Electronic products are becoming smaller and lighter nowadays,this will require both the PCB and component size to be smaller to save space. There is a trend that via are placed on solder pads to save space on PCB design. Hence the via on the pad will need to be filled with non-conductive epoxy or copper and then capped with copper on the via surface to give a flat solder pad. This is what we called Via-in-pad technology. It typically happen in BGA pad with finer pitch array packages. In other words, VIP technology leads to vias plated or hidden under BGA pad, requiring that PCB manufacturer should plug via with resin prior to carrying out copper plating on the via to make it invisible.
Compared with blind vias and buried vias, VIP technology features more merits:
- • Fit for fine pitch BGAs
- • Leading to higher density of PCBs and promoting space saving
- • Performing better in thermal management, beneficial for heat dissipation
- • Defeating constraints of high-speed designs such as low inductance
- • Sharing a flat surface with component attachment
- • Making PCB footprints smaller and routing further and better
Owing to those advantages of VIP technology, via in pad is widely applied in small-scale PCBs, especially those require limited space for BGAs and focus on heat transferring and high-speed designs. Therefore, although blind/buried vias are beneficial for density improvement and PCB real estate saving, as far as heat management and high-speed design elements are concerned, via in pad is still the best choice for you. With cost considered, different projects lead to different cost. So if vias are involved in your project and you fail to pick up which type, contact us through email: sales@pluscircuits.com and our staff will provide you an optimal solution.
