Rogers Corp. released an RO4500 laminate system, joining the Rogers RO4000 product family of high-performance antenna-grade materials. The new glass-reinforced hydrocarbon/ceramic laminates provide the controlled dielectric constant, low loss, and passive intermodulation response required by the wireless infrastructure market. Designed for high-volume commercial antenna applications, RO4500 laminates provide high thermal conductivity and uniform mechanical properties for improved power handling over a broad frequency range.

Rogers Corp. – www.rogerscorporation.com.  

Continuous vertical Desmear electroless copper equipment is said to combine the process quality and production advantages associated with horizontal continuous platers. Said to have easier release of entrapped air and gas; uniform, high-volume delivery gained by the transport of panels past fluid delivery spargers. Advantages are said to include a high-reliability end product; improved 1st pass yield; the ability to process wide range of panel thicknesses without compromise on parameters; low CD strike/semi panel improves copper deposit properties. Process reportedly allows optimized de-smear on various substrates.

Process Automation International Ltd., www.palhk.com

FLO/PCB Version 4.1 thermal design software includes the ability to model potting compounds, probe temperature values interactively, provide user-defined temperature ranges and search component libraries. Is said to make it possible to perform board-level thermal simulation early in the design process. Includes a SmartPart object used to represent epoxy type solid cured potting compounds; can be placed over all or part of either side of the PCB. Multiple potting compound regions reportedly can be defined. Provides the ability to move the cursor over a temperature plot in the results visualization mode and report the point temperature. Using legend scaling options, users can define minimum and maximum values for the upper and lower bounds of the scale. Also includes an advanced search capability. Maintains bi-directional connectivity with Version 7.1 of Flotherm.