March 2017 • The PCB Magazine 89
5
All About Flex: Creating a
Flexible Circuit Cutline
The perimeter dimensions of
a flexible circuit are often re-
ferred to as the cutline. While
rigid printed circuits are often
rectangular and generally a less
complex outline, the require-
ment for a flexible circuit to be
an integrated part of the prod-
uct packaging often involves unusual sizes, shapes
and features in the circuit perimeter.
6
Electroplated Copper Filling
of Through-holes:
Influence on Hole Geometry
The process consists of a
two-step acid copper plat-
ing cycle. The first step
utilizes periodic pulse re-
verse (PPR) electroplating to
form a conductive copper
bridge across the middle of
a through-hole and is fol-
lowed by direct current electroplating to fill the
resultant vias formed in the bridge cycle.
7
AT&S Provides PCB Technology
and System Integration
Expertise to World's
Smallest Speaker
Graz-based start-up
USound, in partnership
with several Fraunhofer
Institutes (IDMT, ISIT, IIS
and IZM) and utilizing
PCB technology together
with system integration expertise from AT&S, has
developed what is not only the world's smallest
speaker, but also the first based on micro-electro-
mechanical systems (MEMS).
8
Time-Lapse Video: The IPC
APEX EXPO 2017 Show in
Under Seven Minutes!
During IPC APEX
EXPO 2017, I-Con-
nect007 had time-
lapse camera running
from setup to closing.
The camera was po-
sitioned high in our
studio, where we con-
ducted our RealTimewith…IPC APEX EXPO video
interviews, aimed down the main aisle.
9
TTM Technologies Posts Sales
of $706.5M in Q4 Fiscal 2016
Net sales for the
fourth quarter
of 2016 were
$706.5 million,
compared to $668.9 million in the fourth quarter
of 2015 and $641.7 million in the third quarter of
2016.
J
EPTE Newsletter:
47th INTERNEPCON JAPAN
The 47th INTERNEPCON Japan electronics trade
show was held on January 18 at Tokyo Big Sight.
I attended the three-day NEPCON show in hopes
of discovering the next electronics breakthrough,
and examine the business trends within a shrink-
ing electronics industry.
For the latest PCB news and information,
visit: PCB007.com
