Selectively conductive plating on plastics

Our company is looking to plate copper on plastics substrate. It will be a selective plating. The pattern is a meander line. The gap and line width has a typical value of 0.2 mm. The dimension of the our product is about 12.8 mm X 9 mm X 2 mm. We haven't decided on the substrate material. The only requirement is that it needs to be solderable (temperature 250 degree C).

Is there such a technology available? Any of your input will be heartily appreciated!

David Lin
- College Park, Maryland, USA

I think one way to do this is plate your item with electroless copper over the entire surface and then laser cut your pattern back down to the substrate.

Neil Bell
Red Sky Plating

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Have you considered the process of coating the high-temperature plastic with nickel? If this will be suitable, it is possible to deposit the nickel by chemical vapour deposition and mask off the areas that are to be uncoated.

Mick O'Meara
- Toronto, Canada

Dave,

Sounds like a PWB situation. Copper plating selectively is done every day by the millions. Sure there are technologies for this.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico

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