The title of the book does not conjure up the likelihood of a great read but just think how many processes use photo resist products. Imaging and plating technology would not be possible without these products and it is surprising how many products used in electronic assembly have to use these technologies. I would say that anyone working in printed board manufacture should read a copy, and assembly engineers like myself will also benefit from a fuller understanding of how resist products are used in applications like stencil manufacture.
The areas covered in the book are specialised but very well written and easily understandable even for this reviewer, who has a limited chemistry background. The text confines itself to the printed circuit fabrication process and ensures that every process, which interacts with photoresist, or may impact the process' performance, is covered. Even though you may think you understand the basic process, there is still a lot of imaging stages that affect the end quality of the PCB.
Although dry film is the subject of the book, Karl Dietz goes out of his way to detail the use of liquid ink systems and where there are advantages over dry film. Like the film dry application sections, wet processes are also covered, more specifically the application techniques. There are lots of side issues like the importance of correct application and the quality of the surface preparation of copper which is dealt with in detail.
A lot of very useful examples are provided, illustrated with practical process faults. Chapter four Initial Through hole Metallisation focuses on process defects and their potential causes, it is an extremely good section and even reveals where, through poor process control, resist can impact on metallisation yields.
Electrochemical Publications have long been a top publisher of quality reference sources and this is no exception. The topic does have a limited market but there are not many competitors. Dupont are a market leader and considered a world authority on PCB materials and imaging technology. However, I guess there is still an opportunity for the wet photoresist processing technology handbook?