Back to Basics—Free Acid in Ferric Chloride Etching

David Allen
Cranfield University

Automation Part 1—Robotics in Schmoll’s Direct Imaging Systems

Evan Howard
Schmoll-Maschinen GmbH, Sales Manager, West

Automation Part 2—Traceability with Serialization

Dennis Pusch
Schmoll-Maschinen GmbH, Manager Sales and Business Development

Chemistries and Applications

Tony Jackson
RBP Chemical Technology, Director of Sales + Business Development-Electronics

Methods for Implementing Economical Closed-Loop Water Recycling Systems in the Photo-Chemical Milling Industry

Alexander Stepinski
Smart Process Design, Founder

Optimizing the Lifespan of Your Imaging Systems: Best Practices

Jean-Clément Martel
Altix North America, Inc., Sales Manager

Networking Reception and Dinner at Planet Hollywood.

Join us for a night filled with star-studded flavors, epic eats, and a whole universe of fun.

Building Collaborative Relationships Between Etchers and Formers 
Steve Marino 
Orbel, Wet Processing Manager 

Nathan Saunders 
FormFactor Design, LLC 

Point-of-Use Manufacture of Nitric Acid Using Just Air, Water, and Electricity

Neal Fine, Ph.D .
Arctura Wind, Founder and CEO 

The Future hybrid is now: Merging Additive and Subtractive Technologies for Optimal Manufacturing

Tank Yen
Manz AG, Director of New Business Development, Asia 

Innovations in Manufacturing: Exploring the Potential of 3D Printing in a Photochemical Machining Manufacturing Facility

Jimmy Trost
Vaga Industries, Co-Owner 

Part 1: Leveraging ChatGPT: Success Stories and Strategies from Industry Leaders—A Panel Discussion

Ana Lambert
Tech-Etch, R&D Director

Dylan Reitz
Chemcut Corporation

Emeritus Professor David Allen started his career as a chemist (BSc, 1968) and moved into photochemistry research (PhD, 1972) while studying at Cardiff University. Following post-doctoral research at Warwick University and imaging technology development in industry, David joined Cranfield University in 1976. He was appointed a technical liaison member to the Photo Chemical Machining Institute (PCMI) in 1981 and is currently on the Board of Directors of PCMI responsible for education. David became professor of microengineering at Cranfield University in 1998 and was elected as a Fellow of The International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) in 2006.

David has published:

• Two PCM books: The Principles and Practice of Photochemical Machining and Photoetching (1986) and Photochemical Machining and Photoelectroforming (2015, reprinted 2016, 2017 and 2019) ;
• Five book chapters on non-conventional machining and contributed the chapter on ‘Etching’ to the on-line CIRP Encyclopaedia of Production Engineering;
• Seven confidential industrial PCM consortium reports;
• 206 journal and conference papers, and he was awarded the higher doctoral degree of DSc from Cranfield University in 2013 for his thesis entitled “Contributions to Photochemical Machining and Photoelectroforming.”

David retired from academia in 2011, and he now carries out consultancy and staff training in PCM companies across the world. He has worked with 27 different companies over the past 12 years.

Free Acid in Ferric Chloride Etching
Free hydrochloric acid is an integral component of ferric chloride etchant. As it influences ORP, etch rate, surface finish, regeneration chemistry and byproduct solubility, its changing concentration needs to be controlled continuously in real time. This presentation shows how the concentration of free hydrochloric acid in ferric chloride can be measured and controlled to maximise etching efficiency and produce high quality photoetched parts.

Neal Fine has been a technology leader for more than 25 years. Since graduating from MIT with a PhD in marine hydrodynamics in 1993, he has led the development of technologies for a variety of fluid mechanical systems—from submarines and surface ships to aircraft and wind turbines. He has performed basic and applied research, and he has led product development efforts for the energy, marine, aviation, and defense industries. Along the way, he has expanded his expertise to include low temperature plasma physics and chemistry, with applications to aerodynamic flow control, water treatment, VOC abatement, and nitrogen fixation. In 2015, he founded Arctura to commercialize new technologies aimed at reducing the cost of renewable energy and decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors of the chemical industry. Neal grew up in old-town Marblehead, MA, where he learned to race sailboats as a teenager and first gained an appreciation for the power of the wind. He has been a Rhode Islander since 1993, where he and his wife raised their three children.

Point-of-Use Manufacture of Nitric Acid using just Air, Water, and Electricity
As Founder and CEO of Arctura, Inc., Neal Fine leads a team of technologists that has developed a new process for synthesizing nitric acid using just air, water, and electricity. This new process employs a novel low temperature plasma reactor that fixes nitrogen from air in the form of NO2, which is then absorbed in water to create an aqueous nitric acid solution. The process has a theoretical energy consumption that is half that of the state-of-the-art industrial process, which uses methane as its hydrogen feedstock and emits over 100 million tons of CO2 each year. Unlike the industrial plants, Arctura’s plants are economical at small scale, opening up an opportunity to produce nitric acid at the point of use and avoiding transportation and storage costs. In this presentation, Neal will present a roadmap for commercializing the new technology and how it might be used by the PCMI community.

Born in California, Lee Gale moved to Massachusetts in 1973 to open the east coast branch of a chemical manufacturing facility for J & S Laboratories, which manufactured proprietary specialty chemicals used in the printed circuit and chemical milling industries. After just a couple years, he moved into technical sales for the company, expanding sales up and down the east coast, Puerto Rico and Canada. When the company was sold in 1986 to a division of Brent Chemicals, known as Ardrox, Lee held the eastern regional sales manager position until 1990. In January of that year, he started PCI Sales & Marketing Inc as a manufacturer’s representative company, and in 1998, he expanded to include a special chemical company, PCI Specialty Chemical Div., developing and manufacturing proprietary chemistries used in printed circuit and chemical milling industries. In 2001, PCI was assigned the North American distributorship for Asahi-Kasei EMD out of Japan for their proprietary dry film photo resist product line. They expanded sales nationwide with five strategic warehouses, with a network of sub-distributors servicing the printed circuit, chemical milling, and semi-conductor companies.

Dry Resist for Chemical Milling
Asahi Kasei EMD has developed a dry film photopolymer with good etching resistance on stainless steel and similar substrates, with stripping ability and good exposed flexibility. Etching resistance was greatly improved by introducing a special polar adhesion promoter that interacts with the metal substrate and resist.

Evan Howard is the western sales manager for Schmoll Machines in North America. He first started with Schmoll working in the factory in Germany building machines. Later, he transitioned to the service department, where he serviced machines around Europe. He eventually relocated back to America, where he managed the service department until moving to a technical sales role for the western half of the country. He has degrees from both the University of Utah and the University of Alabama.

Automation Part 1: Robotics in Schmoll’s Direct Imaging Systems
A brief history of automation, including how we got here and where we might be going. Evan will speak about some early success of automation, and what we have seen in reality when it comes to implementation of automation. Dennis will then follow to speak more specifically about Schmoll’s automation solutions.

Tony brings over 29 years of chemical and technical sales experience in the PCB and PCM manufacturing industries, with a special focus on process optimization, yield improvement and operating cost reductions for RBP Chemical Technology’s customers. As the director of sales and business development – electronics, Tony implements and oversees global and domestic divisional and individual sales plans and strategies designed to maximize sales and profits required to support RBP’s goals and objectives. With a strong background in both chemistry and solutions-driven sales, Tony works one-on-one with RBP customers, distributors and representatives to offer customized solutions that maximize results and provide a competitive edge.

Most recently, Tony served as the international sales manager at RBP, responsible for driving sales of RBP’s line of electronics chemistry products across the company’s markets. Tony has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. He is a member of the Chicago Circuit Board Association, active participant in MRA Management Association, the IPC and India IPCA (Association Connecting Electronics Industries).

Chemistries and Applications
PCM discussion for yield and operating cost improvement. Fabricating part #’s focusing on equipment and chemistry.

Ana Lambert has assumed varied responsibilities at Tech-Etch, moving from lab and etching supervisor to roles such as process engineer, engineering manager, and engineering director. Currently embracing the challenge of R&D director, she brings a background in chemistry and holds a project management professional (PMP) certification from PMI. Beyond work, Ana cherishes family time and finds joy in exploring the underwater world through scuba diving.

Part 1: Leveraging ChatGPT: Success Stories and Strategies from Industry Leaders—A Panel Discussion
In this dynamic panel discussion, industry leaders will share how they’ve successfully implemented ChatGPT within their organizations. The conversation will cover both strategic and tactical uses of ChatGPT, highlighting the tangible benefits it offers, from automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows to enhancing creative processes and driving faster decision-making.

Panelists will also share their experiences in overcoming implementation challenges, scaling the use of AI, and navigating the learning curve associated with AI adoption.

Attendees will leave the session equipped with actionable strategies to integrate ChatGPT into their organizations, along with a deeper understanding of how this powerful tool can be customized to address specific needs across industries. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to expand its role in your company, this panel will provide valuable insights on making the most of ChatGPT’s capabilities.

Steven Marino is the manager for wet processing manufacturing at Orbel Corporation, where he oversees the etching, plating, heat treating, and waste treatment departments. Throughout his eight years with Orbel, he has served in various roles including head of IT and as a project manager. His focus within Orbel is on process improvement and technology innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from American University.

Building Collaborative Relationships between Etchers and Formers
Secondary forming takes a flat etched part and brings it into three dimensions. But what are the challenges secondary forming operations face in doing this? By understanding their challenges, and methods of overcoming them through etching, you can build a stronger relationship that improves quality and delivery for your final customers.

Jean-Clément Martel graduated from the University of Northumbria (Newcastle, UK) with a Master of Science in international business management. He is now sales area manager at Altix, in charge of the UK & North America regions. Jean-Clément is passionate about the industrial world and specializes in photolithography equipment (UV exposure and direct imaging systems) for various industries, such as PCM, PCB, FPC, IC substrate, and more.

Optimizing the Lifespan of Your Imaging Systems: Best Practices
This presentation highlights the critical role of various factors influencing your imaging systems’ lifespan. It underscores the critical role of the room environment, the importance of regular maintenance, and key considerations in equipment design, along with other factors specific to the PCM industry. Additionally, it explores the best practices for achieving stability and reliability in equipment performance over time.

Glenn Miller is currently regional manager/technical service for PCI Sales and Marketing in Salem, New Hampshire. PCI is the North American master distributor for Asahi-Kasei Electronic Materials Division dry film photopolymer sold under the trade name Sunfort. There are seven sub distributors providing distribution and technical service coverage nationwide for the US and in Canada. In addition, there is a specialty chemical division manufacturing support chemistries for the dry photopolymer business.

In 1973, Glenn joined DuPont as a production engineer, moving to field sales until he joined Riston division in 1979. After corporate downsizing, he joined PCI in 1995 and has remained there. Over his career in field sales, he has authored and coauthored several national seminars on dry film imaging.

He holds a BS in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University and is an AES certified electro finisher. He currently resides in Sterling, Virginia, collects antique tools, and does a lot of karaoke when time permits.

Dry Resist for Chemical Milling
Asahi Kasei EMD has developed a dry film photopolymer with good etching resistance on Stainless Steel and similar substrates, with stripping ability and good exposed flexibility. Etching resistance was greatly improved by introducing a special polar adhesion promoter that interacts with the metal substrate and resist.

Dennis Pusch, M.Sc., is the manager of sales and business development for Schmoll’s Direct Imaging product line. He has supported the DI product since its early beginnings at Schmoll Maschinen and understands its technology, application, market and customer requirements well, counting several years of experience working in this field. Supporting and working with global customers, Dennis has a good insight into current market trends and new requirements.

Automation Part 2: Traceability with Serialization

Dylan Reitz is a process engineer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran with a diverse background in AI technologies and automation. During his time at the University of Arizona, he joined the Arizona Autonomous Club, where he developed a strong interest in automation and engineering, which later informed his work at the USDA’s Carl Hayden Bee Research Center. There, he applied deep learning networks like AlexNet for image recognition, contributing to research published in PLOS ONE on the sublethal effects of pesticide exposure on honeybee colonies. Now at Chemcut, Dylan leverages AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance manufacturing processes and improve efficiency. His experience in scientific research, industrial engineering, and military service provides a unique perspective on innovation and leadership.

Part 1: Leveraging ChatGPT: Success Stories and Strategies from Industry Leaders—A Panel Discussion
In this dynamic panel discussion, industry leaders will share how they’ve successfully implemented ChatGPT within their organizations. The conversation will cover both strategic and tactical uses of ChatGPT, highlighting the tangible benefits it offers, from automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows to enhancing creative processes and driving faster decision-making.

Panelists will also share their experiences in overcoming implementation challenges, scaling the use of AI, and navigating the learning curve associated with AI adoption.

Attendees will leave the session equipped with actionable strategies to integrate ChatGPT into their organizations, along with a deeper understanding of how this powerful tool can be customized to address specific needs across industries. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to expand its role in your company, this panel will provide valuable insights on making the most of ChatGPT’s capabilities.

Alexander (Alex) Stepinski has over 27 years of international manufacturing experience in the microelectronics, semiconductor test, and process equipment industries; with more than a decade spent developing highly automated smart factories for OEM’s. He holds a B.S. in chemistry, as well as post graduate diplomas in engineering, finance, and business. Alex is the original and sole inventor on multiple international patents for unique closed-loop chemical recycling systems and has been appointed a lifetime fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London for his contributions to improving the sustainability of the global wet process industry. He is also a part-time lecturer in MIT’s advanced design and manufacturing engineering master’s program, while also operating his own international engineering firm, which is registered as a public benefit corporation dedicated to the global elimination of industrial pollution.

Methods for Implementing Economical Closed-Loop Water Recycling Systems in the Photo-Chemical Milling Industry
For the past decade, completely closed loop zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) wastewater and chemical recycling systems have become the norm in all the greenfield microelectronics facilities stood up in the United States. Recently, some additional improvements to the designs of these systems have reduced the cost of ownership to such an extent that they are now being economically installed in brownfield facilities in the USA, Europe, India, and East Asia.

Due to the chemical similarities, many of these sustainability innovations from the microelectronics sector can also be deployed into the photochemical milling industry with similar benefits. This presentation will focus on the technical details of these new methods, and how they can be specifically deployed in chemical-milling operations to achieve both zero liquid discharge, as well as point-source circular economies on the portfolio of process chemicals commonly used in the chemical-milling sector.

From a young age, Nathan Saunders gained hands-on experience in machining, metal forming, and other manufacturing processes by attending university-level manufacturing classes taught by his father while he was in high school. Nathan holds a Bachelor of Science in manufacturing engineering with a focus on welding and a Master of Science in technology with an emphasis in manufacturing systems. His graduate research focused on friction stir spot welding of ultra-high strength steels (UHHS), highlighting his deep expertise in advanced welding techniques, material properties, and manufacturing processes.

With 12 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, where he built and assembled chemical pumps, heaters, and valves, Nathan advanced from manufacturing engineer to factory manager, playing a pivotal role in helping the company achieve a 14X growth during his tenure. In April 2024, Nathan purchased Form Factor Design, LLC, and has since enjoyed using his creativity to learn and improve the processes of forming thin sheet metal components.

In his free time, Nathan enjoys spending time with his wife and five children outdoors, trail running, cooking, and cycling. He also enjoys pushing his physical limits by participating in long endurance races.

Building Collaborative Relationships between Etchers and Formers
Secondary forming takes a flat etched part and brings it into three dimensions. But what are the challenges secondary forming operations face in doing this? By understanding their challenges, and methods of overcoming them through etching, you can build a stronger relationship that improves quality and delivery for your final customers.

Jimmy Trost is the co-owner with his brother Jeff of a third-generation photochemical machining business. Born into a legacy of precision manufacturing, Jimmy has inherited a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail from his family’s long-standing involvement in the industry. After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, Jimmy chose to merge his technical expertise with the family tradition, leading the business into a new era of cutting-edge technology. Jimmy’s professional journey started in the world of aerospace design and stress analysis where he gained invaluable experience in high-tech manufacturing and materials science. Now as a leader of Vaga Industries, Jimmy leverages this wealth of knowledge to propel the company forward, ensuring its continued success in an ever-evolving landscape.

Innovations in Manufacturing: Exploring the Potential of 3D Printing in a Photochemical Machining Manufacturing Facility

Tank Yen is the director of new business development at Manz, specializing in integrating internal resources to forge customer partnerships and seize new market opportunities. With a background in sales and product marketing for manufacturing equipment providers, he leverages deep technical expertise to drive Manz’s strategic initiatives in high-precision digital printing and automation technology. Tank graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science in physics, and excels in go-to-market strategies and communication for advanced packaging technologies.

The Future hybrid is now: Merging Additive and Subtractive Technologies for Optimal Manufacturing
Explore the convergence of additive and subtractive manufacturing processes, offering enhanced precision, efficiency, and design flexibility. This hybrid approach integrates Digital printing with traditional Wet Chemistry process, enabling manufacturers to overcome limitations, reduce waste, and produce complex and high-quality products with simplest few process steps.