Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

Hi Group,

I am wondering if there is a such a device already out there that can
print directly onto a circuit board. I see essentially two uses for
such a printer...

1) you could print the legends directly to the circuit board without
making a screen etc.

2) With the right kind of inks, I would imagine you could print the
masks directly on the circuit board for etching.

I have seen a number of CD type printers that work very close to this
principle. Some are even ordinary converted Epson printers. I don't
think ordinary inkjet ink would work for masks, however....

There is another type of pinter, Rimage is the brand name I believe,
and it is a thermal type printer. It seems as though it lays down a
pretty heavy "Film" of some sort that may work for mask printing. This
type of printer could also function then as the legend printer after
etching.

Seems like a rather logical process for making circuit boards (at
least that is what the voices in my head are telling me ;-)

Chris