For a few years, manufacturers of complex PCBs have been facing additional hurdles with higher performance materials utilized for lead-free assembly, for microwave, harsh environment, telecommunication and medical applications. Halogen-free materials and laminates with different kind of fillers influence dramatically the performance and life of carbide tools normally used worldwide for machining of PCBs. Reduced parameter and shorter tool life of drills and routers increase the production costs in the mechanical processing departments.

Ultimately, many manufacturers changed to diamond-coated tools for the mechanical processing of printed circuits boards to fulfil the increased hurdles.