All PCBs and stencils are manufactured at our factory in the province of Shenzhen, which employs 500 people and operates in three eight-hour shifts with a daily production capacity of 10,000 square meters.

UL approved, ISO certified and located in the largest PCB manufacturing area in the world, the plant offers a quick response due to its close relationships with suppliers (laminates, inks, chemicals).

The plant has its own stock of raw materials (KingBoard, Shengyi, HITEK, Rogers) as well as a permanent level of physical stock with our partners.

2 production lines, one of which is completely dedicated to creating prototypes, maintain a triple focus on quality, price and timescale in accordance with standards in force.

Highly skilled employees combined with state-of-the-art equipment guarantee impeccable production quality, especially for printed circuits boards requiring particularly fine etching (0.075mm minimum insulation on 12 to 18µm copper and 0.1mm on 35µ copper) and for HDI PCBs (via laser, specific stacking).

Rigid printed circuit board

A rigid printed circuit board is a plate made from composite materials in general of epoxy glass also named FR4 (acronym for flammable resistant 4) plywood with one or more layers of copper. A rigid board has a thickness between 0.2 mm and 4.5 mm and a copper thickness ranging from 17.5 µm to 420 µm.

Aluminum board

An aluminum board is made of a metal plate with one or two copper layers, the thickness of the material as well as the copper can vary by project. The main advantage of the aluminum is to dissipate the heat of certain components, especially LEDs.

Flexible PCB

A flexible board has the physical ability to bend, it is made of polyimide (PI) whose main feature is a high resistance to physical handling and high temperature. It is available from 1 to 12 layers.

Flexible-Rigid PCB

A flex-rigid PCB is an assembly of interconnected rigid and flexible parts, it is available from 1 to 30 layers.

Production capacities

Printed circuits boards
Counter layers	1-12 layers
Minimum track width	3 mils Finished Copper thickness 25 µm
Minimum drill hole :
PCB thickness ≤ 1.2 mm	0.15 mm hole
PCB thickness ≤ 2.5 mm	0.20 mm hole
PCB thickness > 2.5 mm	Aspect ratio ≤ 13:1 – Circle diameter
Maximum panel size	610 x 1100 mm
Finished PCB thickness :
Maximum thickness	4.2 mm
Min. 2 layers	0.2 mm
Min. 4 layers	0.4 mm
Min. 6 layers	0.8 mm
Impedance tolerances	± 10%
Surface treatment	lead free HASL, immersion gold, immersion silver, OSP, hard gold, pelable mask, kapton, carbon
Main laminate suppliers	Shengyi, Isola, Iteq, Arlon, Rogers, Taconic, Nelco, Wangling, Kingboard.

Flexible & semi-flexible printed circuits boards
Counter layers flexible PCB	1-8 layers
Counter layers semi-flexible	up to 12 layers
Minimum insolation	12&18µm (start copper):0.075/0.075mm; 35µm (start copper):0.1/0.1mm
Stiffener	Polyimide FR4, PSA, metal, or according to customer’s requirement
Multilayers PCB + Flex	Assembly for multilayers construction
Tooling tolerances :
Punching tool	± 0.25mm
Precision tool	± 0.05mm
Routing / Drilling	± 0,10 mm
surface treatment	ead free HASL, immersion gold, immersion silver, OSP, hard gold, pelable mask, kapton, carbon
Layer to layer	± 0,10 mm
Plating thickness (for plated holes)	8~15µm;20~30µm;30~70µm (special)
Gold thickness	Ni/Au   Ni : 2~6µm; Au : 0.035~0.075µm; soft/ hard gold  Ni : 2~9µm; Au : 0.035~0.1µm

Production capacities  Download file 

Impedance

Controlled impedances of PCB tracks

The impedance is measured in Ohms and it allows to measure the quality of the engraving of the tracks. Impedance is an AC (alternative current) characteristic that increases with frequency and becomes critical for printed circuits functioning at frequencies above 200 or 300 MHz.

The impedance calculation software is a good starting point for determining the track width (w) and thickness (h) of the insulation of a specific impedance. As concerns signal traffic in Printed Circuits, when tracks transmit high frequency signals, great care must be taken in the design of the tracks to adapt the impedance to that of the upstream and downstream components. The longer the track or the higher the frequency, the more adaptation is necessary. The Printed Circuit manufacturer will control the impedance by acting on the dimensions and of the spacings of the track and of the insulation. When we look at the stack-up of a multilayer circuit, it must be remembered that the internal impedance controlled tracks are shielded by planes and for this reason, we must take into account only the thickness of the insulation between the sheet layers on both sides of the track if the latter is internal to the PCB.

Manufacture of controlled impedance circuits

he operating speed of electronic components increases, so does the need for controlled impedance PCBs. If the impedance is incorrect, it is difficult to identify the problem once the card is wired. Since the impedance depends on many parameters (width and thickness of the track, thickness of the laminate, etc.), FORMATRONIC tests 100% of the impedance controlled circuits. The test is not made on the printed circuit itself, but on a test coupon of the same panel and manufactured at the same time.
The typical test coupon is a printed circuit that has the same characteristics and stackings as the main circuit. Its controlled impedance tracks have the same dimensions as those of the PCB and are in the same layers. he following indications will give you some idea of the connections between impedance value and dimensions, it must be remembered that these are only approximations in the case of thin tracks.

• The impedance is inversely proportional to the track width.
• The impedance is inversely proportional to the track thickness.
• The impedance is proportional to the thickness of the dielectric.
• The impedance is inversely proportional to the square root of Er of the dielectric.

For any information, do not hesitate to contact us on this number: 01 30 56 43 80, or by email to contact@formatronic.eu. We will be happy to answer you

Impedance   Download file

1 – Recommended storage environment: air-conditioned room or temperature controlled cabinet, also referred to as a dry storage cabinet.

A dry storage cabinet provides a dry atmosphere suitable for storing electronic components, equipped and bare printed circuit boards as well as semi-finished products that are sensitive to humidity. This prevents dampness from penetrating into the components which later results in damages to them during soldering operations. It is possible to fill a dry storage cabinet with compressed air and/or nitrogen based on the level of humidity required to create an atmosphere with low humidity. If they are not stored under optimum conditions, T° = 22°c ± 3°c and Humidity = 50% ± 10%, we recommend placing them in an oven for a short cycle at 150°c for 2 hours or for a long cycle at 50°c for 8 hours.

2 – Storage requirement under dry atmosphere

Humidity is damaging:  components, semi-finished products and printed circuit boards are sensitive to moisture. When they are stored under normal ambient conditions, humidity present in the air can penetrate them. Components are exposed to high temperatures during soldering operations and this is when moisture evaporates and creates steam. When it expands, it causes strong pressure on the components. The steam is suddenly expelled, then causing irreversible damages if the maximum pressure load is reached.

RoHS instructions:  since 1st July 2006, in accordance with CE 2002/95/CE directives, certain substances previously used to manufacture electronic components are now prohibited. The RoHS (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances) directive concerns the limitation of dangerous substances contained in electrical or electronic equipment, and in particular recommends non-lead soldering of electronic components. The solder metals now used have a higher melting point, and when replacing alloys that contain lead, this requires using higher soldering temperatures. These higher temperatures increase the pressure applied to the components, semi-finished products and printed circuit boards during soldering and may cause damages.

Components size : The trend towards miniaturized components continues. Components are becoming smaller and smaller and require less and less space. At the same time, this reduced space must provide greater functionality. This renders the components more and more sensitive to the effects of ambient conditions.

Warranty entitlement: Manufacturers and traders of components and printed circuit boards indicate how electronic components should be stored. The warranty does not apply if they are stored under inappropriate ambient conditions.

3 – What must be stored.

Components:  Components must be stored in a dry atmosphere as indicated by the manufacturers. These components are packed in vacuum-sealed bags. If all the components of a batch are not used to equip a printed circuit, the remaining items must be stored in a dry storage cabinet.

PCBs and semi-finished products: Printed circuits must be used whenever possible under dry atmospheric conditions. Otherwise, they absorb moisture, which can lead to damages during the soldering process. Bare PCBs before solder operations as well as partially or fully equipped boards should be stored in a dry storage cabinet.

Equipped boards: Equipped circuit boards are not always immediately used, and since they are sensitive to moisture, similarly to other components, they must be stored in a dry storage cupboard.

4 – Consequences of faulty storage.

The “Pop-Corn" effect:  Humidity present in the air may, under normal ambient conditions, penetrate electrical components and printed circuits. Water vapour forms inside the components whenever they are exposed to the high temperatures resulting from soldering operations. This water vapour produces strong pressure that can burst electronic components and printed circuits. This bursting, referred to as “Pop-corn effect” causes irreparable damages such as inter-laminar separation or microcracks.

Delamination of layers:  Electronic components and printed circuits are often composed of several layers of materials. Pressure resulting from soldering because of the steam causes the various layers to separate, thereby making them unstable. This is the result of the “pop-corn” effect and is qualified as “inter-laminar separation”.

Microcracks: The “pop-corn” effect also results in microcracks. The water vapour escaping from the electronic components or printed circuit boards during the soldering process produces small microscopic cracks that render them unusable.

Damages due to oxidation: When printed circuits are stored under normal conditions, oxygen present in the ambient air results in oxidation of the layer of tin covering the basic material. Up to now, it had been possible to compensate minimal oxidation by the fluidity of alloys containing lead. However, there can be problems with non-lead alloys that induce surface moisture and not are sufficiently aggressive. This results in soldering defects such as insufficiently moistened solder pads that allow components to loosen.

Bursting and shrink holes: Water vapour produced during soldering operations suddenly escapes from the electronic components. In addition to laminar separation, this also results in bursting and internal shrinkage cavities. Bursting occurs when steam escapes from the solder points and then makes holes. Internal shrink holes appear when steam remains inside the component material. This leads to steam-filled cavities that render electronic components unstable and therefore unusable.

5 – Long term storage.

Damages due to humidity and oxidation: In the case where components or boards are stored under normal ambient air, they absorb humidity present in the air and become unusable shortly thereafter. Metallic surfaces oxidize due to oxygen present in the ambient air. Since components or boards must be sold as new items even after several years of storage, only adequate storage conditions ensure these items retain their original state.

Storage in nitrogen:  a nitrogen-filled atmosphere, such as found in dry storage cabinets, is suitable for long term storage of components, circuits and boards. This environment without oxygen prevents humidity from penetrating and prevents oxidation of metallic surfaces, thereby ensuring components and modules retain their original state. They can then be used without any problems even after several years of storage.

6 – Advantages of dry storage.

Different storage methods:  Different storage methods have been developed to enable use of components, boards and printed circuits. It is therefore possible to “bake” electronic components, for example before their use, in an oven. Furthermore, it is possible to store unused components in vacuum-sealed bags. A third method consists of storing components, boards or printed circuits by packaging them with bags of silica beads that absorb humidity present in the air and in the components. The dry storage cabinet running with compressed air and nitrogen is the best method, compared to those presented above.

Drying by baking:  Baking components, boards and printed circuits requires major logistics investments. Baking can last several hours and up to eighty days based on the temperature and the thickness of the components. Furthermore, high temperatures expose electronic components to major structural stress. The cooking process is synonymous with very high electrical consumption, whereas for a dry storage cabinet, it is comparatively low. With a dry storage cabinet you can also remove components just before using them without needing to prepare them for a long period of time. They are not subject to various forms of stress during storage.

Vacuum-sealed packaging: components, boards and printed circuits are wrapped and sealed in new vacuum-sealed bags, the “Dry-Packs”. The “Dry-Packs” require new labelling each time (which is not the case with a dry storage cabinet), which means this method also takes a lot of time. This method does not include any active re-drying, which means the moisture seeping into the components, boards and printed circuits stays there and risks causing problems when the items are later used.

Packaging with silica packs: the components, boards and printed circuits are stored in appropriate containers containing packets of silica. The granules or gels absorb the moisture in the air and the components and expel this humidity in the outside air through a specific process.

UL, RoHS, REACH, IPCA602/A603 standards

UL.

This certifies that all ES-01 and ED-01, single- and double-sided printed circuit boards, as well as multi-layer circuit boards, have been reviewed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. in accordance with the UL standard.

Safety standard: UL 796 - Printed circuit board - CSA-C22.2 No. 0.17 - evaluation of properties of polymeric materials.

Classification: UL 94V-0 (general classification for printed circuit boards)

RoHS.

Restriction of Hazardous Substances.

This certifies that all or some of the products we supply comply with the requirements of Directive (EU) 2015/863 on the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The following list corresponds to the restrictions regarding certain materials and the maximum concentration values tolerated.

Cadmium and its compounds < 100 ppm.
Mercury and its compounds < 1000 ppm.
Hexavalent chromium and its compounds < 1000 pm.
Lead and its compounds < 1000 ppm.
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) < 1000 ppm.
HBCDD < 1000 ppm.
DEHP < 1000 ppm.
BBP < 1000 ppm.
DBP < 1000 ppm.

REACH.

Formatronic confirms and guarantees that all products supplied comply with the REACH regulation and do not emit any substances.
Formatronic is not subject to registration or compilation of a safety data sheet. In accordance with Article 33 of the REACH code, Formatronic will immediately inform you of any substance considered to be a cause for alarm by the ECHA (European Agency for Chemicals).

We do not currently foresee any such outcome for our products.

Irrespective of this, we are actively seeking compliance with the REACH regulation; we wish to protect this legislation in our own interests and in the interests of our customers. We are working closely with different stakeholders in our production lines’ chemicals departments to rigorously comply with the REACH regulation qualification process.

IPCA602/A603.

This certifies that all printed circuit boards are manufactured in accordance with the IPC standard. The IPC standard is the framework for printed circuit board manufacturing. Printed circuit boards are manufactured according to the IPC2 standard unless the specifications specifically require a higher standard such as IPC3. Only the list determined by the IPC standard can be taken into consideration for any defects. Requirements outside that framework will be studied but may not go beyond the scope of that standard under any circumstances.

The list of defects not permissible under IPC2 and IPC3 is the same. The difference is that under IPC2, defects can be repaired whereas this is strictly prohibited under IPC3.

Warranty period of the pcbs

LEAD FREE HAL finishing : 1 year
IMMERSION GOLD finishing : 6 months
OSP finishing : 3 months
IMMERSION SILVER finishing : 6 months
TIN FINISHING : 6 months

The warranty period is effective from the date code mentioned on the printed circuit boards. If the storage exceeds 90 days, we recommend placing them in an oven for a short cycle at 150°c for 2 hours or for a long cycle at 50°c for 8 hours. The ideal storage for the conservation of the pcbs is a dry storage cabinet that provides a dry atmosphere suitable for storing electronic components, equipped and bare printed circuit boards that are sensitive to humidity. Storage temperature : T° = 22°c ± 3°c and Humidity = 50% ± 10 %.

Introduction to IPC standards

The IPC standard seeks to help you develop a rigorous quality approach across your entire production chain, allowing you to present a highly reliable product.
Different standards exist to support you from product research up to delivery. Players in the electronics industry speak the same language, which simplifies the communication and understanding of work requirements.