New PC/ABS grade for Laser Direct Structuring of GSM mobile phone antennas

06-Jan-09

DSM Engineering Plastics has unveiled a new grade of Xantar LDS PC/ABS suitable for Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) applications. Xantar LDS 3710 was developed for antennas in mobile telecom products such as telephones, PDAs and other applications where integrated circuitry is used to replace traditional printed circuit boards. A key application for Xantar LDS 3710 is the GSM antenna for a mobile phone. Molex, a leading supplier of interconnect products, employed DSM's PC/ABS based LDS technology for the production of a mobile phone antenna. The antenna function is made by means of Laser Direct Structuring on a moulded part, which is a simple and precise technology for producing 3D molded interconnect devices. After molding, the interconnect pattern is directly written on the part and the conductive paths are plated where the plastic has been activated by the laser. The part is subsequently fixed in the housing of the mobile phone. As per the company, Xantar LDS 3710 provides excellent plating properties, excellent ductility/high impact performance (it passes the usual mechanical tests for mobile phones) and surface appearance. Overall Xantar LDS 3710 outperforms alternative materials in both ductility and/or surface appearance.