For Immediate Release, August 12, 2005

CALUMET ELECTRONICS PURCHASES NEW SCHMID S/E/S LINE

Calumet Electronics Corporation has purchased Schmid Co.’s newest Strip/Etch/Strip Line to enhance their printed circuit board manufacturing capabilities. The increasing demand for finer lines/spaces, heavier copper, controlled impedance, and hi-reliability in the PCB industry require highly advanced production technology. “Schmid is acknowledged as the global leader in manufacturing high-end wet processing equipment” Elden Hendrickson, Jr. - Procurement Manager stated, “This new line provides critical processing capabilities and is another example of Calumet’s commitment to continuous improvement!”

The Strip/Etch/Strip Line performs 3 critical functions affecting the quality of printed circuit boards. The photographic resist that defines the pattern of additional plating is removed in the dry-film resist strip module. The copper which is not protected by the tin resist is then etched off by using a sprayed-on ammonium-based etching solution in the copper etch module. Finally, the tin resist layer (Sn or SnPb) is stripped away in the tin strip module. The Schmid etching modules utilize oscillating spray manifolds arranged either parallel or at right angles to the conveyor direction, through optimization of the nozzle positioning, a consistent etching rate is achieved across the entire panel surface. Continuous monitoring of the process bath parameters, the pressure and flow rates of the individual spray bars allow for ideal etching results.

Calumet Electronics Corp., located in Calumet, MI, has been manufacturing printed circuit boards for over 35 years. All boards are manufactured from UL recognized materials according to a Quality System that is registered to ISO9001:2000 and certified to the Military Specification MILPRF-31032. Their highest commitment is to quality, performance, and customer satisfaction; providing a lower cost of ownership for prototype and production requirements. Visit their website, http://www.CalumetElectronics.com for a complete overview of their product offerings.  For more information about Schmid, visit http://www.schmid-online.de.