost of the com- ponents at some point in time; however, it is possible that electronic component suppliers may in the near term charge a premium to the user for not adding solder balls or nickel-gold finishes processes. Finally, reliability also has an economic impact as warranty payouts for failed products can quickly cut into profits while si- multaneously undercutting the manufacture's reputation. figure 4: at any given lead pitch, solderless assembly methods can significantly reduce both layer count by freeing up routing space and assembly height as solder often makes up half of the overall height of a mount package.