1. LDS Antenna DESIGN GUIDELINE
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2. DOCUMENT OVERVIEW Design Guideline contents
Description of the technology
Process description
Material selection
Design rules
Recommended gate locations & types
Metallisation
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY
LDS (Laser Direct Structuring) is a technology used to add an antenna radiator or circuit pattern directly onto a plastic carrier.
The technology can be used on free form surfaces, i.e. 3D
A special LDS type plastic is needed.
Selected surface areas are activated by laser. The activated areas will then be selectively plated in an Electroless plating process.
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010

4. PROCESS DESCRIPTION Injection Moulding Laser Processing Metallization
IC Packaging
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
30/03/2010
22/04/2017

5. MATERIAL SELECTION PC/ABS DSM Xantar LDS 3710 (black)
PC/ABS LNP Thermocomp NX07354P (black)
PC/ABS DSM Xantar LDS 3720 (black) for improved impact strength
PC/ABS DSM Xantar C RC 3711 (Grey colour) for improved plateability
List of available LDS materials
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010

6. DESIGN RULES Plastic part:
Sharp-edged transitions should be avoided in the area of structures that have to be metallized. Recommended edge radius: min 0,15 mm.
While designing interlayer connections, the following design rules for one-side or two-side conic layout of the interlayer connections must be considered. Other dimensions can be used but needs to be investigated in each case. Please contact LOM ESI.
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010

7. DESIGN RULES Plastic part:
Parting lines should be avoided on plated areas. In case of plating over the parting line, extra care must be taken to design the tool to get good parting lines. No burrs or parting error.
Ejector pins should be avoided on plated area.
The plastic part should have well defined reference surfaces for all axes, X Y and Z.
The part surface roughness should be less then Rz 5 µm.
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010 7

8. DESIGN RULES Recommended conductor path width: >0,15 mm
Recommended conductor path distance: >0,20 mm
Conductor lines should be designed so, that they are not too close against walls. In this way a possible sedimentation of ablation products i.e. foreign deposition at the wall is reduced. The steeper the angle of the inclination, the longer the distance should be kept. 0,15 mm with 45° wall inclination 0,25 mm with 70° wall inclination
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010 8

9. RECOMMENDED GATE LOCATIONS & TYPES
Hot runner cramping system should be selected instead of rod cramps or belt cramps, if possible, because otherwise often unwanted foreign metallization can emerge by mechanical activation of plastic at the breaking edges or shear traps.
Avoid pacing gate at or too close to plated area
Avoid weld lines on plating areas.
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010

10. DESIGN RULES FOR METALLISATION
Avoid surfaces with pockets on more than one side of moulded part to avoid solution entrapment resulting in high chemical drag out
If pocket on top side cannot be avoided, design a through hole so that solution can easily run through
Metallisation available
Electroless Copper
Electroless Nickel
Immersion Gold and Electrolytic Gold on request
Design Guideline / LDS Antenna
22/04/2017
30/03/2010 10