Joann,
Another approach is to ask the suppliers you use for proof of capability.
You
could ask them to give you a pie chart of technologies currently booked to
see
what they have loaded in the shop, yields from the floor to see what they
can
produce for each of the technologies and what the plans are to develop new
technologies or expand current technology capability.
The line/space capability depends on the tier of supplier you use. If you
are
working with a .012 supplier you are most likely at tier 3 (1 is best). Tier
2
usually gives .006/.006 for parity(no cost increase). Tier 1 has a tighter
level.
Steve


At 08:12 AM 3/26/98 +0000, JoAnn Amerson wrote:
>My boss and I were talking yesterday about what our board fabricators
>can and cannot do.  We're being asked to use 12mil traces as a
>minimum because anything smaller is an increase in price.  I assumed
>8mil was the "standard", unless otherwise called for due to current
>load, board size, etc.  What are you, in the real world, using for
>your "plain Jane" signal traces?  And also, he keeps telling me we
>use a foreign board fabricator for the boards that use soft gold.
>Something about it uses arsenic in the process and domestic vendors
>don't want the hassle or expense.  I know that Hadco does soft gold
>and I think it's done in New York.  Does anyone have any info on
>other companies located in the US who can do soft gold?
>
>JoAnn L. Amerson
>Design Librarian
>Red Lion Controls, Inc.
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>Voice: (717) 767-6961 ext 6308

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