November 5, 2009 – Hitachi Via Mechanics says it has developed new processes for microhole drilling cast polyimide wafers and multilayered materials used in high density electronics packaging, that can produce ≤100μm-dia. holes in high-volume manufacturing.

The hole-drilling capability, available on the company’s ND-1S single-spin modular system and ND-Q six-spindle production system, can be drilled in variety of polymer sheet and composite materials from printed circuit boards (PCB) to medical devices — e.g., cast polymide substrates for high-density probe cards and microbattery applications. As a demo for the latter, HVM formed 10,000 100μm through-holes through a 0.5mm-thick cast polyimide wafer; the process could replace laser processes for nearly 1/5 less cost, the company noted. It is also "especially effective" for applications with surface or material thickness variations.

ND-1S series system PI hole array (100μm). (Source: Hitachi Via Mechanics)