News and New Products

Machining system creates pc-board reality show

By Bill Schweber -- EDN, 10/16/2003

The QC9000 machining system from T-Tech can smooth the way when you need to fabricate a prototype pc board, build some for test fixtures or low- to moderate-volume production runs, or even do some low-volume production runs (Picture). The system rapidly mills, drills, and routes pc boards as large as 480×480 mm (19×19 in.), especially suitable for large pc-board antennas. It needs no chemicals, thus providing convenience and close access and giving you full con-trol of the process.

Your CAD/CAM data drives the system, which can work standard FR-4 boards and pro-prietary, specialty-laminated substrates, such as RT/Duroid, TMM, and Ultralam. The milling head has full x-, y-, and z-axis control, including a special depth sensor and speed control on the z-axis for those tricky laminates. If your final board is smaller than the work area, you can ask for a step and repeat to get multiple boards from larger base panel. The fast turnaround and direct control this system offers is increasingly important in our ever-faster-moving mar-kets. It costs $14,995 and $20,995, depending on options.

T-Tech Inc, 1-800-370-1530, www.t-tech.com.