TECHNOLOGY | LASER MARKING
resulting in a thin conductive path preventing electrical short circuit; high adhesive strength creates highly durable circuit lines. In April, SABIC introduced LNP Thermo- comp OFC08V, a new LDS compound aimed
IMAGE: BUDENHEIM Above:
Budenheim’s Budit L50 additive
enables sharp delineation of circuit tracks on laser structured moulded interconnect devices
requirements, which generally apply to devices intended to be used more than once and to be cleaned or disinfected before each use. ABS is widely used to produce external enclo-
sures, covers or shells for reusable devices. Elix Polymers says correct laser settings adapted to the ABS material produce acceptable laser marking results but that there may be some limitations since the marking could present an undesired colour, level of contrast or an unexpected resolution. In the medical devices sector this could lead to regulatory non-compliance, it says. For these reasons, Elix has developed special
medical ABS formulations based on M203FC and M205FC materials that optimise laser marking to achieve a specific colour change and a targeted level of contrast over a given colour background that is fully compliant with regulations. The ABS formulations are also said to be valuable when other relevant material properties must be main- tained along with laser marking optimisation, such as the biocompatibility requirement of ISO 10993.
Laser structuring German additives specialist Budenheim says its Budit L series wavelength-absorbing ingredients in masterbatch form can be easily dispersed in all polymers. They are appropriate for NIR lasers and result in a change of colour in the polymer itself. Depending on the energy level, different visual effects from bright to dark with various colour shades can be generated on the polymer surface. A new addition to the product line — Budit L50 — is designed for laser direct structuring for black MID parts. It is designed to act as high efficiency laser-sensitiser and metallization improver, the latter leading to small metallic nuclei initiating the metallization process to provide the final conduc- tivity on the polymer surface. Budit L50 meets high plating index require- ments set by LPKF, a leading provider of laser manufacturing solutions based in Germany, which ensures highly selective metallization deposition. Dielectric properties lead to high edge sharpness
58 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2022
at 5G base station dipole antennas and other electri- cal/electronic applications. “To help achieve 5G’s promise of faster speeds, increased data loads and ultra-low latency, RF antenna manufacturers are revolutionising their designs, materials and process- es,” says Joshua Chiaw, Director Business Manage- ment LNP & Noryl Specialties. “Our latest high-per- formance LNP Thermocomp compound not only helps streamline manufacturing by avoiding post processing, but it can also deliver exceptional performance across multiple, critical areas.” LNP Thermocomp OFC08V is a glass fibre-rein-
forced compound based on polyphenylene sulphide (PPS). It features very good plating performance using laser direct structuring (LDS), strong layer adhesion, good warpage control, high heat resistance, and stable dielectric and radio frequency (RF) performance. SABIC says it could enable a new injection mouldable dipole antenna design, offering advantages over traditional printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. The new compound provides a wide laser
processing window and both ease of plating and uniformity in plating line width to help ensure stable and consistent antenna performance. Strong adhesion between the plastic and metal layers avoids delamination, even following thermal aging and lead-free reflow soldering. Claimed improved dimensional stability and lower warpage compared to competitive glass-reinforced PPS grades help achieve smooth fixation of the metal plating during LDS, as well as accurate assembly, says SABIC. LNP Thermocomp OFC08V has also been listed by LPKF as an approved thermoplastic for LDS with the company’s systems.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
https://www.merckgroup.com/en �
https://www.emdgroup.com/ �
https://www.avient.com/ �
https://www.sunchemical.com/ �
https://www.innocabs.com/home/ �
https://af-color.com/ �
https://www.ampacet.com/ �
https://colloids.com/ �
https://www.rowa-masterbatch.de/en/index.html �
https://www.domochemicals.com/en �
https://www.elix-polymers.com/ �
https://www.budenheim.com/en/ �
https://www.sabic.com/en
www.compoundingworld.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66
