Etching and Ink Removal

[AtomSoft]

I know the basics on how this is done. I just have 2 main questions. Well question 2 is like a 3 part question... here goes...

1. Can i use a injet printer to print a circuit board? If so how?

2. When removing the ink after etching the board. Would it be ok to leave the ink on? Would the ink damage the copper? Like can i just remove ink from terminals / actual pin locations and stuff and leave ink on traces ?

 

[jpanhalt]

Go to https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs/?yguid=281342726

That site has many posts of using an inkjet printer. As far as I know, the ink doesn't damage the copper. John

 

[Boncuk]

What kind of ink do you use on the board to etch it after printing?

The ink will start washing off on paper if you spill water on it.

 

[Boncuk]

1. what kind of ink do you use on the board to etch it after printing?

The ink will start washing off on paper if you spill water on it.

2. how do you insert the rigid PCB in the printer and get it out properly?

Paper is bent several times within a printer.

 

[jpanhalt]

1. what kind of ink do you use on the board to etch it after printing?

The ink will start washing off on paper if you spill water on it.

2. how do you insert the rigid PCB in the printer and get it out properly?

Paper is bent several times within a printer.

1) They heat fix it. That effectively makes it insoluble for a short time in water.

2) Typically, an Epson printer is modified for a straight pass through.

3) Non-aqueous inks are available and used commercially for PCB fabrication, but the solvents ruin the cheap plastic used for the Epson cassettes.

John

 

[AtomSoft]

Thanks Looking through now. So many post tho

 

[jpanhalt]

There used to be some decent summaries, with the usual, numerous comments by individuals who hadn't bothered to read the summaries. Try to find the summaries. The one I gave above is very brief. Yellow and and maybe magenta work best. Heat at about 275 to 300 °F, as I recall. John

 

[MrDEB]

I read that an inkjet printer won't work. got to be a laser printer. then iron on the paper. wash off the paper then etch.
a laser printer uses small plastic ink so you need to melt the ink onto the board.

 

[3v0]

I read that an inkjet printer won't work. got to be a laser printer. then iron on the paper. wash off the paper then etch.
a laser printer uses small plastic ink so you need to melt the ink onto the board.

You are thinking of toner transfer. They are talking about a process where you run the PCB through an ink jet printer. Similar work has been done with laser printers.

 

[MrDEB]

wonder if T shirt transfer stuff?

has anybody tried T-shirt printing paper.
Would think that it would work but?
any thoughts??

 

[jpanhalt]

has anybody tried T-shirt printing paper.
Would think that it would work but?
any thoughts??

Yes, it has been discussed on the link I provided. Apparently, it doesn't work, but I have never tried it personally. John

 

[morseindustries]

pcb toner

hi you can leave the toner on after transfer and solder directly to the pcb this also protects the tracks from the oily residue off your fingers unless you are going to laquaer the board.

cheers

 

[morseindustries]

pcb toner

toner is a plastic this is why it transfers for. ink jets are ink only. if you want perfect transfers then use a photocopier instead

 

[AtomSoft]

hey guys just tried Photo Etching:

Photo Etching PCBs Atomsoft's Blog

 

[3v0]

About 20 years ago.

Back then you needed a lot of PCB to get what a micro controller now gives you on a chip. So instead of a 2x4" board you need like a 6x10". As the size of the board goes up the difficulty of getting a good one goes up faster.

Some people have better luck with either toner or photo. I use toner because it is faster and less expensive.

Both can be made to work and both can be screwed up. I guess what I am trying to say is that if you can not get one to work the other might work for you. But you may also get the current method working with the same amount of effort. Both can be botched.

 

[AtomSoft]

Yeah i have a laser printer also. I might try them both out and see which i prefer

 

[3v0]

Yeah i have a laser printer also. I might try them both out and see which i prefer

In the short term buying pre coated photo sensitive boards is the way to go.

To do a decent job of toner transfer you need a laminator and for photo resist you need some sort of exposure frame. I would just pick one and and perfect it.

 

[AtomSoft]

I have a laminator and also negative photo resist so i have to invert the image... also i have to laminate the resist onto the board which is proving to be a not 100% situation heh

I seem to be getting AIR bubbles ... I think my board is too thin im using a thin 0.009" board from DIPMICRO... the first one came out 100% the rest not so...

1oz Copper Clad FR4 Single Side 0.009â€￾ x 5.5 x 4â€￾ - dipmicro electronics

The board is so thin heh i cut it with normal scissors. It etches so nice tho!! like 1 minute heh... Also remember the boards I've done are tiny...

The photo way seems to be the way for me but i need these tools for a 100% job:

Tranparency (FOR INKJET) / Tracing Paper (i hear this is good) I have transparency for laser and it doesnt dry heh
Smooth Photo Resist... I might have to try and place a extra sheet of paper above the board to make it thicker.

 

[3v0]

There are wet and dry methods of applying the photo resist. Have you tried them both?

The thin PCB sounds like (about?) the same stuff Electronic Goldmine sells/sold 5" x 8" Scissor Cut Ultra Thin Copper Clad-The Electronic Goldmine
they used to have it SS but that seems to be gone.

When you do tiny boards like this make several copies at once on the same artwork. It is a bit easier to handle and for some reason seems to work better.

 

[mvs sarma]

Yeah i have a laser printer also. I might try them both out and see which i prefer

why do you want to reinvet the wheel?
many people have word Toner transfer and done successfully well.
I have used original as well as refill cartridge toner on HP P1007
it is working very well. It is OK to go for photographic methods if one likes , using pre-sensitized copper clad.
It really works well with good resolution even for SMDs and very narrow tracks..