Product category:
Liquid Waste and Pollution
News Release from: Tecan | Subject: Ferric chloride regeneration
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 July 2006
Environmental specialist has Cranfield
recognition
A technique for regeneration of ferric chloride etchant, used in the manufacture of metal parts, such as in the etching of solder paste screening stencils for the electronics manufacturing industry
Weymouth-based precision metal etching specialist, Tecan is again celebrating success in the field of environmentally friendly manufacturing, with the news that Peter Jefferies, the Tecan manufacturing director, has attained a Doctorate in Advanced Manufacturing Technology Conferred by the prestigious Cranfield University, the Doctorate recognises the highly-specialised process control and chemical engineering research carried out by Dr Jefferies and a team of specialists at the university, culminating in a new technology which now saves the company thousands of pounds a year and is significantly kinder to the environment than traditional chemical rejuvenation techniques used to extend the life of the etchants used in the manufacturing processes
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 22 Apr 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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"My colleagues and I have developed the technology - which concerns the regeneration of ferric chloride etchant, used in the manufacture of metal parts, in our case the etching of solder paste screening stencils for the electronics manufacturing industry," said Dr Jefferies.
"The development has resulted in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution to an on-going problem - Ferric chloride will, as a result of the etching process, naturally 'age' meaning that the ferric ions will be converted to ferrous ions, which will not etch metal have a tendency to cause other processing problems.
Our technique is successful because, unlike traditional regeneration methods which use aggressive and potentially dangerous chemicals and gas, the new method uses oxygen as the oxidising agent".
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To make the process work needs accurate monitoring and control of critical parameters.
These processes did not exist prior to the study and were developed by Dr Jefferies as part of the work.
He also was responsible for a further refinement of the regeneration process which involves the use of air resulting in a totally environmentally friendly process.
Benefits of the new process include significantly reduced processing costs, economical long-term acid life, greater operational safety, increased profitability - and a further boost to the Tecan on-going initiatives to protect the environment.
The research was based on an original IBM patented technology released to the Photo Chemical Machining Institute (PCMI), subsequent developed by Dr Jefferies and his colleagues at Cranfield University.
Tecan, has been recognized for its on-going commitment to minimising its effect on the environment, by recently being granted ISO 14001 status for its in-house environmental management systems.
To achieve the accreditation it is necessary to prove that a company has established and is committed to maintaining a number of management procedures and initiatives to ensure ongoing conformance with the demanding International ISO 14001 guidelines.
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