HON-Flex Selects MKS Flex PCB Laser Processing Solution

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MKS Instruments, Inc., a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today announced that HON-Flex Xiamen Hongxin Electron-tech Co., Ltd. (also known as HON-Flex), has selected the ESI RedStone system for its high-volume flex PCB processing. The ESI RedStone system provides HON-Flex with the capability to deliver high-volume processing of through vias, with the added versatility to address their requirement for blind via processing.

The ESI RedStone system is a perfect fit for the type of flex processing HON-Flex does”, said Patrick Riechel, Director of ESI Flex Marketing for MKS. “Although RedStone is optimized for high-volume through-via drilling, it also offers the robust blind-via drilling that Hon-Flex requires. As flex circuits continue to evolve and miniaturize, the trend is for flex manufacturers to graduate from through-via drilling and routing via mechanical means and shift those processes to laser systems, eventually demanding laser blind-via drilling capabilities. RedStone provides the best solution for customers making that mechanical-to-laser transition or for those expanding on their existing laser through-via drilling and routing capacity. Furthermore, it offers an ideal stepping stone for blind-via drilling as these manufacturers often expect to transition some production to that higher-value market.”

“Our flexible PCB processing customers are device OEMs with a wide range of PCB processing needs,” said Slash Li, Hon-Flex General Manager. “Although a majority of the work we do for them involves high-volume through-via drilling, they also have the need for us to process flex PCB’s that require blind vias. That meant that we needed a solution we could rely on to do both. After evaluating the RedStone system on our production floor and comparing it to alternatives, we found that its capabilities made it the best match for our through-via-heavy production mix, while also offering the best overall performance.”

The ESI RedStone system offers the same high-accuracy and high-volume readiness as the industry-standard Model 5335 and class-leading CapStone system. It utilizes a high-repetition-rate, high-average-power laser coupled with reliable beam positioning and power control technologies that are well suited to applications such as through-hole drilling and cutting, as well as large-process-window blind-via drilling. Applications such as these can best utilize the RedStone system’s high-accuracy, high-throughput capabilities while still ensuring high process yield.

About MKS Instruments
MKS Instruments, Inc. is a global provider of instruments, systems, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power and control critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes to improve process performance and productivity for our customers. Our products are derived from our core competencies in pressure measurement and control, flow measurement and control, gas and vapor delivery, gas composition analysis, electronic control technology, reactive gas generation and delivery, power generation and delivery, vacuum technology, lasers, photonics, optics, precision motion control, vibration control and laser-based manufacturing systems solutions. We also provide services relating to the maintenance and repair of our products, installation services and training. Our primary served markets include semiconductor, industrial technologies, life and health sciences, research and defense. Additional information can be found at www.mksinst.com.

About the ESI Brand
ESI is a brand within MKS Instruments. The ESI portfolio consists of laser-based micro manufacturing systems and component test systems that are used worldwide by manufacturers in the electronics industry to process the materials and components that are an integral part of the electronic devices and systems in use today. Leveraging over 40 years of laser-material-interaction expertise and applied laser technology, ESI solutions enable customers to optimize production by providing more control, greater application flexibility and more precise processing of a wide range of materials. The result is higher production quality, increased throughput and higher back-end yields at a lower total cost-of-ownership. Additional information can be found at www.esi.com.

ESI and MKS are registered trademarks of MKS Instruments, Inc. 5335, RedStone and CapStone are trademarks of MKS, Instruments. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

About HON-Flex
Xiamen Hongxin Electron-tech Co., Ltd. (also known as HON-Flex), founded in 2003, is a corporation that specializes in R&D, Designing, Manufacturing and Sales of Flexible Printed Circuit Boards related to emerging industries. HON-Flex produces a variety of fine-precision flexible printed circuit boards for applications in mobile communications and consumer electronic products.