Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/582861
32 The PCB Magazine • October 2015 has a built-in AOI step and it's fully digital, so you don't have to worry about repetitive defects from a contaminated setup. Then you might say, "Well, why not LDI?" LDI is not the most cost-effective solution. The materials associated with it have a higher cost. Then you have to really look at the indirect cost. With a dry film process in general, no matter how you image it, you have to develop the image. The developer is actually a pretty terrible limita- tion on the process. You'll hear from the imaging equipment suppliers, "We can hold this spot size, or we can hold this tolerance." Then when you develop it, you're putting it through a very primi- tive technology. With a dry film the thickness of the dry film is uniform, and if you look at an ink- jet image, you'll see that it's not uniform. Someone that's used to looking at dry film might say, "Well there's something wrong with the inkjet image." In fact, it's much better be- cause it tapers down from the center of the line to the edge, so that where you're actually etch- ing there is no profile—it tapers down to the copper. The actual difficulty of etching is less with inkjet versus dry film because the aspect ratio of the channel you're etching is less. What we find with inkjet technology is we can hold equivalent etched tolerances to laser direct im- aging because we don't have to contend with the aspect ratio of a channel and we don't have to contend with the developer. There are a lot of benefits to that. We also don't have to deal with thousands and thousands of liters of waste developer solu- tion every week that needs to be treated in some way, or need a permit that's regulated and need an outfall to the river or the POTW. Matties: You said innerlayer pre-cleaning through stripping is the first line they should automate. Stepinski: That should be automated in every factory. Matties: What would be the second line you would go after? Stepinski: It depends on the factory and the space. You have to look at what the space con- straints are. Typically most people have an innerlayer process pretty close to each other or somewhat in line as it is. You find that in most applications, and why it's broken up is a really good question. A lot of it's because the equipment is being bought piece by piece. It's not being looked at as a complete system to be integrated. Stepping back a little bit and paus- ing and looking at the big picture can save tre- mendous amounts of capital investment and tremendous amounts of operating cost later. I think that's what people miss. Matties: Thank you so much for everything. Stepinski: You're welcome, Barry. Thank you. PCB WHELEN ENGINEERING REDUCES CyCLE TIME By BUILDING A NEW AUTOMATED PCB FACTORy FeATure inside view of automated orbotech inkjet legend printing line.