Six
Steps in Manufacturing a Thick Film Hybrid
STEP 1: Schematic & Artwork
Similar to that done for PCB’s. The schematic diagram is drawn and then the
artwork made up. The artwork is then transferred to a set of screens to enable the
printing and firing process sequence to commence. Below is an example of
artwork that has been prepared for a new hybrid.

Prepared Artwork
STEP 2: Printing & Firing
The printing and firing of the hybrid ceramics is like that done for the
pottery business. A print occurs, then firing in an oven, then second print,
then firing in the oven, etc. This cycle depends on the complexity of the hybrid
circuit. Printing and firing multiple layers consists of conductors, resistors,
insulators and surface protection glasses.

Automatic Printing

BTU Engineering specialty hybrid furnace
STEP 3: Laser Trimming
Setting the value and tolerance of resistors in the circuit by cutting a
track in the fired resistor ink using a computer controlled laser beam. This can
also be used for final circuit calibration and testing. A wide range of resistor
values from milliohms to gigaohms along with ratings of up to tens of
thousands of volts and fractional ratio tolerances can be achieved.

Laser Trimming
STEP 4: Surface mounting
Screen printing of solder paste, automated pick and place of surface mounted
components on to the substrate and reflow soldering of the components.

JUKI Pick and Place machine
STEP 5: Pin attach
Adding lead frames (pins/legs) and soldering.

Hybrid with lead frames (pins/legs) attached
STEP 6: Manual Processing
Includes soldering of large components, washing, inspection, encapsulation,
labelling, testing, burn-in, quality assurance, packing and shipping.

Hybrid Before & After Encapsulation
Additional Step in Manufacturing
Hybrids using semiconductor processes have the additional steps of
semiconductor die attach, wire bonding and semiconductor encapsulation.
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