SPE Susquehanna Newsletter - May 2010

Wednesday May 19th, 2010 6:00 PM - An introduction to Laser Direct Structuring Devices (LDS)

 

Location:

 

Doc Holiday's (Steakhouse and Saloon)

I83 Exit 40A
Turnpike Exit 242
(Old Exit 18)
110 Limekiln Road

New Cumberland, PA  17070
PA Turnpike Exit 18

(717) 920-3627

http://www.kearesrestaurants.com/dochollidays/

 

Choices:

Selection 1 -  10 oz Prime Rib

Selection 2 - Grilled Hickory Chicken Dinner (grilled breasts of chicken topped with BBQ sauce, bacon and cheddar jack cheese)

Selection 3 - Other, New Italian Selection.
Includes: House Salad, Chefs Starch and Vegetables and Non alcoholic Drink

Cost - $25 per person

 

Agenda:

Dinner followed by a presentation by Nicholas DeLuca of SABIC Innovative Plastics.

 

About the Author:

Nicholas DeLuca is a product development engineer with SABIC Innovative Plastics - LNP business - in Exton, PA. He graduated from Drexel University with a PhD in chemical engineering where he focused on polymer membrane development for the direct methanol fuel cell.  Prior to that, he was employed at PPL Corporation after completing his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA.  Nick also currently serves on the board of directors of the local Philadelphia section of SPE as vice-president and golf outing coordinator. He currently resides in Southeastern PA with wife, daughter, and pug.

 

Presentation Abstract:

Laser Direct Structuring, or LDS, is a process whereby thermoplastic injection molded parts are selectively metallized. This technology creates an alternate route for designing molded interconnect devices, or MIDs, where both mechanical and electrical functions are constructed into one single unit on the surface of a plastic substrate. LDS is a relatively new process that has become increasingly more prevalent in the antenna industry, for instance. LDS has grown over the last few years as an alternate method to manufacture antennas over 2 shot and laser imaging technologies. Laser Direct Structuring technology relies on a material containing an additive that is selectively activated by a focused laser beam irradiating the surface of the part during the formation of the trace on the molded article surface. It is this trace that will then selectively plate forming the MID trace. Some advantages of this technique compared to other MID processing techniques are its processing flexibility, reduction in processing steps, environmental friendliness, and fine-line processing to 150-micron pitch. We will expand on the process behind this technology, material capabilities, and provide some examples of applications using this technology.