12 Questions for Occam before buying the farm

By Ron Lasky

The Occam electronics circuit assembly process (Occam Process) was announced amid much fanfare August 1, 2007. Reviews of the Occam ‘process' and predictions of its marvelous benefits to the electronics industry were breathtaking.

The process was developed by Joe Fjelstad, president and founder of Verdant Electronics and, upon reading Company press releases, one felt they would be ‘left behind' if they did not get on board the Occam train soon.

The process is named after William of Occam, 14th century medieval scholar, author of "Occam's Razor", which in modern language, asserts that when considering a phenomena - the simplest explanation is likely the best. The Verdant folks chose this name for their process because they claim the Occam Process is extremely simple. The Occam effort is also blessed by an impressive list of advisors, which adds credibility to Verdant's claims for Occam.

The purpose of this article is to provide additional questions for those considering pursuing the implementation of the Occam Process. I strongly recommend anyone planning on implementing the Occam Process to find answers to most or all of these questions. (More analysis of the process is available on my blog)

The Occam Process begins by placing components on a thin substrate, presumably with some sort of adhesive to hold the components. An overcoating of an encapsulant is then deposited on the components. The encapsulant is then cured. The substrate is subsequently inverted and holes are laser-drilled or etched to expose the component leads. Photolithography and copper plating processes then form the interconnections. The process does not require soldering. (Visit the Verdant Electronics Website for a more detailed explanation).

Verdant Electronics claims the major requirements the Occam Process addresses are:

"1. The regulatory imperatives (e.g., RoHS) to produce lead-free electronics requires (sic) subjecting them (e.g., the components) to very high temperatures associated with lead-free solder, and involves reliability risks associated with the extensive use of tin plating as a termination finish.

2. The relentless drive to reduce size and cost results in increasing challenges for reliable component placement and attachment.

3. Global sourcing and supply-chain expansion means more distant PCB suppliers, reducing the resources and support for domestic technology development."

Admittedly, these three points have validity. However, all of the above points can and are being addressed with current technology. Are there challenges with current technology addressing these issues? Absolutely, there always will be. There will be many challenges with Occam, too, as well as a few new unknowns.

Well, on to the questions for Occam

Question 1: The Occam Process involves component placement; encapsulant laminating, etching of holes, photolithography for circuit definition, additive copper plating, and photoresist stripping and cleaning for each circuit layer. How is it a simple process? What is the process, in detail, for a moderately complex product?

Question 2: Printed wire board (PWB) assembly and, the PWB itself, each represent only about five (5) percent of the cost of an electronics product. So for my $100 cellular phone, about $5 of the cost is for PWB assembly and $5 for the PWB itself. How does the Occam process reduce this cost? May we see a detailed cost estimate?

Question 3: Since the Occam Process involves both PWB assembly and PWB manufacturing processes, who will the early adopters be? How are these adopters expected to modify their facilities, inexpensively, to adopt the Occam process?

Question 4: In the Occam Webinar presented to industry September 11, 2007, the Webinar questioned the need for rework - implying the Occam process will be so reliable there will be no need for rework. Isn't most rework performed today a result of the need to repair, or replace, faulty electronics components? If this situation is not the case, what is the data to support Occam's no rework required position? Meanwhile, if it is determined rework is required, what is the Occam rework plan?

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You make some valid points,

Submitted by Joseph Fjelstad (not verified) on Sat, 2008-02-23 17:59.

You make some valid points, Fred but the Occam process has not been posited as a solution for everything. It does not need to be to solve problems or to be successful.

The technology is ultimately about a glass that is half full, not one that is half empty.

It also appears based on certain of your comments that you may have not read (or al least read completely) the white paper on the Occam Process, I invite you to do so.

It is available for download at the Verdant Electronics website at:

www.verdantelectronics.com

Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns that you might have, Fred, I would be delighted to communicate with you about them.

Thanks for taking time to post your thoughts, Fred

Kind regards,
Joe

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It would appear that due to

Submitted by Fred Lofts (not verified) on Fri, 2007-10-19 07:21.

It would appear that due to the encapsulation, very few of today’s components can be used. Any device that is too large, too thick, needs outside control like push buttons; potentiometers or switches. Also, transformers, large capacitors, power resistors, IGBc modules, and the list goes on and on...

In fact, the 'what you can use' list is so small that only mid-sized chips and resistors and chip capacitors, that’s about it. So, what do I do when I design normal boards that use transformers, or potentiometers or, small 0201 chips or, all the big, fat protruding parts that you can not encapsulate?

Occam says they need to laser down to the component pad... Well, the pad end of small 0402 and 0201 chip resistors and capacitors are too small to hit with a laser.

No one has talked about how to connect to the encapsulated block: we need wires, connectors and pin outs, how would you encapsulate a connector and not have black goo leak in? How do I connect wires and test pins and other items I have to find and attach to for testing? Sounds like an impossible dream.

Occam says its simpler but, because it’s a single-sided device, it would require individual HDI layers made in sequence. I layer one, then another, and another, and so on, and so on. The time frame is huge.

Imaging a 10 layer board would require 10 lamination cycles, 10 dry film and imaging cycles, 10 developing and plating cycles, 10 separate etching cycles, 10 strip and AOI cycles. Meanwhile, when a HDI is made on a core because they process two layers at once (front and back) the PCB shop needs one-half as many process cycles.

An Occam board would be twice as expensive as today’s HDI boards.

With most HDI we design today, we place components on both sides. With Occam, your limited to one side. So, my boards need to be twice as large and now four times as expensive -- that’s not progress. Occam clams to be lighter but how much does the extra epoxy encapsulant weigh?

Not a practical idea .

Fred Lofts
PCB Designer

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First, thanks to Dr. Lasky

Submitted by Joseph Fjelstad (not verified) on Tue, 2007-09-25 10:53.

First, thanks to Dr. Lasky for his continuing interest in the Occam Process and all of his publications on the topic.

His questions have served an important role in the process of the development of the Occam concept and he has brought many interested companies to Verdant Electronics who are seeking a way out of the lead-free dilemma.

I invite the reader to go to the Verdant Electronics website and download the white paper on the Occam Process.

www.verdantelectronics.com

After reading the white paper and the questions and answers, the reader can make their own assessment. Note that the technology continues to grow and develop and that the white paper is a work in process that grows with our expanded knowledge and experience.

There is not space to respond to all of the questions in the article so please feel free to contact me if you have interest in discussing the questions that have been posed in the article above.

I look forward to answering any questions the reader might have.

Thank you for your attention and interest.

Kind regards
Joseph Fjelstad

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