1. Burkle Roller Coat System for Liquid Resist Coat

Amitron begins its inner-core production with a chemical pre-clean which removes any residual matter and oxidation. Panels feed from the clean room environment where a 0.4 mil thick layer of liquid resist is applied by a Burkle roller coat system. Panels are cured for exposure by the same unit. This system enhances the core process, allowing for finer resolution and higher line and space densities.

2. Develop-Etch-Strip Line for Inner Cores

After exposure, multilayer inner cores feed from Amitron's cleanrooms into an integrated system that develops, etches, and strips the inner layers. This IS system is stainless steel and titanium. Computers control the parameters of the process, yielding consistent quality. Exiting the line is a finished core.

3. Automated Optical Inspection

Camtech Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) equipment is used to inspect all inner layers before proceeding to the next step in production. This process identifies opens, shorts, and reduced traces. It is better to locate these problems early in the process, prior to lamination.

4. Lamination

Multiple cavity presses from Burkle are then utilized to laminate the multilayer panels. This equipment features hot oil heated beds with vacuum for outgassing. Load systems move the panels from the hot presses to the cold press/cool down stages of the process. The entire lamination process is computer controlled.

5. Multilayer Registration

Multilayer hole-to-pad registration is controlled utilizing Pluritech x-ray equipment. X-ray locates targets on the internal layers and creates tooling holes for the drilling according to the location of the internal pads.

6. Drilling Department

Drilling is very critical to the printed circuit board process. Amitron uses Pluritec Mega six spindle machines for medium to high volume production. Lasers do a comparative analysis to the NC drill data, verifying drill bit diameter while checking tool length and runout (wobble). With drill speeds up to 120,000 RPM, Megas are not only precise and efficient, but drill some of the cleanest holes in the industry.

For small lots, we utilize Pluritec Geminis. Geminis drill the same panel stack with two spindles simultaneously. They feature auto-load and unload for lights off operation. These are excellent for prototypes due to their quick setup and unsurpassed speeds.

7. Hole Preparation

One continuous process deburrs, desmears and deposits conductive material in the holes of the drilled panels. This type of automation is found throughout Amitron's facility eliminating handling, reducing labor, and increasing overall process efficiency.

8. Auto Sheet Lamination

The panels continue directly into the Clean Room passing through the auto-laminator receiving dry film Photo-resist for the outer layer imaging process. Again this type of automation reduces time and increases the quality and overall efficiency of the process.

9. Artwork Inspection

Photo artwork is inspected utilizing magnification as well as automated optical inspection before progressing to exposure.

10. Clean Rooms

Imaging is performed in clean rooms utilizing Colite 1630 8Kw exposure units that are outfitted with C.A. Picard registration systems featuring vacuum hold-down, which creates excellent artwork registration. Rooms are temperature and humidity controlled.

11. Developing

Exposed panels exit our clean rooms feeding directly into IS developers that develop out the resist. Panels are then moved across the hall for copper/tin plating.

12. Automated Plating System

Copper/tin plating is eductor-based, allowing high aspect-ratio plating with superior copper distribution characteristics and surface to hole ratios. High output rates coupled with low labor content is an added plus.

13. Etching

From plating, the process panels travel to etching. PLC and in-process sensors provide excellent real-time control of the process. All copper is removed except the customer's circuitry that is etch-protected by the tin applied during the previous process. The tin is then stripped and the copper is cleaned and prepared for solder mask.

14. LPI Solder Mask

LPI is automated and processed utilizing TC5000 and DP1500 systems. Amitron can process many types and colors of masks. This unit applies LPI ink with computer-controlled squeegies and then "tack" cures the ink, preparing it for imaging. Once the panel is exposed and developed, it moves through final cure and on to surface coat.

15. Vertical Scoring

State-of-the-art Accuscore scoring equipment is used for fast, accurate V-grooving. X and Y tolerances are held to ±0.002". CNC routing is also utilized to remove individual parts or arrays from the process panel.

16. Testing

Amitron's state of the art test facility utilizes Mania dual side, double density test equipment to quickly and accurately detect opens or shorts if they exist. In addition to net list testing with this equipment, Amitron also provides flying probe and single side, bed of nails test capability as well.