Different Methods Of PCB Printing

Circuit boards can be printed in a number of ways. There are different types of methods being followed by a PCB design company. Here are some of the most common methods of PCB printing.

Pre-printed Label Application

Low volume products start with the labels printed on the equipment and hand applied to each of the PCBs. This is done prior to or after the assembly. As the high demand of PCBs comes in, the hand application generally turns into a problem. Automated systems which print and apply the labels are also available. The labels must be placed very accurately, due to space constraints it can be problems to hand apply the labels. These labels are not permanent and at high volumes these types of label application can become expensive. The advantages of this type of label printing are that there is very Low Initial Cost and High Contrast Mark. There are a number of disadvantages to this process as the labels are difficult to change size. There is a lot of mechanical complexity for automated application of these labels.

Solvent Based Continuous Ink Jet Digital Printing

The ink jet technology which has been perfected nowadays have been adapted to put their mark on any industrial equipments which includes PCBs. Using electromagnetic fields a steady stream of ink droplets are steered to the desired location on the PCB to make the design. Solvent inks when used produce permanent mark on the porous surfaces. The marks tend to be less permanent on non porous surfaces where smearing can take place. This type of PCB printing has its advantages such as a very Competitive Incremental Cost. The contrast mark on this type of printing is very high. A large number of colors are also available. There are a few downsides to this type of printing as well since the Ink Viscosity Process is very complex and hard to control. Also when you are trying to achieve a higher DPI than 300 it can get problematic.

Laser Ablated Ink Patches

Laser engraving on the PCB boards has become a very common method of printing. However it was not the case when it first started out. At first the laser marks were not that useful due to the lack of contrast of the resulting mark. Newer version of laser printing on PCB boards includes circuit boards readymade with ink patches. The laser is then used to cut a path in the ink and create the desired circuitry. Few advantages of this type of PCB printing is that it offers a Competitive Incremental Cost, a very high contrast mark can be achieved if ink patches are used. If a laser galvo head is used then it is possible to get very high and reliable marks on the PCB board. The downsides to this type of printing are that it has a pretty high initial cost. The boards need to be pre printed with ink patches. For more information, go through Pcbcart.com.

About The Author

James Whitehall is an expert when it comes to printed circuit board manufacturing and design. He loves writing interesting articles and blogs about the topic and recommends PCBCart.com as the name to trust if you are looking printed circuit board fabrication services and support.