A circuit board manufacturing system is provided including a drill that may cut through holes in a board material having a dielectric base and an exterior conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the through holes forming conductive vias in a circuit board. A laser light source may generate and direct laser light onto the exterior conductive layer to etch away parts of the exterior layer and form conductive traces in the board material. The laser light source may generate and direct the laser light to etch away the parts of the exterior conductive layer and form electrically disconnected moats around the conductive traces, forming a user-selected pattern of the traces. A controller may control operation of the drill and the laser light source. The circuit board may include the user-selected arrangement of the vias at the through holes and the user-selected conductive traces in the exterior conductive layer.

A circuit board manufacturing system is provided including a drill that may cut through holes in a board material having a dielectric base and an exterior conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the through holes forming conductive vias in a circuit board. A laser light source may generate and direct laser light onto the exterior conductive layer to etch away parts of the exterior layer and form conductive traces in the board material. The laser light source may generate and direct the laser light to etch away the parts of the exterior conductive layer and form electrically disconnected moats around the conductive traces, forming a user-selected pattern of the traces. A controller may control operation of the drill and the laser light source. The circuit board may include the user-selected arrangement of the vias at the through holes and the user-selected conductive traces in the exterior conductive layer.

An etching method for manufacturing a substrate structure having a thick electrically conductive layer, and a substrate structure having a thick electrically conductive layer are provided. The etching method includes providing an electrically insulating substrate structure including a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer, an electrically conductive layer, and a non-photosensitive polymer masking layer, removing one part of the non-photosensitive polymer masking layer and one part of the electrically conductive layer by a machining process to form at least one electrically conductive recess having the electrically conductive layer exposed, forming a predetermined thickness ratio between a thickness of the electrically conductive recess and a thickness of the electrically conductive layer, removing a reserved part of the electrically conductive layer between a bottom wall of the electrically conductive recess and a bottom surface of the electrically conductive layer, and removing a remaining part of the non-photosensitive polymer masking layer.

A flexible printed circuit is described that includes a flexible supporting substrate having a first face and a second face. A conductive material is deposited by vacuum deposition on at least one of the first face or the second face of the flexible supporting substrate. A flexible conductive circuit is formed on the conductive material by electrical discharge machining. The flexible conductive circuit defines a plurality of electrical component placement circuits to which electrical components may be attached. The flexible printed circuit can be rolled or folded. The flexible printed circuit can also be made in sizes much larger than is currently possible with other competing technologies.

A flexible printed circuit is described that includes a flexible supporting substrate having a first face and a second face. A conductive material is deposited by vacuum deposition on at least one of the first face or the second face of the flexible supporting substrate. A flexible conductive circuit is formed on the conductive material by electrical discharge machining. The flexible conductive circuit defines a plurality of electrical component placement circuits to which electrical components may be attached. The flexible printed circuit can be rolled or folded. The flexible printed circuit can also be made in sizes much larger than is currently possible with other competing technologies.

A vehicle panel includes channels, wherein a first channel includes a first wire capable and a second channel includes a second wire and each wire is capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal. The panel also includes a connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power. Also, the panel includes holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a wire included in a channel to which the hole connects.

A connection method for a chip and a circuit board includes: placing the circuit board on the chip, the circuit board having a first surface in contact with the chip having a plurality of contacts, and the circuit board having a plurality of through holes aligned with the plurality of contacts respectively; placing a mask on a second surface of the circuit board, the mask having a plurality of openings aligned with the plurality of through holes respectively; covering a surface of the mask with a conductive adhesive to fill the plurality of through holes with the conductive adhesive; and keeping portions of the conductive adhesive that are respectively in the plurality of through holes to be spaced apart from each other. The portions of the conductive adhesive that fill the plurality of through holes remain to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the chip.