Technical Information LDS-MID Design Rules

1 Technical InformationLDS-MID Design RulesOrder : LDS-MID Design Guide Technical InformationVersion EnglishLPKF Laser & Electronics AG Osteriede 7 D-30827 Garbsen Germany Telefon +49-5131-7095-0 Fax +49-5131-7095-90 Email Internet LDS-MID Design Guide 2 2010 LPKF AG Publisher LPKF Laser & Electronics AG Osteriede 7 D-30827 Garbsen Germany Telefon: +49-5131-7095-0 Fax: +49-5131-7095-90 Email: Order Code File name LDS-MID Design Version Creation date Print date Copyright 2010 LPKF AG This document and the complete content of the document, as a whole or in partial parts, are protected by copyright. Any distribution, translation or copying of the content as photocopy or any digital based system require the written permission of LPKF AG. Product and brand names Product and brand names are trademarks of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, registered among others at the US Patent and Trademark Office: LPKF and the company logo, # 2,385,062 and # 2,374,780; Solarquipment , # 3,494,986; ProConduct , # 3,219,251; Allegro , # 3,514,950.

2 LDS-MID Design Guide 2010 LPKF AG 3 Document Information Division Usage Author Distribution Status date Status MPV External W. John Customer, Service 2010-07-16 draft MPV External W. John Customer, Service 2010-10-01 Released MPV External W. John Customer, Service 2010-11-10 Released Document history Version Date Editor Comment 2010-07-16 KCHR Draft German version created 2010-08-03 KCHR Corrections done 2010-0827 TW Translation 2010-10-01 KCHR Released version created 2010-10-20 TW Changes applied 2010-11-10 KCHR Released version created LDS-MID Design Guide 4 2010 LPKF AG LDS-MID Design Guide Content 2010 LPKF AG TI 5 Content 1 Introduction.

3 7 2 Materials .. 9 Material types .. 9 Suppliers .. 9 Material selection criteria .. 10 3 General Design Rules and recommendations .. 11 Overview of LDS MID Design Rules .. 11 LDS-MID Design Rules .. 12 4 Injection moulding .. 27 Tool Design .. 27 Material .. 27 Tool surface .. 27 Design Rules for sprue and gate .. 27 Injection moulding process .. 28 Handling, packaging, and storage .. 28 Handling .. 28 Packaging and storage .. 28 5 Laser Processing .. 29 Data Preparation .. 29 Avoid short fill vectors .. 29 Laser parameters .. 30 Other process parameters .. 30 Laser Processing .. 31 Fixture .. 31 Positioning .. 31 Handling, packaging, and storage .. 31 Handling .. 31 Packaging .. 31 Storage .. 32 6 Metallisation .. 33 Component retainers .. 33 Cleaning LDS MIDs .. 33 Electrolytes for metallisation .. 34 Metallisation Process.

4 35 Processing order .. 35 Metallisation processes/process steps .. 35 Thermal 36 Handling .. 36 7 Quality assurance .. 37 Content LDS-MID Design Guide 6 TI 2010 LPKF AG 8 Appendix .. 39 Table of figures .. 39 List of tables .. 39 List of abbreviations .. 40 Conversion tables .. 41 ddd LDS-MID Design Guide Introduction 2010 LPKF AG TI 7 1 Pos: 1 /ED_Technische_Dokumentation/7_Design_Gu ides/MID_Systeme/LDS_Design_Guide/Kapite l_1_Einlei tung/1_Einleitung @ 0\ x @ 11280 @ 1 1 Introduction Developing MID components (moulded interconnect devices) is a complex procedure no matter which process or technology is used. This guide helps especially the developer of MIDs that are based on the LPKF laser direct structuring process (LPKF-LDS process) in the interdisciplinary development process. To avoid errors or designs unsuitable for production, a very close cooperation between all participants in the individual processes is required already in the early stages of the project.

5 This applies not only to the LDS process steps injection moulding, laser structuring, and metallisation that are discussed in more detail in this document, but extends to the area of mounting and bonding of electronic components in case of populated MIDs. Introduction LDS-MID Design Guide 8 TI 2010 LPKF AG 1 LDS-MID Design Guide Materials 2010 LPKF AG TI 9 2 Pos: 2 /ED_Technische_Dokumentation/7_Design_Gu ides/MID_Systeme/LDS_Design_Guide/Kapite l_2_W erkstoffe/2_1_W erkstoffklassen @ 0\ x @ 11285 @ 12 2 Materials Nowadays, a whole range of thermoplastic materials is available for manufacturing LDS MID components. Material types The following materials can be used in the LDS process: Table 1: Materials Type Material LCP liquid crystal polymer PA 6/6T polyamide PBT polybutylene terephthalate PBT/PET polybutylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate blend PPA polyphthalamide PC polycarbonate PC/ABS polycarbonate + ABS blend Pos: 3 /ED_Technische_Dokumentation/7_Design_Gu ides/MID_Systeme/LDS_Design_Guide/Kapite l_2_W erkstoffe/2_2_Lieferanten @ 0\ @ 11290 @ 2 Suppliers LPKF has tested and approved materials for the LDS process from various producers.

6 The following material types are available from the listed producers: Table 2: Suppliers Producer Type BASF AG PA 6/6T PBT LANXESS PBT PET/PBT TICONA GmbH LCP RTP Co. PC/ABS PC LCP PPA DSM Engineering Plastics PC/ABS Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation PC EVONIK INDUSTRIES PBT WAH HONG Industrial Corp. PC/ABS Materials LDS-MID Design Guide 10 TI 2010 LPKF AG 2 Table 2: SliProducer Type SABIC Innovative Plastics PC/ABS PPA Note A detailed list of the approved materials can be downloaded from the LPKF website at Pos: 4 /ED_Technische_Dokumentation/7_Design_Gu ides/MID_Systeme/LDS_Design_Guide/Kapite l_2_W erkstoffe/2_3_Kriterien der Materialauswahl @ 0\ x @ 11295 @ 2 Material selection criteria As material development advances continuously, LPKF updates the list regularly. Selecting the material depends on the requirements of the application of the LDS MID component.

7 Depending on the application, the coefficient of thermal expansion, water absorption, mechanical properties, solderability as well as other steps of further processing (laser welding etc.) can be important selection criteria. Always consult the material data sheet of the producer and tap their processing knowhow when selecting the material for the LDS MID process. The plastics producers will gladly support you during the Design stage providing Moldflow studies and practical hints on dimensioning your MID components. LDS-MID Design Guide Design Rules 2010 LPKF AG TI 11 3 Pos: 5 /ED_Technische_Dokumentation/7_Design_Gu ides/MID_Systeme/LDS_Design_Guide/Kapite l_3_Designregeln/3_1_ berblick @ 0\ x @ 11300 @ 122 3 Design Rules The following Design Rules (DR_xxx_LDS_MID_) help you to achieve optimum results when designing MID components. Overview of LDS MID Design Rules The following table shows for which process and for which material each Design rule applies.

8 Table 3: Design Rules Design rule General Injection moulding Laser Processing Metallisation Assembly and connecting DR_001_LDS-MID_Nextra MID module X X - - X DR_002_LDS-MID_critical areas X - - - X DR_003_LDS-MID_component carriers X X X X X DR_004_LDS-MID_fiducial marks X - X - X DR_005_LDS-MID_avoid gate at critical area - X - - - DR_006_LDS-MID_hot-runner systems - X - X - DR_007_LDS-MID_weld lines - X X - X DR_008_LDS-MID_positioning ejector pins - X X - X DR_009_LDS-MID_material shrinkage - X - - X DR_010_LDS-MID_coefficient of thermal expansion - X - - X

9 DR_011_LDS-MID_laser processing time - - X - - DR_012_LDS-MID_scan field volume X - X - - DR_013_LDS-MID_width and spacing of conductive paths X - X X X DR_014_LDS-MID_datamatrix or barcode X - X X X DR_015_LDS-MID_thickness of copper layer X X - X X DR_016_LDS-MID_bond connections X - X X X DR_017_LDS-MID_plated vias X X X - X DR_018_LDS-MID_conductive-path passages X X X - - DR_019_LDS-MID_mechanical vias X X X - X DR_020_LDS-MID_detachable connection X X X - X DR_021_LDS-MID_edge radius - - X X - DR_022_LDS-MID_positioning conductive tracks - - X X X DR_023_LDS-MID_angle of incidence of laser beam X - X X - DR_024_LDS-MID_ventilation X X - X - DR_025_LDS-MID_fastening the plastic components X X - X - Design Rules LDS-MID Design Guide 12 TI 2010 LPKF AG 3 Table 3.

10 Design Rules Design rule General Injection moulding Laser Processing Metallisation Assembly and connecting DR_026_LDS-MID_recessed conductive paths X X - X - DR_027_LDS-MID_SMD assembly process X X X - X DR_028_LDS-MID_turns of paths X - X - X DR_029_LDS-MID_tombstone effect X - X - X DR_030_LDS-MID_maximum component size X - X - X DR_031_LDS-MID_distance to solder pads X - X - X DR_032_LDS-MID_fiducial marks X - X - X DR_033_LDS-MID_redundant conductive paths X - X - X DR_034_LDS-MID_reflow soldering method X X X - X DR_035_LDS-MID_encapsulating X - - - X LDS-MID Design Rules This chapter describes the Design Rules in detail.