looking for a laser printer to be used for "toner transfer" purpose

[legacy]

hi guys
i am looking for a good laser printer to be used for "toner transfer"

as requirements, it needs to be
- Print Quality: 1200x1200 dpi as resolution, with no "eco" mode
- Print Speed: less than 20ppm (needed by yellow transfer paper, chines ones)


Samsung ML2160 (and may be the SL-M2022) seems to be good and cheap enough, unfortunately the mechanical is not so good, so .. i am looking for something gooder: all suggestions are welcome!

thank you

[gocemk]

I am currently working with HP LaserJet 6L (more then 15 years old), with 600dpi resolution. Even with this resolution i have absolutely no problem with tracks as thin as 0.3mm, so you should have no problem at all with 1200 dpi.

P.S. I have a friend who is working with laser printers, servicing, toner refill, etc... From what i hear HP's are far cheaper to refill than Samsung's.

[ElektroQuark]

Why is this post in "Microcontrollers & FPGA's"?

[uwezi]

In my own experience it's not so much the printer but the paper which is important. At home I have an HP Laserjet 4-series (15+ years) and at work a all-in-one Ricoh. Both work excellent on the correct paper.

[legacy]

which paper ?

[Psi]

its important that the printer can produce a deep black which has little to no 'white spots' showing through.

Most printers have a eco or density setting you can tweak but some laser printers just cannot produce a good black so will always produce 'patchy' looking copper tracks.

[uwezi]

which paper ?

There are other threads here in the forum covering that topic. I use a glossy inkjet photo paper (paper weight 220g/m²) from a local hardware chain in Sweden, Biltema.

[poorchava]

A good way to work around this is to use hatched polygons instead of solid ones. the way I understand it is that the printer can deposit only so much toner particles per unit of surface. If all the surface is charged the toner deposits uniformly, if it's not, then some of the toner meant for non-charged area is drawn to charged areas increasing density beyond normal values. So if you have a fine hatched polygon, then with ~50% coverage, you might theoretically get twice as much toner/surface unit.

If you look at a 1mm trace against the light, you may notice that it's darker on the edges, i think it's the effect of drawin toner from uncharged to charged areas.

[calin]

Google for "TRF Green" - that is a foil that you can basically laminate in top of the toner after you transfer'it on the board. No more needle holes or uncovered toner areas. I use that, the Chinese paper you mention with a 600 DPI Samsung printer and fills come out perfect ... I can do 0.5 mm LQFP's while sleeping.

A package of the TRF foil will set you for a long time for sure - course depends how many boards you "manufacture". There is even white one you can use for doing white writing for slikscreen

[ahnuts72]

I use a hp laserjet p1006 if you can find one.
600 or 1200 dpi eco mode can be turned off works great.
From what I have read the newer laser printers aren't anywhere as good as the older models.

[Refrigerator]

Also it is very important to have a good toner cartrige.
My printer is a samsung ML-1520P and it does actually leave some kind of unfilled areas, but that's probably the laser's fault.
I had quite good experience with glossy magazine paper, and if i apply enough heat my toner becomes really tough and with enough pressure evens out some places.
Some people told me to use my iron at 75-85 % heat, and it just didn't work.
Max heat all the way.