Has anyone here modified an inkjet to print directly on PCB?

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Silvas

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http://techref.massmind.org/techref/pcb/etch/directinkjetresist.htm

That seems interesting, laser transfer is such a PITA

resolution also seems nice

seems like´s not much complicated but not that easy...

I would love to modify a printer and see what happens. According to what i re ad, you can print and etch, and after that you can print soldermask and silkscreen too, that sounds good.
 
I really doubt that it's possible. Inkjet is water soluble, -in fact soluble in most liquids... -so how are you possibly going to etch the copper off?

Basically impossible. Forget it.

Photoresist is easier through transparency or tracing paper. You don't need to modify a printer for that, either.

Keith
 
you use pigmented inks (not standard dye inks) and you cure them with heat so the ink became very resistant and you could do the etch...but of course haven´t tried this for myself...so i don´t know
 
Did you read any of the info in the links Keith? Not only is it possible, it's been done. Just have to use a different ink.

However; I agree with you, the photo resist method works very well anyway.
 
Ah, that would have a better chance of working if it is indeed done that way, agreed. I'm not familiar with the details of inkjet operation. THe only one I ever owned would smudge if it got wet. -Obvioiusly any ink which will do that -specially on a non-porous surface- is a complete non-starter.

However, photoresist still kicketh butt, and the PCB can be ANY size and any shape... including small remnants -You might want to consider that as well.

Personally I suspect that the idea of using a direct print probably has at least as many disadvantages as it has advantages.

I know that I make a lot of wacky-shaped boards, and as a result there are always odd-sized and peculiarly-shaped remnants. I use these to make other strange boards... here's a coulpe I built last week for example...
01_CircuitBoards.jpg


Keith
 
How about a combination - inkjet (any type) plus photo resist. Printing the artwork directly onto the pcb's photosensitized surface before exposing and developing would probably overcome many-a-problem in getting the printout just right, and allow for really-thin traces to be razor-sharply reproduced. I wonder if these modern print-on-CD's inkjets wouldn't do this just fine as-is...?

Jakob E.
 
[quote author="gyraf"]How about a combination - inkjet (any type) plus photo resist. Printing the artwork directly onto the pcb's photosensitized surface before exposing and developing would probably overcome many-a-problem in getting the printout just right, and allow for really-thin traces to be razor-sharply reproduced. I wonder if these modern print-on-CD's inkjets wouldn't do this just fine as-is...?

Jakob E.[/quote]

sounds really nice....trying on a cd inkjet printer, a CD is quite thick material.

if i only could get photosensitized pcb´s here....

the beauty i see in the modified printer method is, of course, the resolution you can probably get...laser transfer work nice but it has many limitations...
 
!!!

A phaser 8500

it seems expensive but...

is is modifiable to print on a pcb?

how is that i can get one if i have a nonprofit organization? can you explain?

no, i don´t have such an organization, just curious :)

Anyway, seems that no one here has modified a printer to do such a job

would be interesting...
 
It's not exactly what you're looking for, but this may provide inspiration:

http://www.pulsarprofx.com/PCB/a_Pages/4_Products/4d_Toner_Applicator/Toner_Applicator.html

It accepts the thickness of a PCB board and basically "irons" the toner transfer onto your PCB.

If you're wanting to use inkjet instead of laser because of the expense, you can always use your local copy shop for the toner. My copy shop is 8 cents per page. At that rate, I'd have to print 3000 sheets to make it worth the cost of a cheap laser printer.
 
Dn't buy the pulsar transfer paper, it's terrible and press and peel blue is waaaaaay better. The laminator would still be a really good asset though, I'm buying that one soon.
 
I wonder if we can use this method in some kind of way to print front panels?

I haven't tried it but is it possible to print 19inch on the length?

Front panels may be a bit thick but you can always go with a thin piece and sandwich it over the thicker panel.

jim
 
yeah, you could.

The pulsar film (which may have better results with the laminator ) can be used followed by either green or white foil to turn the traces transfered to your front panel to either green or white.

Poke around the pulsar site, you'll see what I mean.
 
[quote author="therecordingart"]I have that laminator and it works well. I use magazine paper with mixed results to transfer the layout.[/quote]

When you say magazine paper, do you mean you just laser print on a glossy page and use that as you transfer medium?
 
I rip a page out of a magazine (Guitar World), print the PCB layout on it, and then pass it through the laminator like you would with the Pulsar paper.

Sometimes it's sketchy, but other times it's perfect!
 

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