PCB Newsletter - acid copper plating, ENIG, ENEPIG - Uyemura ...

The Thunder You Hear...Our government has shown a frighteninginability to deal effectively with oureconomy. Yet, in the midst of this malfunction(and occasionally malfeasance),there's something equally insane afoot: aflood of new laws aimed directly at USmanufacturing industries. Ours included.It would be cynical to see this as nothingmore than poorly-conceived job creationfor government employees and consultantsat the expense of US business. Fornow, I want to address the specifics of theregulations on their merit (or lack thereof.)Conflict Minerals – In July 2010, languageon conflict minerals was sneaked into theDodd-Frank bill which regulates the financialindustries. This add-on will costpublicly-held companies throughout theU.S. hundreds of thousands each, as theyattempt to prove that none of the gold, tin,tungsten or tantalum they use is comingfrom a particular distressed area of theCongo.Those of us who sell gold have long beenrequired by DEA to assure that the metal isnot used for laundering drug money. Whatmakes that requirement work, is that it isactually do-able. All plating manufacturers,Uyemura included, have establishedpolicies and procedures to assist in thiseffort. This conflict law is different.Since Uyemura is a world leader in immersiongold chemistry, gold is our primaryconcern, and as written, the Dodd-Frankadd-on is virtually impossible to obey. Thereason is that none of the ore we usecomes directly to the U.S. to be refined,since we are not in the primary smeltingby Don Walshbusiness. (Note: there is one US miningcompany that only handles its own ore).Most gold in the US is sourced from recyclerswho provide highly refined gold fromscrap (jewelry, electronics, teeth, etc.).Manufacturers have beenpressed into service asthe uncompensatedenforcement arm ofgovernment agencies.For years, “conflict gold” was primarilymarketed by Arab brokers to companies inSouth East Asia. How much of that nowfinds itself in recycled scraps in the USmarket? No one knows, and more importantly,no one can know. There is no “goldDNA” and no ability to determine thegeographic origin of this material. Nomatter, though: the law demands thatpublicly-held companies hire teams ofexperts to audit this unknowable at greatexpense. It would be no less effective if weall hired fortune-tellers.Possible good news: a July 28, 2011position letter from Spencer Bachus (Chairof the House Committee on FinancialServices), Gary Miller (Chair of the subcommitteeon International MonetaryPolicy and Trade), Robert Dold (Vice Chairof the same subcommittee), and SteveStivers ( member of the House Committeeon Financial Services). points out that thisbill would be time-consuming and expensiveand requests reasonable modifications,including those applicable torecycled materials.Continued on back cover.

NEW FROMUYEMURA LABSUyemura is the international leader in the development of innovative, high-performance plating chemistriesfor the PWB industries. Improving the productivity and profitability of our customers is our #1priority – and no plating manufacturer invests more time, people and technical resources in makingthat happen.HEREʼS WHATʼS NEW FROM UYEMURA!Acid Copper Plating:Thru-CUP ECD-CF – for high-speed copperplating with insoluble anodes. Up to 40 ASFcurrent density; performance (throwing power,etc.) is unaffected by bath aging. Excellent forBVH immediately after make-up.Thru-Cup ECD-H – new acid copper for highspeed conformal copper plating with solublecopper anodes. Provides excellent throwingpower at high current density (3-5 ASD).Thru-Cup EVF-N – via filling acid copperwith soluble anodes for pattern or panelplating. High performance plating for throughholes, and blind vias of approximately 6 mildiameter.Thru-Cup EVF-YF – via filling acid copperwith insoluble anodes for plating blind vias andthrough hole. Suitable for pattern or panelplating; best for small diameter blind vias of 3to 4 mil diameter.For ENIG and ENEPIG:Thru-Cup ACL-634 - acid soakcleaner activates copper substrates,eliminates plating (including residualpalladium) in NPTH. Eliminates the needfor secondary drilling after ENIG; won'tdamage soldermask.Gobright TAW-66 - new, superiorperformance immersion gold operates at1 g/L gold metal. Low porosity and lownickel dissolution; excellent solder jointreliability.Gobright TLA-77 - new immersiongold provides excellent solderjoint reliabilityat low cost. Operates at only 0.4 g/Lgold concentration, reducing inventorycosts and drag-out losses.Also from Uyemura, anew product developedby MEC:MEC CZ-2030 – organicacid-type copper surface rougheningproviding performanceequal to CT-910 with fewercomponents. Holds up to 55g/L copper; allows adjustmentsin copper surfacetopography.Walsh Recognized for Distinguished ServiceUyemura Director of Operations Don Walsh was honored withthe IPC Distinguished Committee Service Award at APEX2011. The award is given to IPC committee members who havemade exceptional contributions to a standard or IPC program.This committee service award recognized Don for hisoutstanding work with the Process Consumables StatisticalSubcommittee. As a direct result of his efforts, Japanese salesdata will be included in global studies that will help all IPCmembers make more informed decisions.In addition to his work with the Statistics Subcommittee, Donchairs the Suppliers Council, and serves as well on the GovernmentRelations Committee.

Milestones & Silver Linings (continued)Uyemura was grateful to see sales double in 2010. In 2011, it appears we will quadruplelast year’s sales for Talon Palladium. Talon electroless / auto-catalytic palladium forENEPIG is economical, solderable, and wire-bondable on Al and Au. Its stable bath hasa low palladium metal content. Deposition rate and deposit quality remain highly consistentthroughout the bath’s long life.While immersion silver use is static within the pcb industry, the solar panel industry hasproved to be an excellent growth market for Uyemura RGA silver. This simple processdirectly displaces copper in an immersion reaction. RGA deposits are highly consistent,and form an ideal soldering surface under eutectic and lead-free assembly temperatures.Interested in test processing?Talk with your Uyemura representative today.The Thunder You Hear... (continued)“Conflict” California-style – never to beout-done, the Golden State, (predictablyenough) has proposed its own version of theconflict minerals law. It requires that companiesdoing business in that state, with worldwidesales over $100 million, post to theirwebsites disclosures “to ensure their supplychains do not support human trafficking orslavery.” This gem was a buried amendmentto the state’s Revenue and Tax Code, despitethe fact it has nothing to do with either.ITAR – a new rule proposal pushed by theDepartment of Commerce purports to changerules regarding the secrecy laws that protectsome military products. Until now, circuitboards for ITAR-protected projects could onlybe made in the US. This was a legitimatenational security requirement, as those boardsare the brains behind our latest innovations inmunitions, aeronautics, naval and radar systems.Opponents of this proposed change point outthat if the circuit design is made available tooutside companies, new systems could bedesigned just from the board. If this occurs,our national security would clearly be threatenedin ways both obvious and unforeseen.This ill-conceived idea would also further weaken analready struggling North American printed circuitindustry. Credible estimates are that it would force theclosure of another third of the remaining shops. (Didsomeone mention job creation?)DEA – another law passed in July forces manufacturesof electroless nickel products to becomenon-paid policemen against the illegal manufacturingof methamphetamines. Never mind that no one hasever heard of any plating lab trying to use platingchemicals for such production: the task of generatingmore onerous costly paperwork for legitimate industrythunders on.