1996 Electronics Industry Environmental Roadmap - Civil and ...

Emerging Technologies
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of automation (in an effort to reduce variation, not necessarily increase throughput) and
processes that are environmentally friendly. These processes would use materials that do
not impact the environment with zero discharge process characteristics as a goal.” [33].
A variety of process improvements have been identified as part of a comprehensive
industry agenda for improving manufacturing processes, materials, and integration of new
technologies. The various roadmaps see as priorities several major process improvement
opportunities, each having environmental implications:
– Need for advanced manufacturing and process equipment to keep up with rapid evolution
of technology (infrastructure) is a continuing theme in the roadmaps, and new
technologies, such as 300-mm wafers, flex laminates, and chip-in-glass, will drive the
requirement for new equipment. The new equipment must incorporate much higher
levels of precision and intelligence, and provide industry an excellent opportunity to
“design-in” key features.
– Closed loop recapture and recycling of hazardous/valuable substances (point-of-use
abatement and recycling) is one example of a process that should evolve to become a
standard part of production processes.
– Increased use of in situ sensors and automation tools to control processes and collect
process data is a universal recommendation. The obvious benefit to the environment
is less product scrap and more efficient use of chemicals and materials. Generally, the
roadmaps address this in terms of productivity improvements or process integrity, but
improved process and sensors/monitors will yield valuable data for improving
environmental management as well.
– Improvements are also recommended at the fabrication level including lower temperature
curing materials or materials with shorter cure cycles to minimize energy
consumption (among other recommendations aimed at improvement in energy
consumption per square millimeter of silicon wafer processed), the elimination of
oxide treatments in adhesion promotion; reclamation of etchants; and permanent inner
layer etch resists in inner layer print. A variety of waste minimization
recommendations are also made including alternatives to drilling, alternatives to tin
lead etch resists, and the use of aqueous solder masks.
Other major recommendations include:
– Increasing role for lasers in curing, reflow management, direct write (eliminating
masks) and via formation may decrease the need for certain chemical processes or
more effectively manage waste through greater precision.
– Point-of-use generation in which chemical formulations are created in real time
during the production process, is recommended in several places in the roadmaps in
order to minimize storage of potentially hazardous substances.
– Continued improvement in on-site regeneration systems for plating baths, etchants,
and other process chemistries.
– Reduction of cleaning and rinsing steps and eliminating parts handling.
– Additive plating, no smear laminates or drilling systems, and alternatives to
electroless plating for PWBs.
– Improved use and recycling of water in processes.
– Water-based or solvent-free systems for PWB laminate production.