Homebrew PCBs

Stefan Trethan wrote:
> The silver markers will not work, much to cheap compared to the ink ;-)
> 
> Please let the list know the details, as long as the subject is proper  
> nobody will object minute-to-minute observations.
> While i am not sure this method is reliable (without further  
> soldering/plating) i am still interested.

I recall a recent (within the last 3 months or so) issue
of Popular Science magazine (hey! it was a free subscription)
had an article extolling the virtues of ink jet printer
technology.

Mentioned were at least two companies in Japan who are using
a conductive silver particle ink to actually lay traces on
a bare board.  I'd assume there is some non-conductive coating
printed over the conductive trace.  This seems reminiscent
of multiwire PCB fabrication.  Anyway the ink should become
more available if this technique takes off.

The use of inkjet technology to fab PCBs was actually
one of the more mundane topics of the article.  The
part about using living cells as ink and "printing up"
tissue for surgical repairs was the interesting part.
Apparently this was the original use for which the
inkjet mechanism was invented by HP back in the late
70's.  Only later did someone at HP think to press this
technology into service for printing.


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uhmgawa@...        www.gnu.org