Verified precision in PCB manufacturing

How PRECOPLAT ensures quality - from AOI to E-Test to impedance control.

In addition to the layout, process control is particularly crucial for high-density interconnect (HDI) printed circuit boards. This includes automatic optical inspection (AOI) with the finest resolution, an electrical final test with clearly defined limit values, and a layer structure that maintains specified impedances even under real conditions. As a manufacturer of unassembled printed circuit boards "Made in Germany," PRECOPLAT focuses precisely on this interaction - as an integral part of production, from the first inner layer image to the final inspection.

Katharina VOeLKER, Managing Director, emphasizes the importance of AOI as an integral part of quality assurance: "AOI is not implemented as an isolated solution, but as a continuous testing component across all stages of production. With a minimum structure of 25 m, we can reproduce dense geometries in series production - inline, traceable, and reliably documented." The AOI platform used from the CIMS Galaxy 25 m family is suitable for line/space inspection up to 25 m. Microlight(TM) Gen II ensures homogeneous illumination, while customizable algorithms stabilize detection performance with a low false call rate. Options such as 2D metrology, final visual inspection, and laser drill hole inspection are available for specific tasks.

Technically, the AOI fits into a standardized process: IPC-A-600 serves as the image reference; acceptance is based on the ordered class (2/3). PRECOPLAT thus meets the expectations of developers who explicitly request optical inspection - and combines visual inspections with the usual standards and certifications for series production.

At the end of the production process, a final electrical test is carried out. As part of this final electrical test, interruptions and short circuits are tested against the netlist generated from customer data. Depending on the batch size and design, the test is performed using test adapters (parallel test) or flying probes (finger testers). Open tests are performed at a network resistance of over 10 O, while short tests are performed at a resistance of less than 10 MO between independent networks. Defective or unclearly tested PCBs are automatically separated, logged, and retested in full after rework. In accordance with the guidelines, production and test data are stored at Precoplat for a period of at least 10 years. The documentation is supplemented by X-ray measurements, such as layer registration and layer thickness measurement. "AOI detects - E-testing confirms; both together minimize field results," emphasizes Andreas BRueGGEN, Managing Director.

Via management is crucial for HDI designs. Via-in-pad with microfilling enables short transitions in BGA/CSP zones. Blind vias are placed directly in the pad, copper-filled, and planarized. A possible alternative is resin filling (plugging). This is particularly suitable for closing through holes with a diameter of 0.10 mm to 2.00 mm. A decisive advantage of this method is the complete planarity of the pads. For blind vias and micro vias, an aspect ratio of no more than 1:1 (drill depth ? diameter) applies. The corresponding parameters are transparently documented in PRECOPLAT's "Technical Delivery Conditions (TLB), Recommendations and Design Rules for Printed Circuit Boards" and are verified on a project-specific basis in the Design Rule Check.

The benefits result from the system network: AOI provides pixel-precise, statistically usable error images; the E-test confirms electrical integrity; impedance engineering and HDI manufacturing ensure functionality in the target system. By combining individual test steps into a closed loop, both development and manufacturing are served equally - from prototypes to large-scale production. Cycle time, verification, and reproducibility remain unchanged

Precoplat Praezisions-Leiterplatten-Technik GmbH
Oberdiessemer Strasse 15
Krefeld 47805
Germany

https://www.precoplat.de/

Herr Hans Tenberg
021518251

marketing@precoplat.de

The family-owned company PRECOPLAT is managed in the second generation by siblings Andreas BRueGGEN and Katharina VOeLKER and produces highly automated and in all series sizes - unassembled single- and double-sided printed circuit boards, multilayers up to 24 layers, and semi-flexible boards at its production site in North Rhine-Westphalia, which has grown to 25,000 square meters.

The history of PRECOPLAT began in the early 1970s in the basement of a nightclub: inspired by the film "Saturday Night Fever," restaurateur Manfred VOeLKER wanted to jump on the bandwagon of modern disco equipment with an elaborate light and sound design. To save costs, VOeLKER teamed up with a few electronics students who were "in his debt" due to excessive partying and developed circuits based on copper-coated Pertinax boards. Tired of years in the restaurant business but fascinated by this technology, VOeLKER saw the commercial potential of printed circuit boards and founded PRECOPLAT Praezisions-Leiterplatten-Technik GmbH in Krefeld in 1977. To this day, the entire manufacturing process--from work preparation to final electrical testing--takes place under one roof. From its humble beginnings, PRECOPLAT has developed into a state-of-the-art medium-sized company with currently around 75 employees and an annual turnover of twelve million euros. Further information about PRECOPLAT can be found online at precoplat.de.

This release was published on openPR.