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[Article] Solder-less circuits (apparently)

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eti:
Wow, consider me... Amused. I think. Sounds like a wonderful way to generate e-waste and make things even less repairable. Not to mention that assuming that the entire industry would abandon solder is laughable (obviously)

https://www.eetimes.com/solders-days-should-be-numbered-there-is-a-better-way/

Benta:
A 1000+ words saying... nothing. Not worth the read. Friends, save your time.

ejeffrey:

--- Quote from: eti on December 01, 2022, 06:18:14 pm ---Wow, consider me... Amused. I think. Sounds like a wonderful way to generate e-waste and make things even less repairable. Not to mention that assuming that the entire industry would abandon solder is laughable (obviously)

--- End quote ---

I don't think the idea that all or a large chunk of the industry changing the way they do things is inherently laughable or unreasonable.  The industry has made many major shifts over the years.  But the linked article is pretty much content free even by press release standards, and doesn't say anything about what they actually do.  There are some links to white papers posted in the comments section but if they can't be bothered to explain the basics of their technology I'm not going to go read their website.

tooki:
There’s basically nothing on the website either.

ebastler:
Well, there is a wee bit on information, to be fair:


--- Quote ---At Occam, we have developed a process that supplants solder—and PCBs—with a new methodology for component assembly. We sometimes describe it as reverse order processing.

Our vision is to first attach components to a “component board” and test that assembly before encapsulation and circuitization. This ensures that all assemblies are known to be good at the outset. There are several methods for adding component connections, including traditional plating techniques and additive printed circuits (printed electronics).
--- End quote ---

The basic idea seems to be that they physically attach the components to a carrier, without any electrical connections. Then "encapsulate" them, presumably embedding them in epoxy or such to get a clean planar surface in the same plane as all the component contacts. Then make the connections by adding traces, in a process similar to what is used for making bare PCBs today.

But indeed, where's the beef?

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