PCB transparencies

[tardishead]

I've made alot of PCBs but I have always struggled to print transparencies with my **** inkjet printer. I just cant take it anymore.
does anyone out there have the definitive answer to printing your own artworks with a PC printer? or is it better to just go to a local print shop and get them to print with a laser printer
I have tried that aswell but most of the time my results at home are better even if I have to run it through the printer twice. and they charge ridiculous money

 

[asm]

print mutiple times and then tape them together. so your sure its pure black and sharp lines. thats what they do for screenprinting applications when using home inkjet printers.

 

[peterc]

I use a low end Lexmark Z43, print 2 transparencies at 300 dpi & stck them together. Offset the 2 copies so thet the "banding" is not right on top of itsself.

Peter

 

[CJ]

tardhish, what kind of paper are you using?

 

[mnats]

The problem with multiple copies is you can get parallax errors resulting in fuzzy traces - especially if you have multiple light sources in your exposure setup. Yeah, you can put the printed areas back to back but then you have the film thickness between your artwork and the board...

I've had very good results using vellum (called "tracing paper" here). It's sufficiently translucent to allow enough light to get through (though a small increase in exposure time is needed). But the best thing about it as opposed to most films I've used is that my printer ink seems to adhere much more readily to the textured surface of the paper.

Just my take on how I am able to get SMD resolution with my home setup, FWIW. There was an earlier thread about this where one Lab member went through a very thorough investigation of different printers and mediums, I think...

 

[shmuu102]

i switched to a cheap hp laserjet.... now i can get by with just one transparency. The traces seem sharper too.

 

[Emperor-TK]

[quote author="mnats"]There was an earlier thread about this where one Lab member went through a very thorough investigation of different printers and mediums, I think...[/quote]

Here is the link, I hope it helps:

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=4423&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Regards,
Chris

 

[Tekay]

I use AGFA transparencies, this is a industri film used by sceening companies etc...
If you use Epson ink jets, select "no halftoning"! No problem printing 0.3mm lines.
I think Farnell sells transparencies like these!

 

[peterc]

I use no-name-brand overhead transparency film, works well.

The problem with multiple copies is you can get parallax errors resulting in fuzzy traces - especially if you have multiple light sources in your exposure setup.

In my personal experience, I've never had that problem, no matter which side of the film I've printed nor how many copies there are stuck together. My light box has 2 x 18w fluo tubes in it.

It's led me to believe that the pressure pushing the PCB onto the film onto the glass is important. I've had a problem when the edge of the PCB has "curled" up, but otherwise no issues. I also clean the class with Windowlene before exposing to get rid of all dust.

Regards
Peter[/quote]

 

[mnats]

Just wanted to visit this topic once more. Here's an example of the kind of board I'm home etching with artwork printed on a single sheet of vellum with an ancient HP LaserJet 4L 300 dpi printer:

That's a 10 mil trace running through two SMD pads with a 50 mil pitch - in other words ******* small. The board is just a comparator circuit for level monitoring which seems to work just fine:

I guess what I'm saying is that if you're worried about perfect transparancies with 100% opacity to make PCBs you're barking up the wrong tree. For most intents and purposes a mediocre print will work fine - even with SMDs.

 

[gyraf]

..and if you need better resolution, get a photocopy- or printshop to print out on transparency with a colour laser printer. That's the best option around here at least. Note that there is a lot of difference between b/w laser printing and colour laser printing..

 

[CJ]

Another tip: Usually I find that the traces will come out a little thinner than the artwork due to the edges etching away a bit.

So if your error, error on the thicker side, not the thinner.