Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Multi layer, dual sided PCB Printer.
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excitedbox:
I am starting development on a PCB Prototyping 3d Printer and wanted to start this thread as a place where I could post questions I may have and updates for those interested as the project develops.

The current options for prototyping PCBs are messy, time consuming or expensive, especially for multilayered boards. The current approaches for 3D printers are very expensive and way out of the range of most small businesses or hobbyists and the CNC approach is slow with low quality results.

The final goal is to have the Makerbot of PCB printers in the form factor of an office laser jet printer. In my opinion the maker bot was the first real low cost option for the hobbyist to have a 3D printer and kicked the maker movement into high gear.   

My plan is to build a custom printer using UV cure inks for solder masks and non-conductive layers and flash sintering of copper or silver inks for traces. The printer will also contain a tiny spindle to drill through holes to the other side through the substrate before the printing process.

Objective:

The Objective will be to develop a Printer that can create multilayered, dual sided PCBs faster, cheaper, cleaner than current methods without human intervention throughout the printing process.

Requirements:

- Cost Less than $3000 for base unit.
- Trace width of .1mm
- Multi layer and Dual sided
- No etching chemicals
- No slow CNC milling
- Max 15 min per Layer for 10x10cm PCB
- Printing on FR4
- Non intervention printing start to end.

Obstacles:
- Ink development
- Ink storage life
- Print quality on non flat substrates
- Dust from drilling operation
- Speed Speed Speed
- Print head selection
- Ink delivery system
- Sintering
- UV curing
- Project Funding (

I have done a ton of research that I will start compiling/organizing and adding over the next week or so as I get time.



When I came up with the idea for this project I first considered many other options besides printing from the mild to the down right crazy. I considered foil stamping, milling, lasers, laminating, sand blasting (the test result was quite interesting but messy), robotic/automated etching, depositing etching gels, etc. Eventually I settled on printing because it is already done with good results but the prices are too high ($50-300k).



I am also looking for help/participants and funding (sponsors/partners) for this project if anyone is interested. Once a prototype is developed I want to make a Kickstarter to get them manufactured and sell them. 


Rerouter:
How strong is the adhesion of your flash sintered ink

Are you able to use this process to create plated via's, including out of order blind vias, e.g. 1-2 + 2-3 + 3-4

is the 0.1 dependent on the ink jet, or on the positioning tolerance of the machine
excitedbox:
The trace size is dependent on several factors but mostly the positioning and DPI of the print head. Inks will also play a roll but as long as you have an unbroken line it should work.

 Ink recipes I am working with use Copper containing chemicals and causing them to form nanoparticles of predictable sizes.

Plating vias should be possible in any combination for all the layers on each side of the PCB since you are basically building up an image of your PCB one layer at a time. I am still exploring options for plating vias through the substrate. Currently I am leaning towards building up a filled in via during the printing process with a final drilling process in the end to drill a hole through the metal plug that has built up on that part of the PCB.

Since I have not finalized an ink yet I can not say how good adhesion will be but the inks I am working on use Nanometer size copper particles that when sintered form solid copper layers. It should be possible to control adhesion depending on how complete the curing of the layer of UV acrylic underneath is.

You should picture the process as running the same paper through a printer over and over and printing a new image over the old one until your board is done. By manipulating how long and when you cure the UV acrylic non-conductive parts or sinter the copper traces you control the build up of the board. Because print heads deliver such tiny amounts of ink per drop you have extremely precise control over layer thickness and shape. Through fancy positioning of the print head it should be possible to print on non flat surfaces and on almost any substrate that can stand up to the solvents and acrylic inks. Future models could include more print heads to print a base layer to allow printing on absorbent materials such as fabrics as well.

Right now I just want to develop the basic printing mechanisms and inks and after that worry about going fancy.

This was typed out on my cellphone so please excuse predicted text replacement and typos.
Thararot:
Each of these stories may not be the same.
excitedbox:
Could it be you posted in the wrong thread?
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