>
> After reading through the HowStuffWorks, the copper/aluminum being
> conductive
> is the problem. The paper isn't oppositely charged from the drum. The
> toner is
> positive, the drum is negative to pick up, and the paper is then more
> negative
> to attract the toner from the drum. The paper has first the charging
> corona and
> then another discharging after to unstick the paper from the drum.
howstuffworks was the first i looked...
> The paper
> underneath will keep the copper from directly shorting the
> charge/discharge
> wires as long as they are on the underside,
the wires are not touching the paper, they are in a cage, only charging
the paper
by "influence" or how you want to call it.
> but the copper on top will equalize
> the charge on that side or short if they're on top, so once it gets to
> the detac
> wire it'll have both neg and pos and be whatever shade of neutral the
> relative
there is no detac in my printer, and i think there is none in many
printers.
the problem is metal parts in the transport.
they conduct to the copper just before the transfer corona.
this keeps the copper at ground level.
> charges on the wire make. 50% less sounds about right, they may not
> need as
> much opposite on the detac just to unstick the paper.
>
> Note with a copper board there would be no tendency to wrap around
> the drum,
> you could remove the detac wire and possibly get an excellent print with
> a fully
> charged copper plate, just watch out for the static charge near any
> electronics
> afterwards since it's not being discharged during the printing.
you should ground it immediately after fusing (or even before, it will
dissipate i think).
>
> Now I really want to find a good upright printer as in their drawing
> that has
> a straight mechanical path with a little case modification. I'm now
> fairly sure
> the direct to copper can be made to work, and the fusing part is just a
> matter
> of heat and slower speed to get that working so should be easy enough.
> As good
> as toner transfer is damn it'd still be nice to not mess with the
> paper. The
> amount of toner etc on a normal page would be fine if it were all on the
> copper
> and fused well, so I don't think other mods would really be necessary.
>
> Alan
>
i too use a working paper transfer now, but i am always looking for better
methods.
in the future smd will get more important, and i have some spreading of
the tracks.
(which i could compensate but... it's just not perfect.
I don't know which printers are suitable, the IIID definitely would be if
it wasn't 300dpi.
the possibilities are there i think.
I just did the following:
tape very narrow strips of aluminium foil on the paper so the charge is
not shorted.
result: it seems the full toner is on.
i could only judge from the printing result, which looks just as on paper.
i couldn't figure out the exact position on the drum to look...
so you see, if we can charge the copper to the appropriate voltage, and
if we can feed it through, at an appropriate height, we might just be able
to really make this work.
I still wonder how much we need to modify the transports to get the board
through.
ST