News


More high tech processes and new plant for PCB maker

20 April 2005 News

The demand for narrower tracks and spacings, smaller hole sizes and environmentally-friendly surface finishes has caused PC board manufacturer TraX Interconnect in Cape Town to introduce major process upgrades.

A fully automatic electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) line has been installed as an alternative to the popular Macstan immersion tin line. Both these final finishes are lead-free. Hot air solder levelling (HAL) is still offered and remains popular, particularly for military applications.

Other process improvements include the latest HMS horizontal etching line from Germany to allow finer tracks and spacings. This line works in conjunction with the latest Mecer copper recovery and environmentally-friendly etchant control plant. To improve inner-layer adhesion and cosmetics, the manual oxide line has been replaced by a new horizontal automatic line from the UK.

Finer tracks and spacings have led to a new photo-resist developing line from France. In the same area, standard pre-cut panel sizes are now cleanly and neatly clad with resist by a new cut sheet laminator. The photo-plotters have been replaced with a very accurate automatic loading Swiss unit. A dedicated automatic optical inspection (AOI) machine allows complex artwork to be inspected before use. In addition, TraX has a Camtek Orion AOI for all inner layer inspections and for inspecting complex outer layers. The Orion AOI received an R800 000 upgrade last year to increase operating speed and to cater for cross-hatched planes. Last November, a second scoring machine was purchased and installed to cope with the increased demand for V-scored panels. The high-speed auto-loading Lenz drill continues to meet tight tolerance multilayer requirements. A second unit is currently under discussion.

The company's popular FasTraX service has been slicked up to cater for increasing high-tech multilayer speed work. TraX has six front-end engineers working shifts to prepare jobs for production. At the other end of the process, there are four Microcraft 'Emma' net-list testers that often work round the clock to meet delivery dates.

To satisfy a growing demand, TraX has acquired a controlled-impedance test system from Polar Instruments to measure impedances before despatch.

TraX is a Proudly South African company with ISO 9001:2000 and UL approval.

For more information contact Frank Ellis, TraX Interconnect, +27 (0)21 712 5011.



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Seven Labs partnership enhances local electronics distribution
Seven Labs Technology News
Aimed at revolutionising the electronics distribution landscape in South Africa, Seven Labs has announced a partnership with LCSC, one of China’s most reputable electronics distributors.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: How electronics is shaping modern warfare
Technews Publishing News
From radar systems and encrypted communications to drones and cyber warfare, electronic devices have transformed the battlefield into a highly digitised and networked environment.

Read more...
Global semiconductor sales increase 18,7% YoY
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that global semiconductor industry sales hit $51,3 billion during the month of July 2024, an increase of 18,7%.

Read more...
Renesas completes acquisition of Altium
News
Altium is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas, with Altium CEO Aram Mirkazemi assuming the role of senior vice president and head of Renesas’ Software & Digitalization.

Read more...
Altron Arrow joins forces with Identiv
Altron Arrow News
The strategic collaboration with Altron Arrow expands Identiv’s reach in the southern African market.

Read more...
The rise of AI expertise as a new employment trend in South Africa
Editor's Choice News
As artificial intelligence (AI) technology continues to evolve globally, its integration into the South African business landscape is becoming increasingly prominent, and this shift has triggered a surge in demand for AI specialists.

Read more...
SSD-based RAID offload tech named ‘Best of Show’
News
KIOXIA Europe GmbH announced that its RAID Offload on SSD technology received an FMS ‘Best of Show’ award in the ‘Most Innovative Technology’ SSD technology category.

Read more...
Robotic dog monitors manufacturing facility
News
Named Rover, the Boston Dynamics-built robot dog helps engineers save time, while also enhancing safety in the facility.

Read more...
Bluetooth Channel Sounding provides sub-metre accuracy
Altron Arrow News
Bluetooth Channel Sounding is a new protocol stack designed to enable secure and precise distance measurement between two Bluetooth LE connected devices.

Read more...
Workshop: Product development and industrialisation
News
SKEG is excited to join forces with The Lion Cage to present a workshop on the intricacies of product development and industrialisation to assist in guiding innovative ventures to scale.

Read more...