High Density Interconnect – Advanced Circuits | PCB Manufacturing & PCB Assembly https://www.4pcb.com/blog Printed Circuit Boards and PCB Assembly Manufacturer Blog Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:57:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Exacting Precision and Capabilities Required for HDI PCBs /blog/exacting-precision-and-capabilities-required-for-hdi-pcbs/ Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:51:18 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1954 Continue reading ]]> HDI PCBs are increasingly becoming more common as consumers demand for smaller and more capable electronics grows and electronic design engineers push the limits of technology.  HDI PCBs, short for High Density Interconnect printed circuit boards, take a great deal of precision to manufacture using specialized equipment and the skills of highly trained technicians.  Unlike most traditional circuit boards, HDI PCBs have extremely thin lines, much tighter tolerances, high conductive layer counts, and a higher concentration of pads in a smaller area to fit more (and smaller) components on both sides of the circuit board to achieve a greater level of functionality and performance from a single circuit board.

HDI PCB Fabrication Capabilities

Advanced Circuits operates three state-of-the-art PCB manufacturing facilities in the US with the capabilities, qualifications, certifications, and the expertise to meet the most demanding requirements for HDI PCB fabrication.  Our broad range of printed circuit board fabrication capabilities support the stringent requirements for advanced HDI PCB design in all industries including medical, aerospace, defense, and commercial markets.

Advanced Circuits Supports up to 40 layers boards, laser drilled microvias, stacked microvias, blind vias, buried vias, via-in-pad, laser direct imaging, sequential lamination, .00275″ trace/space, fine pitch down to .3mm, controlled impedance and much more.  Advanced Circuits is able to manufacture HDI PCBs with no minimum order requirements and with flexible turn-time options.  Each design receives a detailed review by our CAM engineers prior to production to ensure a worry-free fabrication process and support team is available 24 hours a day Monday-Friday, even Saturdays until 4pm EST, to assist with your HDI PCB order.

HDI PCB Materials

HDI PCBs use advanced laminate materials that tend to be much thinner than the materials used in more conventional printed circuit boards.  Because HDI PCBs demand an elevated level of precision and accuracy for fabrication and overall performance, specialty materials that meet certain specifications are required.  Advanced Circuits offers a wide range of material options suitable for a variety of HDI PCB specifications sourced from top industry providers such as 3M, Arlon, Bergquist, Isola, Rogers, ITEQ, Taconic, Ventec and others.  You can rely on Advanced Circuits, one of the largest PCB manufacturers in North America, to source the materials for your next HDI PCB design.  Our laminate offerings include:

  •  Ultra-Low Loss
  • Halogen Free
  • High Speed Digital
  • High Thermal Reliability
  • Lead-Free High Tg
  • RoHS Compliant

To download the complete list of Advanced Circuits printed circuit board manufacturing capabilities, material offerings, and certifications, click here (PDF).

 

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Common Types of Printed Circuit Boards /blog/common-types-of-printed-circuit-boards/ Thu, 28 Mar 2019 21:55:45 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1902 Continue reading ]]> Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the heart of all electronic products, but not all are created equal.  There are many different types of printed circuit boards made from different materials and manufacturing specifications for a broad range of applications.  Since the early 1900’s PCB have evolved considerably and today manufacturers like Advanced Circuits offer a broad range of circuit board fabrication capabilities, laminate materials, and certifications to meet the quality, precision, and performance demands for the latest technology requirements.

Below is a list of the common types of printed circuit boards.  For a complete list of Advanced Circuits’ PCB manufacturing capabilities, click here.

Single Layer PCB

Single layer printed circuit boards are among some of the simplest to design and manufacture.  These boards have a single layer of conductive material (such as copper) on only one side of a non-conductive substrate.

Double Layer PCB

Double layer PCBs have one conductive layer on top of a non-conductive substrate and another conductive layer on the reverse side (top and bottom layers).  The two conductive sides can be connected using plated holes in the substrate that connect to pads on both sides of the circuit board; these are called vias.

Multi-Layer PCB

This term refers to a circuit board that has three or more conductive layers.  The conductive layers are at the top and bottom, as well as at least one conductive layer sandwiched between non-conductive substrate.  Advanced Circuits has the capability to fabricate up to 40 layer boards, but the most commonly used have lower layer counts such as 4, 6, or 8 layer boards.

High Density Interconnect (HDI) PCB

HDI PCBs take advantage of precision based manufacturing technology to pack as much functionality into a small space.  This is done by using many conductive layers, laser drilled microvias, fine lines and tolerances, and advanced laminate materials.  HDI PCBs can accommodate the complex routing of high pin count chips and other high-tech miniaturized components.

High Frequency PCB

The main difference in manufacturing high frequency printed circuit boards pertains to the design itself.  These PCB are designed to facilitate signals over 1 gigahertz.  Depending on the application, high frequency printed circuit boards may require the use of advanced laminate materials and controlled impedance.

Advanced Circuits’ PCB manufacturing capabilities range from the simplest of designs to the most complex builds with rigorous design requirements.  Our capabilities include laser-drilled microvias, cavity boards, heavy copper up to 20 oz., via-in-pad, microwave & RF boards, up to 40 layers and others.  We are your one-stop solution to all of your printed circuit board manufacturing.  For more information about our PCB capabilities and services, contact your Sales Representative or call 1-800-979-4722.

 

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HDI PCB (High Density Interconnect) /blog/hdi-pcb-high-density-interconnect/ Fri, 22 Dec 2017 23:09:29 +0000 http://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1541 Continue reading ]]>

Advanced Circuits offers high tech capabilities for advanced circuit board designs and demanding requirements including high density interconnect or HDI PCB.

Learn more


Demand for HDI PCBs

The demand for more advanced circuit boards is growing and HDI is becoming more prevalent in PCB design.  High density interconnect circuit boards are finding their way into many applications such as military communication devises, aerospace, computers, smartphones, medical equipment, and many other applications.

There are many benefits to HDI printed circuit board designs.  Design engineers are leveraging the technology to make circuit boards that are smaller and more capable.  Utilizing blind vias, buried vias, laser drilled Microvias, and advanced materials.

Taking advantage of HDI technology in PCB fabrication will allow closer placement of the components on the board.  This can result in faster signal transmission rates and reduce crossing delays and signal loss.

HDI PCB Design Considerations

  • Cost – HDI technology is more costly compared to traditional circuit boards
  • Materials – More advanced PCB materials are used for HDI PCBs
  • Design – Requires expertise and experience
  • Manufacturing – Not all manufacturers have the necessary capabilities for HDI
  • Finer Lines & Tight Tolerances – Laser direct imaging is preferable

Advanced Circuits’ Expanded Capabilities

Advanced Circuits is your go-to manufacturer for high-tech printed circuit boards.  The company offers a broad range of capabilities, certifications, and quality systems to meet rigorous requirements; From quick-turn PCB prototypes shipped as quickly as Same Day to advanced designs for critical applications, Advanced Circuits can get the job done right the first time.  Contact your Advanced Circuits representative for more information about our PCB manufacturing and prototype assembly services.

[PDF] Download PCB Capabilities Lists 

 

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High Density Interconnect PCBs /blog/hdi-high-density-interconnect-pcb/ Sun, 16 Apr 2017 01:23:47 +0000 http://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1277 Continue reading ]]> Learn about the benefits and applications of High Density Interconnect (HDI) PCBs and see how this technology is becoming more prevalent in today’s aeronautics and consumer products.

High density interconnect (HDI) is a technology that is rapidly becoming prevalent in PCB design and integration into electronic products of all kinds. HDI is a technology that provides for a much denser construction on a board by the ability to place increasingly smaller components in closer proximity, which also results in shorter paths between components.

HDI PCBs are finding their way into a growing number of products:

  • Military communications devices and other strategic equipment
  • Aerospace – smaller space requirements and light weight are ideal for such applications
  • Computers and smartphones – phones and computers are taking full advantage of smaller profiles, reduced weight, and increased functionality, made possible through the integration of HDI circuits.
  • Medical equipment – diagnostic and monitoring equipment has become more reliable and expanded with technical features that aid medical teams with patient treatment, powered by HDI PCBs and advanced software.

Benefits of HDI

HDI boards utilize buried or blind vias, or a combination, and may also incorporate microvias with an incredibly small diameter. This facilitates the incorporation of more technology in less space, with fewer layers. Multi-layer HDI boards are also in common use, with many layers being accommodated through various construction methods utilizing blind, buried, stacked, and staggered vias.

With smaller components and blind via and via in pad technology, components may be placed closer together, resulting in faster signal transmission rates while also reducing crossing delays and signal loss. These are key considerations that generate improved performance of HDI PCBs.

HDI boards are preferred for applications where space, performance, reliability, and weight are concerns. This makes them more suitable for nearly every application related to electronics, consumer products, computers, and aeronautics.

Multi-layer HDI boards can provide strong interconnection of stacked vias, resulting in high levels of reliability, even in more extreme environments.

HDI Drawbacks and Considerations

Although the benefits of HDI are considerable, there are drawbacks to the technology, as well.

Specialized processing and equipment required to manufacture HDI boards is expensive. Such equipment includes laser drills, laser direct imaging processes, and other specialized fabrication equipment and materials. This need for specialized equipment and operator training is partially accountable for the higher cost of HDI fabrication.

Attention to detail is critical in the design and manufacturing of HDI printed circuit boards. This requires expertise and experience.

Many fabricators have not made the investment or transition to laser direct imaging (LDI) for board fabrication. In the case of HDI boards, the tight tolerances for finer lines and tighter spacing make LDI an important consideration in quality results. While contact imaging is still widely used in PCB manufacturing, LDI is much more preferable for HDI boards, although the expense for the equipment can be considerable.

Designing and Manufacturing HDI PCBs

Designing PCBs for HDI applications requires specific tools, as does the manufacturing process. Utilizing computer aided design (CAD) software for design and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) tools is considered mandatory in utilizing HDI technology for PCB creation.

Training for design engineers is also a time-consuming effort as HDI becomes more and more prevalent in the market, but the payback in efficiency and reduction in rework and manufacturing delays is worth the investment.

 

 

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High Density Interconnected PCBs (HDI) /blog/high-density-interconnected-pcbs-hdi/ Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:01:43 +0000 http://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1175 Continue reading ]]>  What Is Different About HDI PCBs?

High Density Interconnected printed circuit boards (HDI PCB) have made technological advancements in electronics possible. They have been referred to under a variety of names: Sequence Build Up (SBU), Microvia Process (MVP), and Build Up Multilayer (BUM) boards, to name a few. Eventually the IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) adopted the HDI term for consistent terminology across countries and industries.

HDI PCBs possess technical characteristics of extremely high density routing interconnections and make high density of components possible. These attributes contribute to the high performance and light weight of HDI boards that make them ideal for powering today’s devices. HDI PCBs are a perfect solution for the shrinking footprint of electronics technology, comprising the core components of such technical marvels as laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, and even wearable technology such as fitness bands and virtual reality devices.

View Advanced PCB Fab Capabilities →

Why Utilize HDI PCBs?

HDI boards have many technical and physical advantages over traditional through-hole or even standard surface mounted technology (SMT) boards:

  • Size – by sheer technical characteristics, HDI boards can accommodate more connections in the same size printed circuit board for a more dense PCB with a lower number of layers.
  • Design advantage – HDI provides the designer with more flexibility through increased capacity on the board that contributes to faster signal processing.
  • Reliability – IPC studies refer to superior reliability offered by small-blind vias over through-hole (TH) vias due to the greatly reduced aspect ratio (AR).
  • HDI is practically the only option where more complex and dense packages such as those with high pin counts and a very low pitch are incorporated.
  • Demand for smaller boards – manufacturers need increasingly smaller and lighter boards with more functionality. Non-HDI boards require more space and weight, making HDI technology the obvious choice.
  • Functionality – with HDI, multiple traditional PCBs can be integrated into one HDI PCB.
  • Signal integrity – improved electrical performance and higher signal integrity requirements are attributes provided by HDI technology.

Design Requirements for HDI Boards

HDI technology brings its own set of specific design concerns:

  • Material choice – all PCB design takes material and component selection into account, but for HDI there are unique manufacturing constraints that come into play. Materials selected will impact the electrical performance of signal traces and certainly the cost of the end product.
  • Micro via stacking – effective designs can take advantage of HDI benefits in stacking micro vias as opposed to staggering.
  • Every Layer Inter-Connection (ELIC) – this technique now popular in smart phone construction provides smaller pitches and the elimination of mechanical holes inside the board, which consumes space.
  • Distribution of blind and buried holes. Asymmetric design of stacks can result in uneven pressure, causing warpage of boards.
  • Component layout – the very density of HDI technology requires close attention to placement to ensure viability in soldering, installation, and maintaining boards. This will facilitate any necessary rework by allowing the maximum space tolerances while still taking advantage of the available density.
  • Track uniformity and minimum line width. These factors are important considerations to avoid open and short circuit conditions.

When formalizing HDI designs, the most constant concerns are still cost and quality, which are echoed as the primary concerns of consumers when purchasing the devices containing the boards.

Thoughts When Considering HDI Use

There are additional points to consider before implementing HDI in PCB designs:

  • Skill set – planning PCB functions are quite different for HDI PCB designers. The high density, layer consideration, and manufacturing complexity are all factors that need to be planned out before a PCB is sent to a fabricator. Problems with designs after manufacturing has begun are costly, and may result in a complete redesign and scrapping of any boards already produced.
  • Planning – major changes in PCB layout or function is extremely difficult in HDI boards, making accurate design processes critical to cost-effective manufacturing. Planning design carefully will promote successful production and functionality of the boards and keep the project within budget.

Each of these points emphasizes the need to consider design for manufacturing (DFM) tools and processes. It is equally important to seek advice and design recommendations from the fabricator that will actually produce the HDI boards before manufacturing begins.

 

 

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