Masking: from pcb's to hip stems

Sometimes it's fascinating to see how products designed for one application can be developed and adapted through a number of iterations to achieve an altogether different functionality.

We have sold UV curing temporary solder masks for many years (decades, in fact), in conjunction with our sales partners DYMAX. In more recent years, the concept was extended to the formulation of a line of products for UV curable temporary masking for turbine blades and other engineering parts against plating, air plasma spray, HVOF, peening, grit blasting and other metal finishing processes.

The most recent iteration takes that technology and develops it for use in medical device manufacture. DYMAX SpeedMask 7100 series temporary masking resins offer reliable surface protection for orthopedic implants, implant hardware, surgical instruments and medical devices. They cure in seconds with UV light, and when removed (by peeling or washing) leave no toxic residue on the surfaces. Bio-compatible grades are available for these critical applications.

Knee implants unmasked and masked with DYMAX SpeedMask peelable masking resin

Double decker dummies

Package on Package, or PoP, is the latest semiconductor packaging innovation designed to deal with cramming in all the capabilities we have come to expect from things like our mobile phones. You get your logic chip from one supplier, your memory from another, then just stack them up on top of each other. The concept provides a lot of flexibility.

The one on the top is a FBGA, and the one on the bottom is a PSvfBGA (Package Stackable Very Thin Fine Pitch BGA).

If you are wondering how you are going to assemble these components in the third dimension.... well, I'm not sure yet. However, the manufacturer Amkor has daisy chain mechanical samples available, which we offer with our sales partner Practical Components. If you need or want to start playing with these devices, then we would be pleased to help.

If you are thinking "Phew, glad my company is not dealing with those things", don't go away. You are almost certainly looking at lead-free. As well as this leading edge stuff, we have a full complement of lead-free dummy components in all the conventional shapes and sizes too.