Printed Circuit Boards:

Daniel C. McCarthy, Senior Editor/Special Projects

Problem:
Printed circuit board manufacturers use noisy and complex drilling/routing machines to cut the boards out of the panels. A laser router would do the job more precisely and efficiently. We are eager to cooperate in the development and implementation of such laser cutters.

Victor Korzen, Quality Auditor
PCB Approvals Inc.
Elk Grove Village, Ill.
October 1995

Solution:
Last year, in the US alone, approximately 1.52 billion printed circuit boards rolled off the production line. Projections indicate that, by the end of 2004, that number will reach 1.95 billion. Most of these boards will be cut out and drilled by mechanical methods, but lasers' greater precision and cleanliness augurs greater penetration of photonic instruments in this field…