"Sierra Proto Express presents tomorrow's technology-today!" Tired of endless evolution? Are you ready for a real revolution?

In 2004, Sierra Proto Express decided it was time for a change--time for America's electronics industry to awaken from its slumber and reclaim its role as the world's leader in printed circuit board innovation.

Time to turn heads. Time to raise expectations.

Time to fundamentally rethink how PCBs are made.

The time is now.

While others made due with older technological capabilities, we retooled.

While others held back to see which new technologies would be adopted, we charged forward.

While other PCB fabricators were content to survive the downturn, we were reborn.

"Once you turn this page, there is no going back."

High Reliability Boards (Hi. Rel.)

Our Hi. Rel. printed circuit board is unsurpassed in its reliability, capable of withstanding many more thermal cycles and higher temperatures than existing boards. This high reliability circuit uses proprietary plating technology that strengthens the copper in the hole, tolerating expansion forces of the laminate during repeated thermal cycles.

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This reliability breakthrough significantly improves the lifespan of your product. The cost to replace and repair damaged electronic goods caused by cracked vias is staggering. Your company need not experience these circuit board failures any longer. If you manufacture applications for medical, space, aeronautical, transportation or any product that must not fail, you need the advanced protection of Hi.E.R. high reliability circuits.

For normal multilayer construction and copper plating processing, a 4- to 6-layer 0.062" board with a Tg of 135 the average results from HATS testing shows average results. But using the same low temperature 135 Tg FR4 laminate, Hi.Rel. boards showed a significant increase in the number of cycles on the HATS tester."

Fast Facts:

* Exceeds 2,000 thermal cycles from -40 to 145[degrees]C.

* Withstands 30 solder cycles at 570[degrees]F (three times that of the new lead-free T288 test).

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* Even low T/G 135[degrees]C FR-4 samples survived 1,800 cycles, far beyond the 120 cycles typical in the industry.

* A solder float test was initiated in which samples of Hi.E.R boards were subjected to repeated solder immersions. Hi.E.R. FR-4 135[degrees]C Tg circuits survived over 30 cycles for 10 seconds at 550[degrees]F.

High Reliability Lead-Free Boards

We've created a superior lead-free, high-temperature circuit board by combining our High Reliability Board's (Hi.E.R.) plating process with high TD lead-free laminate (WEEE & RoHS Directive-certified). Tests on FR-4 Hi. Rel. samples revealed no via failure after 8 hours at 350[degrees]F, exceeding the material's Tg. A solder pot test of 30 minutes at 550[degrees]C showed no sign of cracking or via failure, although the laminate showed significant damage. Hi.E.R is ideal for lead-free solder applications requiring temperature/time ratings greater then T288.

Fast Facts:

* To verify our reliability claims, samples of mixed construction and control normal PCBs were sent to Conductor Analysis Technologies' (CAT) IRTS testing service for prolonged thermal cycling on a HATS tester. The samples were preconditioned at IRTS with IPC PCQ[R.sup.2] assembly cycle standard of six simulated solder assembly cycles, then put on thermal test. Thirteen days and 2,000 cycles later, the FR-4 six-layer boards passed 2,000 cycles with less then two percent change in resistance.

* A lead-free solder float test was also initiated in which samples of Hi.E.R boards were subjected to repeated solder immersions. The Hi.E.R FR-4 lead-free laminate survived over 30 cycles for 10 seconds at 550[degrees]F--without any evidence of hole cracking. When compared to industry standards of 5-7 cycles, the Hi.E.R PCB proves to be a very robust board.

Are You Ready for a Revolution?"

Fine Line Technology

When PCB fabricators build boards featuring 4/4--or even 3/3--lines and spaces, the measurement is inaccurate. The undercut from etching distorts the shape of the track by as much as 2-mils of cross-sectional width. By etching the copper, it undercuts the base metal and the plated-on copper, reducing the line width and creating a fragile overhand that can fracture. This fracture causes shorts while reducing the cross-sectional thickness of the line width.

Our Fine Line Technology is different. It uses a new plating technique to create the fine lines, instead of using destructive etching. The finer the lines and, more importantly, the narrower the spaces the more important the plating accuracy must be.

Fast Facts:

* 4/4 lines and spaces can be etched into 1/2 oz. copper inners as a minimum line width.

* 4/4 outers are normally plated up from 1/2 oz. foil to the desired 1 oz. copper.

* Sierra Proto Express uses its new plating technique to produce 2/2 innerlayers and outerlayers

Heavy Copper High Power Circuits

Our heavy copper boards range from 4 oz. up to 15 oz. of copper, available in single-sided, double-side, or multilayer. With currents as high as 600 amps, an engineer can now design a PCB that carries large currents and supports a computer board's fine traces and features needed to drive its high power. We have an arsenal of different heavy copper technologies available to engineers and designers who handle tricky power, heat-sinking projects. Using this technique, we can accurately plate copper up to 4 oz. thick, when combined with the base starting copper. Previously, PCB fabricators would not even quote a double-sided board design over 3 oz. We will eagerly quote and produce your heavy copper designs.

Fast Facts:

* Our multiple levels allow one layer to have 8 oz. of copper for the heavy tracks, and 1 oz. of fine-featured traces for SMT circuitry, all interconnected and intertwined.

* A two-ounce circuit's maximum current is about 25 amps; a 1"-wide 15 oz. trace can carry 200 amps at only 30[degrees]C rise.

* While copper thickness can be varied by layer, line/space requirements are 3 mils per oz. The heavy copper can be any thickness as a base copper from 1/2 oz. to 12 oz. The thicker the base copper compared to the final copper thickness means less to plate and less expense.

Bendable Flex Laminate

Our inexpensive bendable flex laminate acts as a limited replacement for flex circuits at a fraction of the cost. This FR-4-based laminate is available in thickness from 0.002" (quite bendable and flexible but with limited robustness) to 0.008" thickness (with less bendability but much stronger). Single- or double-sided, this product is available with either ED or RA foil.

This material can be used to replace flex where the circuit is in a static (i.e., not constantly flexing) situation rather than a dynamic (repeated flex motion) state. If you are purchasing flex, using wire harnesses, or require the board to bend around an enclosure, this product is for you.

Fast Facts:

* The double-sided product can be throughhole-plated with copper thickness up to 12 oz.

* Final finishes are available in gold, tin, and tin-lead. A flexible solder mask is used.

* Bendable flex is an inexpensive replacement for flat cables and other wiring including high power buss bars.

"To Join the Revolution Turn This Page ..."

First we asked our customers what they wanted to accomplish.

Then we dreamed, conceived, researched, developed, tested.

We accomplished what others once deemed impossible.

We were not satisfied with printed circuit evolution.

So we created printed circuit revolution.

The time has arrived.

Are you ready for the revolution?

Call 1-800-763-7503, ext. 500 or visit www.protoexpress.com

1108 West Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Email: [e-mail]

Visit us at PCB West 2005 (booth #1205) from March 7-11, 2005.