Occam Process

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What Does Occam Process Mean?

The Occam process is a method of manufacturing printed circuit boards using a reverse-order interconnection solution instead of the traditional soldering method. It involves printing or plating the electronic components onto the board and then encapsulating them, instead of soldering them.

The process was developed by Verdant Electronics (Seattle, WA, USA) and was named after the 14th century philosopher William of Ockham (1288–1348).

Techopedia Explains Occam Process

In the Occam process for printed circuit boards, components are put onto a substrate and then encapsulated in place. The Occam process arose partly to comply with European RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) regulations, which ban the use of lead from electrical and electronic products. The Occam process allows designers to comply with RoHS and also to get around certain problems with tin-based soldering material. Although the Occam process can make printed circuit board manufacturing safer and cleaner, costs and labor concerns have slowed down the adoption of this technology. There are also some health concerns about aspects of the materials used with this method, including epoxy.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.

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