Hitachi High-Tech wins award for innovation that makes meeting IPC 4552A easier

At this year’s JPCA show (2019) in Japan, Hitachi High-Tech unveiled new technology that helps plating suppliers meet the stringent demands of IPC 4552A. This technology enables the simultaneous measurement of plating thickness and phosphorus concentration for electroless nickel plating under gold in ENIG. The innovation won the 15th JPCA award, given to outstanding products and technologies that support the advancement of the electronic circuit technology and industry.

The new technology – demonstrated in Hitachi High-Tech’s FT160 XRF analyser – supports the 2017 amendment to the IPC 4552A guidelines. The revised guideline emphasises the need to maintain the quality of the nickel and gold layers in the ENIG plating configuration. It’s this need that makes this new development such a breakthrough for plating manufacturers.

Simultaneous measurement of ENIG thickness and P concentration

It’s important to control the P concentration in the ENIG and surface treatment to ensure the reliability of the surface finish. The ability to analyse both the concentration of phosphorous and the plating thickness during the same measurement reduces the time needed to analyse each component, helping to maintain high-throughput for busy plating facilities. Another aspect of the new technology is that the method works whether you have a gold layer present or not. This means that you can take a reliable thickness and concentration measurement after you have completed the plating process, again helping to support high volume production.

Find out more about the FT160 and our range of XRF coatings analysers here. 

Your guide to meeting IPC guidelines for printed board surface finishes.

 The IPC 4552A guideline is just one of four surface finishes discussed in our guide on meeting IPC guidelines. Acknowledging that XRF analysis is at the core of meeting the standards set by the IPC, we’ve created a guide that explains why it’s crucial to meet the spec given (and what happens if you don’t) and how best to use your XRF equipment to get a reliable result.

 You can download your copy of the guide here:

Using XRF to meet IPC specifications: A guide for manufacturers.

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