Through a licensing agreement, LPKF and Ticona combine the laser-structurable plastic material Vectra LCP E 820i with laser direct structuring (LDS) additives to form 3D injection-molded circuit carriers (3D MID). This combination of the LDS polymer and the process yields 3D-MID carriers whose conductive paths are directly written on the molded plastic structures, in fact forming injection-molded carriers. This way, the housing serves as a kind of circuit carrier, thereby, for example, encouraging further miniaturization or small or sophisticated designs that were practically impossible before. The process requires only a few steps using a standard mold. The conductive paths are plated with standard industry-wide methods as well. The plating adheres only where activated by the laser. Due to the high temperature resistance of the material, these conductive structures are solderable. Reportedly, the LDS material has very good flow properties and imaging precision, and is suitable for lead-free reflow soldering.
EPP EUROPE 419
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