Homebrew PCBs

> William Carr wrote:
> Hi.   I'm new to the group, can I ask a newbie
> question?
> 
> Why the emphasis on development of a direct
> inkjet process?
> 
> From High School in the early 80's, I recall
> the way PCB's were done is to use the UV
> boards, a photo mask, and the sun.   Not that
> I've  done any lately.
<big snip>

The _WAY_ (in big capitals with underlining) is
still photographic.

For quality of board, repeatability, freedom from
process variation, speed of production (if making
more than a few) it wins.  No buts, No ifs - it
just wins.

If you can't tell, I'm on of the photographic ways
biggest defenders.

I started with photo when the only option easily
available was negative acting.  I switched to
Toner Transfer a bit over a decade ago after
reading an article about Xerox playing with it.
(I think a long time before pulsar brought out
TTS with all the trademarks and stuff).

I could get 8 thou tracks 8 thou spacing with
toner.  However waiting till the 3rd full moon
after the solatice, cleaning and preping the
blank board with 7 different solutions, drawing
the pentagram on the floor and slaugtering the
goat all took time.

I switched back to photo about 5 or 6 years
ago.  And although I have resorted to toner a
few times in the last five years - it's only
when I desperatly need a board and have run
out of photo-stuff.

Photo does have drawbacks - mostly related to
cost AND the amount of space the equpiment
takes up.  The cost that I talk of is mainly
setting up your shop to do a good job of it.
Cost of production is in the same ballpark as
toner transfer.

Even with a shop set up to do photographic
boards to quite reasonable quality.  AND my
one eyed bigotry in favour of photo.  I still
have an interest in this ink-jet direct method.

Apart from novelty (which seems to be the biggest
winner of hearts around).  It has two big looking
advantages.

1, If requires neither a photo-tool, like the UV
   photographic method or sheet of paper that is
   destroyed in the process like toner transfer.
   This means that ONE OFF boards can be produced
   for a lower cost.

2, If a sytem of ink/printer that would allow
   air drying to happen it could reduce the
   number of attended steps in a home shop.

   Step 1 - load blank board to printer.
   Step 2 - Etch board.

   This would be a big advantage in a home shop
   that is more interested in person time than
   product throughput.


I am watching the thread with interest.

If it can be worked out to give acceptable
results I WILL get one to suppliment my photo
setup.

andrewm.