Method of printed circuit panel manufacture

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a printed circuit panel. The method is carried out without a cleanroom, but in a clean room environment. The first step is to place a thin, non-rigid panel in a suitable fixture, for example, for transfer and also for processing. The fixtured panel is then placed in an air tight transfer container, which has a substantially contaminant free atmosphere. The transfer container has a sealed door at one end. The transfer container is then brought into a seaiable, substantially airtight interlock with a process enclosure. This process enclosure also has a substantially contaminant free atmosphere, and a sealed door at one end. An airtight seal is formed between the transfer container and the process enclosure, and also between the surfaces of the two doors. This is to avoid introducing surface contaminants into the process enclosure and transfer container atmospheres. Next, the two doors are opened simultaneously. This is to allow the transfer of at least one panel and its fixture from the transfer container into the process enclosure. Inside the process enclosure the panel is transferred to a process station for a manufacturing process. Finally, the panel and its fixture are transferred from the process enclosure into the transfer container. This may be the same container or a different container. The doors of the process enclosure and the transfer container are then closed and sealed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.