Transport from the center of an African country to the port of destination is no trivial task. Fortunately for CAPLINQ, Gabon is a country with many natural resources, so some level of infrastructure has already been established. This is of significant importance to the Food-Grade Native Tapioca Starch project in Gabon, Africa since construction of this infrastructure from scratch would make this project cost prohibitive.

CAPLINQ and ANK Gabon have partnered with an existing private Manganese-extraction company that has already expanded the existing railway system from the center of Gabon to the port where the goods are loaded on the cargo ships.

Summarizing the travel route, the cassava roots are extracted in the field in Lekoni, Gabon. They are transported with tractors to the factory that is centrally located within 15 kilometers of the fields where the roots are transformed into food-grade tapioca starch. From here, the native starch is loaded into conatiners and brought by truck to Franceville where they are loaded onto train cars. The train covers the largest distance, moving the goods right to the port in Libreville where they are then loaded on the cargo ships and shipped to the customers’ destination port.

By clicking on the image below, you will see the detailed travel route used to extract the native food-grade tapioca starch from Lekoni, Gabon to the port in Libreville.

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Click for more information regarding Native Tapioca (Cassava) Starch, or please contact us for more details.

Now that production batches have been tested, CAPLINQ and ANK Gabon can now publish the Physical, Chemical and Microbiological Requirements (collectively known as the Purchase Specifications) to which the Food-Grade Native Tapioca Starch will adhere. Of course, this means that the starch can also be used for industrial starch applications, but the quality of the starch produced will all meet the below food-grade requirements. Additional, customer-specific requirements can also be considered.

Food-Grade Native Tapioca Starch Purchase Specifications:

Items to be listed on Certificate of Analysis (CoA) of every delivery:
Moisture: 11- 14% (ISO 1666)
pH: 4.5 – 7
Total aerobic mesophilic count: 10,000 CFU /g (ISO 4833)
Moulds: 250 CFU/g (ISO 7954)
Yeast: 250 CFU/g (ISO 7954)
E. coli or coliforms: absent (ISO 16654)
Salmonella: absent (ISO 6579)
Shelf-Life: 12 months after delivery date

Items to be measured and supplied yearly to customer:
Ash: max. 0.3% (ISO 3593)
Diffuse reflection Number/Whiteness: min. 90
Visible Impurities: max. 10
Sieve analysis (vibrational): max. 0.15%
Protein content: max. 0.2%
Cyanogenic potential : max 10mg HCN/kg (AOAC 1995 915.03 Pyridine Pyrazolone method)
Brabender viscosity: min. 700 Bu (Conc. 6% ds, 700 cmg, 75 rpm, start temp. 45oC, increasing with 1,5 oC/min. till 90 oC, hold for 20 min., Read peak viscosity)
Sulphite (SO2): max. 10 mg/kg (ISO 5379)
Arsenic (As): max. 0.1 mg/kg (ISO 11212)
Cadmium (Cd): max. 0.1 mg/kg (ISO 11212)
Lead (Pb): 0.5 mg/kg (ISO 11212)
Mercury (Hg): 0.05 mg/kg (ISO 11212)

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As mentioned in an earlier post and part of CAPLINQ’s efforts to compete in the sales of SAC305, SAC405 and Sn63Pb37 solder spheres online, we are pleased to post the harmonization codes for these products.

Customs Harmonization Code (HTS#) for SAC 305 and SAC405 Solder Spheres

8001.20.00.10: Unwrought tin: Tin alloys containing, by weight, 5 percent or less of lead

Customs Harmonization Code (HTS#) for Sn63Pb67 Solder Spheres

8001.20.00.90: Unwrought tin: Tin alloys containing, by weight, more than 25 percent of lead

For more information about Tin/Lead (SnPb) or Leadfree (Pb-free) solder spheres or any other of our products, visit us or contact us for more details.

CAPLINQ has been working with a number of LED customers lately, and many of the same questions keep coming up regarding the Shin-Etsu X35-186H-1, a screen-printable silicone suitable for phosphorus suspension in LED applications as well as other silicones for LED assembly.

Below is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions with answers.

Q1. Can the X35-186H-1 (two component) adhesion be improved with adhesion promoter
A1: The X-35-186H-1 has excellent adhesion characteristics to glass, metals and ceramics, and there is no need to add any adhesion promoter to this.

Q2. Can PMC be changed from 150C to 175C to decrease time?
A2:Yes, most probably 1hr would be OK at 175 degree C. We can provide data to support this.

Q3. Is there a significant effect for thickness differences between say 50um and a few milimeters?
A3:Most basic material performances don’t depend on the thickness.

Q4. What is the acceptable mixing ratio error allowed? (ie. 10:0.9 – 10:1.1)
A4: The acceptable error is +/- 2%, so 10 : 0.98 ~ 1.02 is the acceptable range

Q5: What is the pot-life of X35-186H-1?
A5: Shin-Etsu define potlife as being the time at 23°C at which viscosity increases more than 20%. 16 hrs is the specification.

Q6: Can the materials be supplied in pellets form?
A1: No. The compression molding materials are supplied in liquid form.

Q7: What is the required curing time on the molding machine & what is the full curing cycle
A7: The general starting recommendation is 90s @ 180C on the machine followed by 4 hours @ 150C post mold curing.

Q8: Are LPS 5547 & 5538 suitable for Metal Lead Frame molding – transfer or compression molding?
A3: Yes, the LPS-5547 and LPS-5538 are suitable for Metal Leadframes and compression molding. Neither material is suitable or can be used in transfer molding.

Q9: In case it comes only in liquid form – please advise for suitable mass production systems that are build for injection of pre-mixed molding material
A9: We have extensive experience and relationships with both TOWA and ASM for compression molding these silicones for LED devices, but we can support these activities with other suppliers also.

Q10: What about adhesion of LPS-5547 & LPS-5538 to Chips, Ceramics, Glass and other polymers
A10: Both the LPS-5547 and LPS-5538 have excellent adhesion characteristics to glass, metals and ceramics, and there is no need to add any adhesion promoter to this. As far as other polymers are concerned, these need to be tested on a case-by-case basis.

Q11: Are there materials that are suitable for transfer molding?
A11: Yes, Shin-Etsu have developed a line of highly reflective SWC transfer mold silicones for use as the reflector of the LED. These materials are transfer molded, but due to their highly complex and peculiar processing conditions, Shin-Etsu have taken this process in house and have agreed to supply the SWC ONLY as a premolded packages. These packages (known as “Tiger Leadframes” can be either metal leadframe, PCB or ceramic.

This list will be updated as questions are asked and data becomes available.

For more information regarding Shin-Etsu X35-186H-1 or any other Shin-Etsu silicone for LED assembly, please visit us or contact us for more details.

Native Tapioca starch, even food-grade tapioca starch is a world commodity and CAPLINQ knows that it must compete against a global market of producers. Despite this, we believe that our tapioca starch prices, produced in Gabon, Africa are very competitive and when you include sea freight charges to South Africa, Europe, and South America – our prices are even more competitive.

Volume-Based Native Tapioca Starch Prices | Cassava Starch

Though CAPLINQ typically publishes its price-list publicly, the commodity business of tapioca starch changes so rapidly that prices change every week. Instead, CAPLINQ refers its customers to the Thai Tapioca Starch Association (TTSA) website where prices of Thai-supplied starch are supplied, and CAPLINQ’s sales price have always been below these prices.

LOOKING FOR AN OFFICIAL PRICE QUOTE? Contact us and let us know your required quantity and the destination port.

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Recently, Shin-Etsu launched a new line of products codenamed “Tiger LF”. These “Tiger” leadframes are Shin-Etsu’s answer to the LED and solar market to replace the industry’s conventional PPA plastic housing with a premolded leadframe using Shin-Etsu’s patented Silicone Molding Compound – its SWC-Series products.

CAPLINQ is proud to support Shin-Etsu in this highly specilized product line which uses traditional semiconductor industry transfer mold equipment to premold SWC grade silicone onto preplated leadframes (PPF). These premolded, preplated “Tiger” leadframes aim to completely replace the industry’s current PPA premolded package or substrate with a superior, cost-effective solution that can withstand high temperature and long-term UV exposure for LED and solar cell manufacturers.

Starting in 2010, Shin-Etsu plan to fully commercialize and sell these turn-key premolded leadframes that can withstand the much tougher requirements of high power LED applications and solar cell packages. Typically, ceramic packages have been considered as the only viable alternative to the industry standard PPA premolded plastic housings to withstand higher temperature and UV conditions.

For more information regarding Shin-Etsu premolded “Tiger” LF” leadframes, please visit us or contact us for more details.

After several years of representing Profound Material Technology Co. Ltd. (PMTC) Tin/Lead and Leadfree (Pb-free) solder spheres to its existing customer base, CAPLINQ has announced plans to sell solder spheres online. Working closely with PMTC, CAPLINQ will start with a narrow product offering of its most popular products, namely PMTC Eutectic Sn63Pb37 for its customers who still use Tin/Lead spheres, PMTC Leadfree SAC305, its most popular industry standard Pb-free solder spheres and PMTC Leadfreee SAC405, its second most popular industry standard for Pb-free processing.

Each of these solder ball product offerings will be available in the full range of sphere diameters, from 0.075mm (3 mil) in diameter for flipchip and wafer scale packaging up to 0.76mm (30 mil) for ball attachment of Ball Grid Array (BGA) and Chip Scale Packing (CSP) applications. In order to best serve its small and middle-size customers, as well as cater to CAPLINQ’s high volume users, CAPLINQ will offer low volume packaging to its smaller customer and also high volume pricing for its best customers. All prices and volume breaks are posted on CAPLINQ’s website.

For more information about Tin/Lead (SnPb) or Leadfree (Pb-free) solder spheres or any other of our products, visit us or contact us for more details.

Many customer have requested whether CAPLINQ can offer thinner polyimide tapes. CAPLINQ is pleased to announce LINQTAPE PIT0.5S a 0.5mil (13 micron) Polyimide Film with a 1mil (25 micron) silicone adhesive.

LINQTAPE PIT1S has a backing thickness of 1mil (25 micron) and the adhesive layer adds another 1.5 mil (36micron) for an overall thickness of 2.5mil (60 micron). The new PIT0.5S has a backing thickness of 0.5mil (13 micron) + 1mil (25 micron) adhesive layer for an overall thickness of 1.5 mil (38 micron).

This product is only available to registered users (customers can be added manually after registration) but the price is the same as LINQTAPE PIT1S.

To prepare a tape with an overall thickness of 25 micron could be possible, but the minimum order quantity would be one master roll of 20″ (510mm) width or the equivalent of about 20 rolls of 1 inch (25.4mm) tape.

For more information about polyimide tapes or any other of our products, visit us or contact us for more details.

When customers look at the technical datasheet (TDS) for LINQSTAT Volume Conductive Film, they often are confused by the Electrical Properties. The 3M Velostat material lists only Volume Resistivity as less than 500 ohm-cm, yet the LINQSTAT material lists Volume Resistivity, Volume Conductivity and Surface Resistivity. The fact of the matter is that they are all related, and if you know the Volume Resistivity of the material and the thickness of the sheeting, then you can calculate the other values.

Surface Resistance multiplied times the thickness of the material in centimeters, equals the volume resistivity.

Volume Resistivity vs. Volume Conductivity

Volume Resistivity is also called bulk resistivity because it is the inherent resistance of a semiconductive material independent of shape or thickness. Very simply, resistivity is the inverse of conductivity. Volume Resistivity is measured in Ohms-cm, or spoken as “ohms-centimeter” and Volume Conductivity is measured in S/cm, or spoken as “Siemen per centimeter”. Therefore, a Volume Resistivity of 500 ohm-cm is equal to a Volume Conductivity of 1/500 or 0.002 S/cm.

Volume Resistivity vs. Surface (or Sheet) Resistivity

Surface Resistivity (also called Sheet Resistivity) is expressed as Ohms/sq, spoken as “ohms-per-square”. It is a useful measurement when measuring a layer or thin film of a semiconductive material such as LINQSTAT as the surface resistance of a given material will change depending on the thickness of the layer. Surface Resistance (ohms-per-square) multiplied times the thickness of the material in centimeters, equals the volume resistivity (ohms-cm). Likewise, the Volume Resistivity divided by the thickness in centimeters equals the surface resistivity.

Therefore, looking at the LINQSTAT VCF materials, the surface resistivity of each material can be determined based on the thickness of the film and the volume resistivity (<500 ohm-cm)

• VCF-2xxxxS-Series: 500 ohm-cm / 2mil (0.00508cm) = 98,425 ohms/square
• VCF-4xxxxS-Series: 500 ohm-cm / 4mil (0.01016cm) = 49,213 ohms/square
• VCF-8xxxxS-Series: 500 ohm-cm / 8mil (0.02032cm) = 24,606 ohms/square

Why does CAPLINQ give “less than” values (ie. <500 Ohm-cm) instead of Typical Values?

LINQSTAT Volume Conductive Film is a carbon-loaded polyethylene. As such, there are necessarily some differences in the conductivity over the entire surface. The data that CAPLINQ provides is meant to be a minimum, repeatable value that can be used in the design of the final product.

For more information on LINQSTAT VCF-Series, please contact us or visit the CAPLINQ website today to find out more, or for more information.