Feature casting for manufacture observation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974420-B2
Application number	US-201715465073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2017
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

Circuit feature casting for manufacture observation is disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a method includes applying a molding material to a feature of a circuit to substantially cover the feature with the molding material. The method also includes curing the molding material. Further, the method includes separating the molding material from the feature to reveal a cast of the feature of the circuit.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
using a pneumatic technique to apply a molding material to at least one through-hole of a circuit to substantially cover an internal surface of the at least one through-hole with the molding material, wherein the pneumatic technique forces movement of the molding material;
curing the molding material; and
separating the molding material from the internal surface of the at least one through-hole to reveal a cast of the internal surface of the at least one through-hole of the circuit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the molding material comprises an elastomer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the elastomer is a silicone elastomer.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the elastomer is a polyurethane elastomer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the molding material is a two-part elastomer made from a mixture of a base and a hardener.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ratio of base to hardener is about 10:1.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein using a pneumatic technique to apply a molding material comprises placing the circuit in molding material held by a container.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein using a pneumatic technique to apply a molding material to at least one through-hole of a circuit comprises inserting the molding material into an internal space defined by the circuit.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one through-hole is plated.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inspecting the cast of the internal surface of the at least one through-hole of the circuit to identify any defects; and
changing printed circuit board manufacturing process settings based on observed defects.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising preparing the molding material comprising a pre-polymer base component and one of a hardener and curing agent component prior to using the pneumatic technique to apply the molding material to at least one through-hole of the circuit.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein using a pneumatic technique comprises:
placing the circuit into a vacuum chamber; and
using the vacuum chamber to pull the molding material into the at least one through-hole.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the molding material comprises heating the molding material prior to separating the molding material from the at least one through-hole.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Czaplewski Sarah K
• Doman Joseph F
• Kuczynski Joseph

Classifications

• H05K3/429

  Plated through-holes specially for multilayer circuits, e.g. having connections to inner circuit layers · CPC title

• B29C41/003

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29C41/42

  Removing articles from moulds, cores or other substrates {(B29C33/444 and B29C37/0017 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H05K2203/16

  Inspection; Monitoring; Aligning · CPC title

• B29K2083/00

  Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material · CPC title