Isola Expands Production of RF/Microwave Materials in Germany to Support European OEMs

Shortened lead times on IS680 accelerates the manufacturing cycle for advanced PCBs in complex RF and microwave systems.

Isola Group S.a.r.l., a market leader in dielectric materials used to fabricate advanced printed circuit boards, announced today that its six-member IS680 copper-clad laminate family is now in production at its facility in Dueren, Germany. This move will shorten lead times to Isola's European customers. IS680 is the ideal material for complex RF and microwave applications, such as civilian and military communications systems and radar.

As the demand for more advanced, high-frequency communication systems continues to grow, European OEMs and PCB manufacturers are discovering the need for specialized laminates to deliver superior performance and reliability in their designs. Isola’s IS680 materials offer exceptional electrical and thermal properties, which are very stable over broad frequency and temperature ranges, making it a cost-effective alternative to PTFE and other commercial microwave laminate materials. IS680 uses standard E-glass and offers superior drilling performance, as it does not contain a ceramic filler, making it easy to process.

IS680 was introduced to the market in 2010 and until now, has been manufactured only in the U.S. and imported into Europe. Expanding the production of this material to the company’s Germany manufacturing facility will help European PCB manufacturers shorten their time-to-market and meet the demands of their quick-turn programs.

"I am very pleased that IS680 is now in production in Europe. Isola is committed to servicing our RF and microwave customers on a global basis, as demand requires, and improving our delivery times for the European market,” stated Karl Stollenwerk, President of Isola Europe and Managing Director of Isola GmbH, Germany.

The IS680 family offers a complete laminate materials solution for single- and double-sided printed circuit designs and is well suited for broadcast applications, as it is a cost-effective alternative to PTFE and other commercial microwave materials. Such applications include Low Noise Block downconverters (LNBs) used for satellite TV and communications, power amplifiers, traffic sensors, RFID, collision warning systems, base stations, satellite telephones and WiMAX antennas.

For more information about the IS680 family of laminates, visit http://www.isola-group.com/IS680.

Isola Group S.a.r.l., headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, is a global material sciences company focused on designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepregs used to fabricate advanced multi-layer printed circuit boards. The company’s high-performance materials are used in sophisticated electronic applications in the communications infrastructure, computing/networking, military, medical, aerospace and automotive industries.