Hacking a printer to do Direct to PCB ink jet resist printing

[EL34]

This page shows my progress on hacking an Epson printer to be able to spray pigment inks on copper clad board.
Big pics and lots more info on this page.
http://www.el34world.com/Misc/PCB/PCB1.htm

You can then etch the boards with good ole Ferric chloride

There's more to it than that, but this method is faster and simpler than using pre sensitized PC board


here's a pic of my stripped down Epson


Here's a couple examples of how fine you can get the traces with direct to PCB ink jet resist printing
Once you iron out all the kinks that is.

The boards below were made with direct ink jet

[simonallaway]

Very cool! I've been lurking on your forum for only a few months and you've demonstrated all kinds of cool things that can be done on that CNC machine. I'm going to have to work hard to make a case for ownership with the wife ;)

I'm also interested in PCB manufacture (for cheap fx pedals etc) and was going to try this method with ink jet -> light sensitive PCB -> etchant:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Creating-Printed-Circuit-Boards-with-a-INKJET-Prin/

Does your method replace the 'photo' part of the process?

[EL34]

I have seen that instructables page. All he is using the ink jet for is to print the mask.
I am going to mod the printer to spray pigment ink right on the board itself.

You don't need Presensitized board with the direct ink jet print method.
There are more steps using Presensitized board and it is way more expensive

When you use pre sensitized board, you lay a positive mask on top of the board and expose the board to UV rays
Then you use a special developer to remove areas that were exposed to UV
The areas that were exposed to UV get washed away in the developer
The areas that were not exposed to UV remain on the board and that is the resist
Then the board goes into regular etchant to remove the copper everywhere the resist is not present


In direct ink jet printing, you are spraying on ink and that is the resist
So you are skipping several steps
You also get to use regular copper board which is way cheaper than pre sensitized board.

[stingray_65]

Doug,
your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me.

Ray

[EL34]

I'm just curious and like machines.  

[PRR]

Epson does/did sell CD printers in the USA. My father said it was some patent license thing.

Photo-masking PCB is now as obsolete as 4x5 film. You can do it; unless you like brown knuckles the new tools are so much better.

The way I see a LOT is laser printer on magazine paper. The toner is polystyrene powder. If you lay this on PCB-stuff and use a hot clothes-iron, the poly remelts off the coated paper onto the copper. Polystyrene resists most chemicals. Throwaway mono laser printers are under $99 now.

I'm startled that inkjet works. Most etchants are water-base and I remember when inkjet ink slid off the paper on damp days. I know it's got a lot more water-resistant... so much that you can soak in 99% H2O for 20 minutues?

There's a way to laser-print directly on PCB but of course this needs a straight-through feed path which is rare. And the heat-set drum is intended for quick-heating sheet paper, not heavy copper on board.

I still like Sharpies. For PCBs or for CDs.

[EL34]

Epson does/did sell CD printers in the USA. My father said it was some patent license thing.

The Epsons still can do CD printing, you just have to enable it and get the proper tray.

Photo-masking PCB is now as obsolete as 4x5 film. You can do it; unless you like brown knuckles the new tools are so much better.

Not sure if this is the same thing or not as what we do now.
Photo masking on clear acetate is still used with Pre sensitized PC board material.
Only now, you print the mask with a laser or ink jet on the proper clear material.
I just did an experiment with some and it worked great.
Problem is, you need extra chemicals and several extra steps with pre sensitized pc board and the board cost a bunch more than plain board

The way I see a LOT is laser printer on magazine paper. The toner is polystyrene powder. If you lay this on PCB-stuff and use a hot clothes-iron, the poly remelts off the coated paper onto the copper. Polystyrene resists most chemicals. Throwaway mono laser printers are under $99 now.

I have seen this method. It's ok but not as nice as direct ink jet resist printing.

I'm startled that inkjet works. Most etchants are water-base and I remember when inkjet ink slid off the paper on damp days. I know it's got a lot more water-resistant... so much that you can soak in 99% H2O for 20 minutues?

I have more info on that on th web page link at the top. you have to use pigment based inks and a printer such as an Epson that is able to spray pigment based inks. You cannot use regular ole dye based ink jet ink. Pigment based inks can be dried with heat so they stand up to the etchant

[Bassmanster]

You can still get 4 x 5 film.

[tubesornothing]

This is very interesting.  I read a few web sites on this and is sounds like the make or break is getting the ink to cure properly.

I did lots of work with the toner transfer method, but could not get it realible without a lot of messing around.  I went back to the mask & presensitized boards.  Although more expensive it is consistent and reliable.

The CNC method works pretty well too, just slow.

Two questions:

- how to do double sided?
- anyone talking on how to do plated through holes?  Sure be nice for rough use equipment.

[EL34]

I read about some guys doing double sided boards
The key there is to have a very precise feed mechanism where the board is exactly in the same spot when you flip it.

I also read about guys who said, hell with that.
They print two 1/32" or 1/64" boards and glue them back to back. (I like this idea better)

I need to do 8 x 8 inch sheets with tiny round boards for the LED lights
There are 36 or more boards on a sheet.

What I am shooting for is to etch the whole sheet, then toss it on the cnc do do the holes and cut the boards out.
All I have to do is align the sheet at two diagnal marks and it should cut correctly.
I am not doing surface mount stuff with tiny traces, so for my application, I can get it close enough

Removing all the copper on the CNC is taking way too long as you said
But doing holes and cut outs goes very quickly

[tubesornothing]

That's cool.  Using the right tool for the right job.

What is funny with my amps, is that I did all this PCB experimentation work, then ended up going back to eyelets/turrets.  However, to reduce the number of point to point wires, I hand lay copper trace tape on the bottom and top side!  But for small circuits (switching, James tonestack)  I still use PCBs - that works pretty well.

[stingray_65]

So which rout are you going here Doug?

the Epson or the Canon?

or both?

Ray

[EL34]

You mean the Epson printer shown on this page and on my hack page?

[stingray_65]

Sorry to be confusing Doug,

I had thought I read that you were contemplating making a cartridge for the Canon to print on PCB's and next thing I see the Epson hacked :)

LOL I'm just trying to keep up in my brain! and you're out there doing it!

Ray

[EL34]

The Canon was my first idea because it can print on a cd tray.
But you need to be able to spray pigment inks like the Epson use, so, hence the Epson hack
Picked the epson up on Ebay for $8.99

[stingray_65]

Hey Doug!

I just had a C-84 land in my lap this morning, I hope this project hasn't stalled completely.

I was telling the land lord where my shop is about how "somebody" I knew was converting an Epson C-84 over to make PC boards.

He told me to wait there and 5 minutes later he came back with one in a box and a couple boxes of ink.

Looking forward to your progress.

Ray

[EL34]

hey, I am at a standstill
Long story,
but the printer I bought for $8.99 on flea bay supposedly was ok.
The guy said that the color jets were clogged, but it worked before that

I purchased those refillable cartridges, installed them, but the printer says it cannot recognize the cartridges

I called the ink company and they sent me another set of cartridges

Same thing, no good

So the printer is dead in the water
Don't know if it hates these cartridges, or something was wrong with the printer all along.

I am looking for another cheap C84 to swap out the board, and or the print head

Had a line on one for $15, but that fell through
If you get your hands on another one, let me know.

Did you get yours to work?

[stingray_65]

I plugged it in and got a low ink error and got no further.
busy week

Ray

[EL34]

I would make sure it prints perfectly before you continue

Then each step of the way you can hook it up to make sure everything still works.

mine came without any color cartridges ans so I could not test test the printer properly before I tore it down

I have not had to to look for another C84