This printer is the DesignJet 500. I think the ink tanks are around
$30.00 or so. That's the funny part about this printer. It doesn't
get much use at all. I only print about 30 line drawings on about 5
times a year. So, most of the ink it's used has leaked out or is
sitting in that ink well :-(
The ink tanks are big, much bigger than the ones we use on desktop
printers. So, it it isn't leaking, they last a long time - I can't
remember the last time I bought some.
Seeing as this printer is 24" wide, and I don't know the minimum
size it can print on (I am always printing from a 24" roll), I don't
know if I can feed a small sheet through it. How big of a sheet of
that PCB material do you have?
Chris
--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Myc Holmes"
<mycroft2152y@...> wrote:
>
> I think almost any UV source would work, probably not LEDs.
Exposure time
> will be dependant on the source and the thickness of the ink. Put
it out on
> a sunny day. :)
>
> What is the model # and how much are the cartridges. What do you
use to
> clean up the mes? Just curious.
>
> If you really get annoyed one day, I can send you some paper thin
pcb
> material. It feeds through an regular inkjet and laser printer
just fine.
>
> Myc
>
> On 7/25/06, lcdpublishing <lcdpublishing@...> wrote:
> >
> > Mycroft,
> >
> > I am not certain of the INK, my only exposure with it is when I
have
> > problems with that printer and usually it's a messy problem!!!!!!
> >
> > That printer has a problem that i have yet to figure out. When
> > printing some drawings, it seems as though it is pissing out ink
> > like a race horse. I end up with drops of black ink everywhere.
> > The ink-well where I think the head goes for cleaning is now so
full
> > it is leaking onto the floor - just noticed that this morning.
> >
> > HP says it has a leaking hose - hogwash I say. I think something
> > else is wrong based on my observations. HP also wants $170.00 for
> > the stupid hoses so that I can replace them to "See if that
corrects
> > the problem".
> >
> > Anyway, what I am getting to is this. Usually the mess I find is
> > large drops of ink. Just guessing, I would say it is thicker than
> > Epson ink - just a hunch though. Furthermore, the spilled ink
never
> > seems to dry - it's just a big ole mess.
> >
> > If the printer acts up on a day when I am in a really bad mood
(like
> > what has been happening lately alot), I may end up running a PCB
> > through that damn thing just to see if it will work for our
process.
> >
> > I really don't know much more about that printer. It's big, it's
> > expensive, it makes big messes, it annoys the heck out of me,
but I
> > need it for business.
> >
> > The next time it "Leaks ink from the hose", I will try to scoop
some
> > up and put it on a PCB to test. However, how would I cure the
ink?
> > What would I use for a UV light source for something like that?
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%
40yahoogroups.com>,
> > "Myc Holmes"
> >
> > <mycroft2152y@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I would think a UV cure system would be they way to go. You
could
> > even
> > > 'cure' the board outside the printer. Unless your are very
> > careful, light
> > > 'spillage" in the printer will cure the ink on the head or glue
> > the head to
> > > excess ink pad.
> > >
> > > The high solids UV cure systems are used to reduce VOC
(Volatile
> > Organic
> > > compounds) emissions in industry to meet air quality standards.
> > These still
> > > do have minor amounts of solvents and tend to be very viscous
> > (thick).
> > >
> > > Chris, have you ever looked at the ink used in the HP? how
does it
> > compare
> > > to the MIS or Epson ink as far as viscosity (flow
> > characteristics)? Is the
> > > inkjet head heated? What kind of cleaning cycle does it use?
> > >
> > > So what is needed? Starting with an Epson piezo print head, you
> > need a
> > > fluid that has the same flow and drying characteristics as the
> > pigment ink.
> > > That means, water based, small particle size, and 'slow'
drying.
> > Also it has
> > > to have the proper wetting out characteristics and adhesion to
the
> > prepared
> > > copper pcb, both before and after the cure step. Of course it
has
> > to be
> > > applied in a layer thick enough and durable to survive the
etching
> > bath.
> > >
> > > Finally, it has to be KISS simple, inexpensive and easily
> > available.
> > >
> > > I've been thinking about this for quite a while, and the only
> > possibility
> > > that I have been able to come up with, short of specially
> > compounding, is
> > > the spray-on photo sensitizing liquid for pcbs. It has the
proper
> > after
> > > printer characteristics. the question is what needs to be done
to
> > get it
> > > through the EPSON print head successfully.
> > >
> > > Up until just recently, I have not had an Epson printer to
> > experiment with,
> > > only the Lexmarks's that use the vaporized droplet method.
Since
> > there are 6
> > > separate heads on the R220, I think a few could be sacrificed
to
> > try this.
> > >
> > > Myc
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 7/25/06, Leon Heller <leon.heller@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "lcdpublishing" <lcdpublishing@ <lcdpublishing%
> > 40yahoo.com>
> > > > >
> > > > To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%
40yahoogroups.com><Homebrew_PCBs%
> > 40yahoogroups.com>>
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 1:12 PM
> > > > Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Epson R220 PCB printing Report
#1
> > > >
> > > > >I would suspect that you would be better off finding/using
a UV
> > > > > cured Ink. My large HP Printer (24" wide) uses UV cured
ink but
> > > > > being a big and expensive printer, I have not yet had the
> > courage to
> > > > > try and run a PCB through it.
> > > > >
> > > > > With that system, if I understand it correctly, the print
head
> > puts
> > > > > the ink on the paper, and next to the print head is a UV
light
> > > > > source that cures it instantly.
> > > > >
> > > > > Some day I would like get the guts up to run a PCB through
it,
> > but
> > > > > that won't happen anytime soon I am afraid.
> > > >
> > > > That's how industrial ink jet printers work, for printing on
all
> > sorts of
> > > > materials, including PCBs.
> > > >
> > > > Leon
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>