Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!ginosko!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!hplabs!hp-ses!hpcuhb!hpda!hpcupt1!hprnd!hprmokg!barry
From: barry@hprmokg.HP.COM (Barry Fowler)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Re^2: Through-plating PCB's
Message-ID: <10040021@hprmokg.HP.COM>
Date: 31 Aug 89 20:23:38 GMT
References: <6684@stiatl.UUCP>
Organization: HP Networked Computer Mfg. Operation
Lines: 31

john@stiatl.UUCP (John DeArmond) states:


(me)
>>The electronics industry doesn't plate traces on pc boards.  They etch
>>the copper off already plated boards.  
>
>>Take it off,  take it off....
>

(john)
>Not true.  While most low and medium production boards are etched, high
>volume boards are quite often made from an additive process.

It is possible to use an additive process.  I am curious what you call
"high volume", however.

I have worked in many manufacturing entities and with vendors that make
what I would consider "high volume" boards, one such vendor makes them
for IBM and they ALL etch copper from the boards.  They do not use 
additive processes.  In my company, we have come in contact with many
OEM suppliers and, to date, in my 12 years in "the industry", I have
yet to have seen one that deposits copper traces on printed circuit material.
Is this because we use multilayer boards?  Is it more common only with
double-sided boards?

Maybe I'm missing something...

Barry