Tallinn University of Technology Robotics Club and Brandner PCB have entered into a sponsorship agreement, which enables students who are engaged in robot-construction projects to receive
professionally prepared printing plates and use high-definition PCB-s. Without the sponsorship, the use of such equipment would be unthinkable due to its high cost.

Rain Ellermaa, TTÜ Robotiklubi MTÜ: This (sponsorship) is great news for us, we are very grateful.

Little by little, the Brandner team is attempting to create web tools that will help simplify the life of printing plate designers. We have just finished work on our v-cut calculator, which you can view here. The calculator allows one to see the width of the cutting path and how far a wire or an area should be located from the border line, so that it would not damage the copper area. If the distance is left uncalculated, it is likely that the blade will cut into the area or into the wire, leading to deterioration in the reliability of the printing plate. An example of the blade cutting into an area has been given below.

As has already become a tradition – Brandner is working also in the summer. We handle orders following our normal schedule, but for those that really can’t wait, we recommend the use of our Protoshop. Also, in July and August we offer 72 h delivery without the usual additional fee for our ultrafast work. See the conditions here. Use the chance and take the most of the summer! Note! Offer is depending about factory loading.

Today’s PCBs grow ever more complex and signal speeds rise rapidly. This means that a PCB producer must also measure actual wave impedance in addition to monitoring wire width tolerances.
Today we can say that Brandner PCB is ready for this. Just a week ago we finished installing the wave impedance meter and training the engineers. The device was supplied by the U.S. company Zmetrix. As input, we use the so-called test strip installed on the client’s substrate that simulates the same construction and wire widths as the client requested. In the near future we will also create the web instrument through which clients can easily forward us impedance data. The first PCB with controlled impedance was sent to Poland along with the measurement protocol.

With its start in December, the online store of printed circuit boards (PCBs) has quickly become customers’ favourite. More than 1000 inquiries have been made through the store and the number of people intrest is growing.

More active customers have provided us with feedback, and based on that we have corrected some mistakes regarding programming, and broadened the possibilities of ordering. At customers’  request, you can also order double-sided printed circuit boards through the Protoshop.

In the choice of materials, we have our standard thickenesses, prices do not bite, and the delivery time is 24h by request.

Check out for updates on our website www.brandner.ee/eng/protoshop.

Every day we ship a number of packages containing high-quality printed circuit boards (PCBs) from our building. On February 12 and 19, we also sent out invaluable know-how from our building, by sharing it with our clients.

On those days, we hosted a seminar with the purpose of bringing the client closer to the principles behind, and the actual construction of, PCBs.

The discussions that arose, the frank conversation with our chief technologist, and a tour of the factory, raised the level of awareness regarding the actual production process of PCBs to a whole new level for many of the participants.

Representatives from Tallinn University of Technology were surprised to see the actual route that a project they have sent takes before it is packaged in the physical form of a PCB and shipped off.

Young go-getters from Formula Student got to see the actual PCB production process and the principles supporting them in their studies as well as the construction of this year’s new formula model. This know-how and experience will also provide a foundation for them to start their own electronics-related businesses, either during their studies or after graduation.

For the so-called ‘old hands’ this was the place for discussing the events of the day and sharing their experiences. The EstCube folks, who have already visited us before and have dealt with electronics construction and R&D for years, found the seminar to be a confirmation of the fact that Brander continues to operate at a high level and is ready to help them with PCBs in their new projects.

Brandner thanks all participants.

You are invaluable to us.

Brandner PCB has improved the online construction of HDI PCB packages. The client or designer now has the excellent opportunity to customize construction along with blind and buried vias.

The program double-checks elementary construction links and warns of technologically unsuitable solutions. The minimum diameter for blind vias is 75µ. The completed construction can be downloaded in PDF format and added to the order or project documentation.

A helpful guide for beginner designers is also available.

Brandner PCB hopes that the created environment provides more detailed opportunities for transmitting documents between the PCB manufacturer and the client.

Brandner PCB has launched a web-based purchase environment for convenient and rapid ordering of prototype printed circuit boards. The web store allows only multi-layered PCBs of 4-12 layers to be ordered, but lets the user compile the panel, create the desired structure and select the most convenient supply date.

The supply options range from 24 hours to 4 working days. Payment opportunities include the most popular credit cards and PayPal.

The name of the PCB store is Protoshop.

The web store is located at www.brandner.ee/protoshop

Our team arrived home from the Productronica 2013 trade fair, which took place in Munich, carrying a contract for the supply of the latest generation drilling machine.

The purchased device allows us to react even more quickly to customer demands involving the production of HDI printed circuit boards. The device can drill holes with a diameter of 75µ, achieve acceleration of 3.5G, and can offer optimization of hole-drilling.

The drilling machine will be installed in December, which, as a Christmas present to our esteemed clients, means that HDI PCBs can be ordered even faster.

20-21 September, on the Rapla Karting Circuit, was yet another day of appreciation by FS Team for its sponsors. Brandner PCB, sponsor of FS Team for a second year, also took part in the worthwhile event, and our representative was able to sit in and take a test drive behind the wheel of the winner of several formula championships. Those who are interested in the doings of successful Estonian students can take a closer look on the page www.formulastudent.ee