engineering

Occam process

Occam process is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Occam process rather than just read about it. In short: The Occam process is a solder-free, Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS)-compliant method for use in circuit board manufacturing developed by Verdant Electronics. It combines the usual two steps of constructing printed circuit boards (PCBs) followed by the population process of placing various leaded and non-leaded electronic components into one process.

Key takeaways

Occam process belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Occam process to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Occam process from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Occam process is a solder-free, Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS)-compliant method for use in circuit board manufacturing developed by Verdant Electronics. It combines the usual two steps of constructing printed circuit boards (PCBs) followed by the population process of placing various leaded and non-leaded electronic components into one process. The name "Occam" comes from a quotation by William of Ockham.

Overview Electronic components are first positioned onto an adhesive layer of a temporary or permanent substrate, according to the design parameters. Then, the pre-tested, burned-in components are held firm in their positions by encapsulating them in insulating material, and the entire assembly is then inverted. The adhesive layer is then cut (after removing the temporary substrate if it exists) or drilled out over the component leads, mechanically or by laser ablation. These holes are then plated with a conductive, copper connection (a via) from the top of the layer to the component leads. If needed, other components or vias encapsulation layers can be placed on top of each other to make multi-level circuit connections. This construction is then coated with copper where needed to provide traces. Thus, this finished circuit board can now receive a conformal coating to protect against the environment and then be placed into an assembly housing or sent through another process for mechanical and/or electrical connections with other PCBs.

Advantages In 2006, European RoHS regulations prompted the research to move from traditional lead-based solder connection processes to a more environmentally friendly approach. Much manufacturing is currently being done with tin-based solder to address this issue. Using tin requires much higher reflow temperatures and can result in rework stages due to electric shorts caused by tin-whiskers (electrically conductive structures formed in this process) and other issues in the manufacturing process, which are avoided by the Occam process. PCBs themselves are usually created using a phenolic resin, itself a corrosive, toxic substance completely removed from the Occam process. Also, the nitric acid or ferric chloride used to etch traces into the boards is also removed from the process. Since the PCB and parts population stages happen in the same process in the same plant, a company would no longer need to wait for the delivery of ordered PCBs to begin manufacturing. The high temperatures usually seen by PCBs inside of a reflow soldering oven are avoided by use of this process. This means that any issue of moisture sensitivity (MSL) in components by outgassing of moisture is completely avoided. This also then removes the storage equipment and processes needed to keep the moisture levels low in more intricate and expensive chips.

Disadvantages Currently, though the process is set, it has not yet been implemented. It is defined as a “disruptive technology” requiring a complete change in current manufacturing processes. Therefore, cost concerns for manufacturers needing new equipment, labour concerns for current PCB manufacturers and others will need to be solved or addressed before the widespread adoption of this process. Although many toxic chemicals are removed from the traditional process, Occam's increased use of encapsulation by epoxy could mean more of that sort of waste. The usual additives in epoxy have been shown to mimic estrogen, possibly resulting in adverse hormonal responses in humans.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Occam process

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Occam process claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Occam process before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Occam process ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Occam process

In research: Occam process appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Occam process in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Occam process is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Printed circuit board manufacturing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Occam process outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Occam process in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Occam process means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Occam process out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Occam process in simple terms?

Why does Occam process matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Occam process?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Occam process.