34 The PCB Design Magazine • March 2017
Electroplated Copper Filling of Through-
holes: Influence on Hole Geometry
The process consists of a two-step acid copper
plating cycle. The first step utilizes periodic pulse
reverse (PPR) electroplating to form a conductive
copper bridge across the middle of a through-hole
and is followed by direct current electroplating to
fill the resultant vias formed in the bridge cycle.
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 de-
veloped what is not only the world's smallest
speaker, but also the first based on micro-electro-
mechanical systems (MEMS).
Time-Lapse Video: The IPC APEX EXPO 2017
Show in Under Seven Minutes!
During IPC APEX EXPO 2017, I-Connect007 had
time-lapse camera running from setup to clos-
ing. The camera was positioned high in our stu-
dio, where we conducted our RealTimewith…IPC
APEX EXPO video interviews, aimed down the
main aisle.
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.
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.
Help Wanted! Our 2017 Industry
Hiring Survey
This month we conducted an industry survey on
plans for hiring during the year. We started by sim-
ply asking, "Do you plan to hire additional people
this year?" More than half of the respondents an-
swered yes, while about a third said no—which we
take as an optimistic sign that our industry plans to
expand in 2017.
Flex Talk: Final Surface Finish—
How Do You Choose?
There are so many final surface finish options to
choose from today. How do you decide which is
best? HASL—both tin-lead and lead-free—immer-
sion tin, immersion silver, ENIG, OSP, and ENIPIG
are the primary finishes used in PCB fabrication.
Weiner's World—January 2017
This month's column is a bit shorter than usual as
we prepare for next month's IPC APEX EXPO and
its Executive Forum for PCB fabricators and their
supply chain. This month also marks the 65th an-
niversary of Epec LLC in New Bedford, Massachu-
setts. The company, founded in 1952, is the oldest
printed circuit fabricator in North America.
Cirtech Names John Stine as
Vice President of Operations
John will oversee the day-to-day operations to sup-
port the growth and profitability of Cirtech. John
will focus on strategic planning and goal setting,
as well as provide leadership to enhance our overall
performance and customer service experience.
All About Flex: Creating a Flexible
Circuit Cutline
The perimeter dimensions of a flexible circuit are
often referred to as the cutline. While rigid printed
circuits are often rectangular and generally a less
complex outline, the requirement for a flexible cir-
cuit to be an integrated part of the product pack-
aging often involves unusual sizes, shapes and fea-
tures in the circuit perimeter.
PCB007
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